What's New?
The 2006 Arizona Cardinals weren’t who we thought they were. Heading into the season, we had them finally cracking the .500 mark. But anemic running game and an equally inept pass defense left them at the bottom of the division yet again.
Enter former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, to replace Dennis Green as head coach, along with his line coach Russ Grimm, who promises to beef up the trenches.
The additions of Whisenhunt and Grimm are ideal for the Cardinals because much of the blame for their failure last season can be placed on the offensive line. With that in mind, the team used its first pick in the draft on Penn State offensive tackle Levi Brown, who they hope develops into the type of player Leonard Davis was supposed to be when they drafted him. Whisenhunt also picked up a little depth and competition on the line with the additions of tackle Mike Gandy and center Al Johnson.
The Cardinals biggest veteran addition was that of former Eagles cornerback Roderick Hood, who should help improve the league’s 29th-ranked pass defense. The team also got great value in the second round of the draft by picking up massive nose tackle Alan Branch out of Michigan. Along with Gabe Watson and Darnell Dockett, the Cardinals have the potential for a pretty nice rotation at defensive tackle.
NFL Draft Picks
1st Round - Levi Brown, OT Penn State
2nd Round - Alan Branch, DT Michigan
3rd Round - Buster Davis, LB Florida State
5th Round - Steve Breaston, WR Michigan
7th Round - Ben Patrick, TE Delaware
Who's Gone?
OT Leonard Davis (Cowboys)
DT Kendrick Clancy (Saints)
S Robert Griffith
LB Orlando Huff
OG Chris Liwienski (Dolphins)
CB David Macklin (Redskins)
QB John Navarre (Colts)
C Alex Stepanovich (released/Bengals)
What Needs to Change?
The Cardinals are loaded with talent in the passing game, but someone has to start opening some holes in the running game. Running back Edgerrin James averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry in ‘06, and scored less than half the touchdowns he posted in ‘05. James may be no spring chicken anymore, but his decline last season had far more to do with poor play in front of him than any slippage in his skills.
Defensively, the team has got to play the pass better. The addition of some zone blitz packages should add pressure to opposing quarterbacks so the corners aren’t forced to cover as long. The addition of veteran safety Terrence Holt should help as well, but better play at corner, particularly by Antrel Rolle, is needed.
Under Pressure to Perform
Edgerrin James - As mentioned above, James posted poor numbers by his standards last year, and although much of the blame can be passed off, the fans know he was brought in to give the running game a boost, and it just hasn’t happened.
Karlos Dansby - With the Cardinals planning to play a lot of 3-4 sets this year, Dansby will be moved to the inside where he has the potential to develop into an impact player. His size, speed, and long arms should make him an effective pas rusher in this system.
2006 Rankings
Overall Offense - 18th (312.5)
Rushing Offense - 30th (83.6)
Passing Offense - 10th (228.9)
Overall Defense - 29th (349.4)
Rushing Defense - 16th (118.6)
Passing Defense - 30th (230.9)
Prediction - So much depends on how well and how quickly Grimm can mold the offensive line. This team certainly has the players at the skill positions, but playoff teams are generally strong in the trenches. In his second season, quarterback Matt Leinart is poised for a big season, but he needs some semblance of a running game to keep things balanced.
Record:8-8 and second in the NFC West
