Cards Fan Here

[Russ Willstrong]

While as a Seahawks fan a part of me wants to still not take the Cardinals seriously, I tend to prescribe to Bill Parcell's quote:

You are what your record says you are.

I recommend not renewing this prescription. This oft-repeated quote does not pass any rational sniff test.

The NFL plays a 16-game season. Right now we're at 10. We're talking about sample sizes so microscopically small that variance plays a massive part in what a team's record is vs. what it could be. Romanticized notions that teams just will themselves to wins in close games and just fail their way into losses in close games are how many people want things to be, because they want to chalk this up as much as possible to being a game where superior skill and play always carries the day...people want to believe this in spite of the fact that they also see the role that luck obviously plays in important plays in some games. Close games can be, and are, swung on little plays like this. And that doesn't even speak to how luck plays in when it comes to things like us having to play Tony Romo while Arizona got to feast on Brandon frigging Weeden in our respective games against Dallas.

Your record is what ultimately determines your playoff seed, if any. It does not, however, speak to the quality that a team is. The Cardinals are the third-best team in this division and should be laughed off at every possible point. I agree with you that we win this game, but there's no reason to be overly respectful to our division rivals. They're a decent team, good at best, zero chance that they're great.

I really hate that everyone takes such a measured and respectful tone toward these guys as if they're to be treated as anything but another faceless and soulless enemy like San Francisco. Screw the Cardinals.

I'm not sure that it's fair to say the Cards should be laughed off...Although they may prefer it as they seem to relish the underdog role. As we look back on the 2013 Seahawks I don't think they are an entirely different team (I do think Seattle was way more proficient on offense than the 2014 Cardinals - stats will prove that as well.) However I found these stays interesting:

Last year when Seattle was 9-1 they won 5 of those games by 7 points or less. They had beaten 4 teams with a winning record and their opponents combined wins through 10 games was 41.

The 2014 Cardinals have won 7 of their games by more than 7 points. They have beaten 6 teams with a winning record and their opponents combined wins through 10 games is 51.

Stats can always be misleading but the point is I think the Cardinals have proven themselves to be a quality team. (Unlike the 2013 Chiefs who went 9-0 while not facing a single team with a winning record. They finished 11-5 and those five losses came to teams with at least a .500 record)

^ Solid point.
If Arizona finishes the season the way our 2013 Seahawks did then they will have all the respect they deserve and more.

 

[HansGruber]

I think the cardinals are going to win the superbowl this season regardless of what happens tomorrow.

And welcome to the board.

With Stanton? Lol

Stanton has looked a whole hell of a lot better than Palmer. When I hear people dogging on Stanton, I just realize I'm talking to someone who hasn't watched the guy play. Got a criticism? Let's hear it. INTs? Yeah, that's really had a negative impact. As the Cards continue beating the snot out of team after team.

 

[RiverDog]

I don't blame you for having reservations about them, they aren't exactly "sexy" on paper especially after all the players they have lost due to injuries or suspensions...But they do possess an intangible called swagger. It's not a loud, boisterous swagger like the Seahawks had last year, it's more of a quiet, calm swagger...The Cardinals players have been quoted as saying they have moved from believing they will win games to knowing they will win games (and that belief started with a win at CLink last year).

And that's great, University of Phoenix stadium is a great place to visit. I suspect their will be a lot of Seahawks fans in attendance.

Absolutely agree about the Cards having swagger. It's the same thing we had last season that seems to be missing from our team this year. The Cards are finding ways to win the close games. Injuries? Suspensions? Back up quarterback? It doesn't seem to make a difference on the bottom line, someone is there to step up and fill the void.

I also like your head coach's attitude. He said recently that the Cards haven't done squat yet, and he's exactly right. 9 wins doesn't even guarantee you a playoff berth. He also raised some eyebrows when he said that Drew Stanton was good enough to win a Super Bowl. If I were Stanton, I'd feel pretty good about myself if the HC made that kind of brash statement about me.

I'm sure there'll be a lot of Hawk fans in attendance at our December match even if the Hawks tank the next several games. The tickets I bought to the Cards game over the secondary market were so much cheaper than equivalent tickets to a Hawks home game that the difference was enough to pay for my 3 night hotel stay and then some. The one rap I have about the Cards is that they do not have a deep, passionate, grass roots fan base. As a friend of mine from Phoenix once told me, everyone is from somewhere else, and brings their original allegiance with them.

 

[SoCalSeahawk]

I think the cardinals are going to win the superbowl this season regardless of what happens tomorrow.

And welcome to the board.

With Stanton? Lol

Stanton has looked a whole hell of a lot better than Palmer. When I hear people dogging on Stanton, I just realize I'm talking to someone who hasn't watched the guy play. Got a criticism? Let's hear it. INTs? Yeah, that's really had a negative impact. As the Cards continue beating the snot out of team after team.

Seven years, four teams, injury prone. A backup to legends such as Dan Orlovsky, Shaun Hill and Tim Tebow. Maybe he has figured it out and Arians has him in the right system...or he is a career backup that will begin to show his flaws soon. The Cardinal's D is a machine, but no running game and a QB who doesn't take care of the ball does not bode well for a Superbowl run. But in related news, Russell Wilson is too short and will never be more than a career backup.

 

[Scottemojo]

Everyone be nice, we need more visitors like this. He actually talks ball.

The Cardinals have not given up more than 20 in any game except one, a game where they ended up with rookie at QB, and he was not ready.

Arians is the right mix of gambler and motivator. Everyone is pushing Seattle because they must win, but few are talking about the appeal to Cardinal players of sewing up a division early. They are a pretty good road team, they won in SF, a feat we have not accomplished in a while.

The Cards just hang around and hang around and hang around...then on some ordinary 3rd and 2 they complete a 70 yard pass to Brown to steal a game. Or something like that. It isn't pretty, and leaves both Cardinal fans a bit nervous it isn't sustainable and opposing fans feeling the game was always one play away from a win for them. At least it isn't boring football.

I feel like they match up with us perfectly. They can push around our smallish WR, they can blitz without fearing we will use that against them with regularity, they can single cover outside, they can trust their nickel coverage, they can mush rush successfully.

For me the question is more about our D vs their O. They don't run well, but how good do we feel about Mebane being gone? Arians will go after that for sure. Our linebackers have been dismal lately. I know the LOB is up to covering Fitz and Floyd, but Brown is one of the little twisty ones we struggle with, a TY Hilton clone. Arians doesn't call games like our OC, he isn't a we do what we do and you have to stop us kind of guy, he will pick on a weakness play after play.

Stanton doesn't have to do much except not screw up badly this game. Make a read, throw it away or check it down. I am guessing that is exactly what Arians is telling him today.

I will be surprised if the winning team has more than 20 today.

 

[MidwestHawker]

Stanton has looked a whole hell of a lot better than Palmer. When I hear people dogging on Stanton, I just realize I'm talking to someone who hasn't watched the guy play. Got a criticism? Let's hear it. INTs? Yeah, that's really had a negative impact. As the Cards continue beating the snot out of team after team.

2014 Stats

Palmer EPA/P - 0.19
Stanton EPA/P - 0.18

Palmer WPA/G - 0.33
Stanton WPA/G - 0.27

Palmer Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt - 7.09
Stanton Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt - 6.88

Palmer TD:INT Ratio - 3.7:1
Stanton TD:INT Ratio - 2.5:1

Palmer with the very slightly better success rate percentage.

Palmer completion percentage nearly 10% higher.

Identical air yards per attempt.

Conclusion: Stanton looks a hell of a lot better.

 

[HansGruber]

Stanton has looked a whole hell of a lot better than Palmer. When I hear people dogging on Stanton, I just realize I'm talking to someone who hasn't watched the guy play. Got a criticism? Let's hear it. INTs? Yeah, that's really had a negative impact. As the Cards continue beating the snot out of team after team.

2014 Stats

Palmer EPA/P - 0.19
Stanton EPA/P - 0.18

Palmer WPA/G - 0.33
Stanton WPA/G - 0.27

Palmer Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt - 7.09
Stanton Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt - 6.88

Palmer TD:INT Ratio - 3.7:1
Stanton TD:INT Ratio - 2.5:1

Palmer with the very slightly better success rate percentage.

Palmer completion percentage nearly 10% higher.

Identical air yards per attempt.

Conclusion: Stanton looks a hell of a lot better.

This post is too embarrassing to Seahawk fans everywhere to even deserve a response.

Here's a tip: Instead of cherry picking stats to support a flawed logic, why don't you try actually watching some Cardinals games and get back to me. There's no point engaging in debate about a team with someone who has obviously not watched a minute of them in action. I might as well be debating stock picks with a homeless guy.

 

[Sarlacc83]

Stanton has looked a whole hell of a lot better than Palmer. When I hear people dogging on Stanton, I just realize I'm talking to someone who hasn't watched the guy play. Got a criticism? Let's hear it. INTs? Yeah, that's really had a negative impact. As the Cards continue beating the snot out of team after team.

2014 Stats

Palmer EPA/P - 0.19
Stanton EPA/P - 0.18

Palmer WPA/G - 0.33
Stanton WPA/G - 0.27

Palmer Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt - 7.09
Stanton Adjusted Net Yards/Attempt - 6.88

Palmer TD:INT Ratio - 3.7:1
Stanton TD:INT Ratio - 2.5:1

Palmer with the very slightly better success rate percentage.

Palmer completion percentage nearly 10% higher.

Identical air yards per attempt.

Conclusion: Stanton looks a hell of a lot better.

This post is too embarrassing to Seahawk fans everywhere to even deserve a response.

Here's a tip: Instead of cherry picking stats to support a flawed logic, why don't you try actually watching some Cardinals games and get back to me. There's no point engaging in debate about a team with someone who has obviously not watched a minute of them in action. I might as well be debating stock picks with a homeless guy.

So what's your excuse after the game?

Also, did you pay the 49er fans royalties for using the deny, deflect, discredit defense?

 

[kearly]

Cards beat the 49ers in Arizona. Like Seattle, it's been a while since they've won in SF. 49ers are an up and down team this year anyway. These days it's hard to tell if beating SF in a given week is an accomplishment or simply taking care of business.

This game today was amazingly predictable. Seattle couldn't run until late in the game. Wilson was pretty much shut down until he could get the sandlot magic working. Arizona sacked Wilson a bajillion times, and maybe two of those sacks I would put squarely on the OL. Bevell was atrocious in the 1st half.

And yet Seattle pretty much dominated, because Arizona is the biggest pretender I have ever seen at the top of the NFL in my lifetime. Last year's Chiefs and the hot start Kyle Orton Broncos being close behind.

To Arizona's credit, they do have a championship caliber coaching staff. Even in a 3-19 loss it felt like their DC ran circles around Bevell for most of the game. I honestly did not know that it was possible for coaching to carry a team to this extent in the NFL. The 2014 Cardinals are the ultimate smoke and mirrors football team.

 

[Hasselbeck]

I tell you what.. the way our offense played today.. I'm not sure we beat the Cardinals with Palmer at QB over Stanton.

Stanton stinks. I agree with kearly though, I believe the Cardinals are a major facade. Kudos to them for winning the games they shouldn't be winning (San Diego, Philly, Dallas was a huge break when Romo sat) .. but they're not the team to beat in the NFC right now. I think that's probably the team Seattle played in Week 1.

PS - We're beating the Niners Thursday, they're a fraud too

 

[Natethegreat]

Cards have a very legit defense. Their offense is predicated on big pass plays and their receiving core is top notch. Brown is an amazing receiver. I don't think they are smoke and mirrors but I do think they struggle mightily down the stretch.

 

[MidwestHawker]

This post is too embarrassing to Seahawk fans everywhere to even deserve a response.

Here's a tip: Instead of cherry picking stats to support a flawed logic, why don't you try actually watching some Cardinals games and get back to me. There's no point engaging in debate about a team with someone who has obviously not watched a minute of them in action. I might as well be debating stock picks with a homeless guy.

Okay, answer each part of this post, and make sure you answer each part intelligently.

Which stats favored Stanton before today? Truthfully, I found one: that his sack rate was 0.1% better than Palmer's. Literally everything else was a Palmer sweep, so as a man of honor I promise you that what I did was in no way "cherry-picking."

I have watched multiple Cardinals games in full before today. What is it that I was supposed to see that you saw so vividly? I'm very curious as to what put you under the impression that I hadn't watched them.

You apparently are offended by the notion of numbers, so what puts Stanton ahead by your expert eye test? Please describe it for me in great detail.

 

[MidwestHawker]

Oh, one more question Hans. Same disclaimer, answer it intelligently.

What was the fatal flaw in my logic?

 

[Joey13091]

On to the Santa Clara 49ers. Let get a win on their turf this year.

 

[SomersetHawk]

Cards beat the 49ers in Arizona. Like Seattle, it's been a while since they've won in SF. 49ers are an up and down team this year anyway. These days it's hard to tell if beating SF in a given week is an accomplishment or simply taking care of business.

This game today was amazingly predictable. Seattle couldn't run until late in the game. Wilson was pretty much shut down until he could get the sandlot magic working. Arizona sacked Wilson a bajillion times, and maybe two of those sacks I would put squarely on the OL. Bevell was atrocious in the 1st half.

And yet Seattle pretty much dominated, because Arizona is the biggest pretender I have ever seen at the top of the NFL in my lifetime. Last year's Chiefs and the hot start Kyle Orton Broncos being close behind.

To Arizona's credit, they do have a championship caliber coaching staff. Even in a 3-19 loss it felt like their DC ran circles around Bevell for most of the game. I honestly did not know that it was possible for coaching to carry a team to this extent in the NFL. The 2014 Cardinals are the ultimate smoke and mirrors football team.

Massive overstatement. Chiefs easily top them. Cards are more than worthy of their position, and would have done a better impression of NFC West leaders with Palmer behind center.

I'd agree that they are superbly coached, but that can only compensate so much. With the injuries to their D, the way they shut down our running game (and much of our passing game) today was pretty phenomenal. Their D deserved more than 3 points and Palmer would have ensured it.

 

[GeekHawk]

Oh, one more question Hans. Same disclaimer, answer it intelligently.

What was the fatal flaw in my logic?

You need to just genuflect before his superior football intellect. Whether it's real or not. I've heard that Prelag is still here and punking everyone by having a different screen name.

 

[MidwestHawker]

Oh, one more question Hans. Same disclaimer, answer it intelligently.

What was the fatal flaw in my logic?

You need to just genuflect before his superior football intellect. Whether it's real or not. I've heard that Prelag is still here and punking everyone by having a different screen name.

Apparently. I mean I brought hard numbers; a numbers-based argument can easily be wrong, but "it insults me too much to even bother responding to this guy who has never watched this team" certainly isn't the way to debunk it.

 

[CardsForever]

I just had to come in here and say hats off to Seattle. That was probably the most dominant performance on defense I have seen all year. With their backs against the wall they totally delivered and are alive and well in the NFC. They played like Super Bowl Champions today.

I was really disappointed in Drew Stanton. I wanted to see how he would respond to adversity and it wasn't a pretty sight. The lack of a running game has completely caught up with this team. To me this was simply an unacceptable loss for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Not once did Seattle lose a game in this fashion last year. My only hope as a Cards fan is that this embarrassing loss will somehow serve them well going forward.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Cards beat the 49ers in Arizona. Like Seattle, it's been a while since they've won in SF. 49ers are an up and down team this year anyway. These days it's hard to tell if beating SF in a given week is an accomplishment or simply taking care of business.

This game today was amazingly predictable. Seattle couldn't run until late in the game. Wilson was pretty much shut down until he could get the sandlot magic working. Arizona sacked Wilson a bajillion times, and maybe two of those sacks I would put squarely on the OL. Bevell was atrocious in the 1st half.

And yet Seattle pretty much dominated, because Arizona is the biggest pretender I have ever seen at the top of the NFL in my lifetime. Last year's Chiefs and the hot start Kyle Orton Broncos being close behind.

To Arizona's credit, they do have a championship caliber coaching staff. Even in a 3-19 loss it felt like their DC ran circles around Bevell for most of the game. I honestly did not know that it was possible for coaching to carry a team to this extent in the NFL. The 2014 Cardinals are the ultimate smoke and mirrors football team.

Agree with some of this Kip, but not all. Their D is legit. But without a running game to lean on or a QB that isn't more than a career backup, I got a feeling they fade down the stretch.

And yeah, Bowles badly outcoached Bevell IMO as well.

 

[RiverDog]

I just had to come in here and say hats off to Seattle. That was probably the most dominant performance on defense I have seen all year. With their backs against the wall they totally delivered and are alive and well in the NFC. They played like Super Bowl Champions today.

I was really disappointed in Drew Stanton. I wanted to see how he would respond to adversity and it wasn't a pretty sight. The lack of a running game has completely caught up with this team. To me this was simply an unacceptable loss for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Not once did Seattle lose a game in this fashion last year. My only hope as a Cards fan is that this embarrassing loss will somehow serve them well going forward.

We didn't have any two score losses last year, but we damn sure had some very ugly wins, including the Tampa Bay game and the first Rams game.

Getting Wagner back was huge. He's the reason we were able to stuff the run. IMO he's the most underrated player on our defense. Cam's being healthy didn't hurt, either.