About exactly what I thought...

[CakesW]

We are a much improved team, but it's probably not going to translate into many more Wins or Losses.

I like the direction the team is going in, we clearly looked better yesterday in the loss than we did in virtually all of the games of 2012. The offense actually has a clue...

We are just behind the Talent 8-ball right now.

 

[johnson]

2012: Offense terrible, Defense incredible.

2013: Offense good, Defense bad.

New recipe, same bad taste. Sorry if I'm being a cynic, but losing 12 of the last 13 will do that to you. If it weren't for Cortland Finnegan, this game wouldn't have been that close.

 

[CakesW]

See.. I never thought the defense was "incredible" last year... I think they had some outstanding games... but at times, they weren't all that stout, especially against the run.

Granted, they did get worn down due to the offenses inability to move the ball at all... but

Like I said, we aren't as talented as the Rams right now.... we CLEARLY are not as talented as the 49'ers or Seahawks...

The team is rebuilding, this is about what I expected.

I have a feeling we will still be a 5 win team, but many of the losses will be of yesterday's variety, not the 58-0 pasting we took in Seattle last year...

 

[Arizona_Sting]

If we get a top 5 pick should we take an OL or QB. That is the question

 

[seattlefan75]

If we get a top 5 pick should we take an OL or QB. That is the question

well assuming your in a position to draft in the top 5 its my opinion that teams need to draft a player that can change the score board. After seeing what carson palmer did you really dont NEED to draft a QB if there are better position players available. I like what you and the chiefs did this offseason by trading for a veteran and using your picks elsewhere and wait the following season for a better QB prospect.

now with that being said I think that there are a few good prospects coming in this years draft with johnny manziel and Tajhi Boyd from clemsen, also look for teddy bridgewater out of louisville this season

 

[Jonas_steven]

well assuming your in a position to draft in the top 5 its my opinion that teams need to draft a player that can change the score board. After seeing what carson palmer did you really dont NEED to draft a QB if there are better position players available. I like what you and the chiefs did this offseason by trading for a veteran and using your picks elsewhere and wait the following season for a better QB prospect.

now with that being said I think that there are a few good prospects coming in this years draft with johnny manziel and Tajhi Boyd from clemsen, also look for teddy bridgewater out of louisville this season

Bridgewater will be the pick if we are drafting that high. I wouldn't overlook the offensive lineman at Texas A&M. He should have come out last season and would have been a top ten pick.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

We need a pass rusher lots of good pass rushers in this draft. Dockett is gone after this year. We also need secondary help.

 

[Scorpion14]

This is better than a five win team. Bottom line is Jeff Fisher wins wherever he coaches.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

I think this Cardinals team is much improved and will be competitive... but we've got a hell of a tough schedule and we've still got a couple glaring weaknesses. This team could win anywhere between 5-9 games but I see it being closer to 5 than 9 just because of the tough schedule. I'd go OL-RB-CB with our first three picks and wait until the 2015 draft to take a QB. If we don't make the playoffs this or next year then it's time to consider trading Fitzgerald for a bounty of draft picks and just rebuild this team.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

I think this Cardinals team is much improved and will be competitive... but we've got a hell of a tough schedule and we've still got a couple glaring weaknesses. This team could win anywhere between 5-9 games but I see it being closer to 5 than 9 just because of the tough schedule. I'd go OL-RB-CB with our first three picks and wait until the 2015 draft to take a QB. If we don't make the playoffs this or next year then it's time to consider trading Fitzgerald for a bounty of draft picks and just rebuild this team.

If you think about it this team is set at most positions, were weak at Safety but Tyrann will develop there. Acho,Washington,Minter all have bright futures, the thing two things this team needs is a Left Tackle, and a Pass rusher at the OLB spot. I still believe Campbell can be a force, and I believe this is Docketts last year, If we get a speedster on the outside who can get 12-15 sacks a season we will have a solid defense, while Minter and Tyrann develop remember we have plenty of talent on defense and on offense we just need to add pieces where necessary, it was stupid to cut Sco I mean our starting OLB Alexzander runs a 5.12 and he had plenty of missed tackles last week. We definitely could use help at Safety and get a solid corner. But our 2 main things our a Left Tackle, and a Outside linebacker, but I agree with what your saying trading Fitzgerald would give us a couple of 1st rounders why don't we just try and fix our line problems there? That is what the 49ers did and then get a OLB in the 2nd round.

 

[johnson]

The problems may be deeper than we think. If Week 1 is any indication, we don't have a single player that can put pressure on the QB and most of the secondary needs to be upgraded. And then there's the perpetual 0-line issue.

If they don't get pressure on Stafford, he'll probably put up 40 on us.

I really do think our D was "incredible" last year. THey were on the field almost the entire game of every game last season, making their seemingly average stats in certain places the subject of inflation. Even great Ds have a few off games and last years didn't have many. I thought we had a Super Bowl caliber D last year (sadly, we had a NCAA Div II caliber offense and coaching staff)

 

[Scooby-Doo]

O-line and D-line is how you build a solid foundation for a good team. D-line needs major work. We put no pressure on Bradford at all. The o-line looked much better with the exception of Levi Brown. He showed no ability to block one on one. With Levi protecting the blind side, Palmer is gonna get killed. They need to roll a TE to help him on every third down. We had a HUGE issue covering the TE as well. I think D. Wash will help with that when he returns, but only on short routs.

I will say, the team looked much better than last year. I don't think you can look at "what if" scenarios like "if it wasn't for Finnegan, this game wouldn't have been close". Finnegan was trying to cover one of the best receivers in the league. It is obvious the Cards were a much more disciplined team with less penalties, but there were fluke plays going both ways. Remember Bradford fumbling deep in his own territory? That could have been ball game if the Cards recover. What about Feeley missing the field goal at the end of the half? A 50 yarder indoors should be made.

Let's not look past the fact that we played an above average team who has playoff aspirations in their home opener. The Cards put up 24 against a very solid defense. This team is light-years better than they were last year. It's week one. The team will only get better.

 

[johnson]

I hope you are right. I was just saying that Finnegan was pretty much the Rams version of Levi Brown. He got owned about a dozen times that game (I agree he wasn't up to the task of covering Fitz) and had 3-4 unbelievably stupid penalties that hurt his team. Dirty player that should have grown up by now.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

O-line and D-line is how you build a solid foundation for a good team. D-line needs major work. We put no pressure on Bradford at all. The o-line looked much better with the exception of Levi Brown. He showed no ability to block one on one. With Levi protecting the blind side, Palmer is gonna get killed. They need to roll a TE to help him on every third down. We had a HUGE issue covering the TE as well. I think D. Wash will help with that when he returns, but only on short routs.

I will say, the team looked much better than last year. I don't think you can look at "what if" scenarios like "if it wasn't for Finnegan, this game wouldn't have been close". Finnegan was trying to cover one of the best receivers in the league. It is obvious the Cards were a much more disciplined team with less penalties, but there were fluke plays going both ways. Remember Bradford fumbling deep in his own territory? That could have been ball game if the Cards recover. What about Feeley missing the field goal at the end of the half? A 50 yarder indoors should be made.

Let's not look past the fact that we played an above average team who has playoff aspirations in their home opener. The Cards put up 24 against a very solid defense. This team is light-years better than they were last year. It's week one. The team will only get better.

I like the points you made. Another thing I want to point out is that game @ St. Louis last year... it was a disaster and we played like complete shit. We are light years ahead of last season's team. Now it's time to find a way to win some of the games that we shouldn't.

 

[CakesW]

Don't get me wrong... I think we are a better team than last season... but the Division we are in, and the schedule we have lends me to believe that we will still only win 5 games...

Our schedule is considerably tougher than it looks like on paper at first glace...

Lots of road games early... Lots of road games late...

and our "nice" homestand in the middle ?

We get 3 The Falcons, Texans and Seahawks... that is pretty nasty...



I'd love to see it... but I still think we manage only 5 wins in 2013

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Don't get me wrong... I think we are a better team than last season... but the Division we are in, and the schedule we have lends me to believe that we will still only win 5 games...

Our schedule is considerably tougher than it looks like on paper at first glace...

Lots of road games early... Lots of road games late...

and our "nice" homestand in the middle ?

We get 3 The Falcons, Texans and Seahawks... that is pretty nasty...



I'd love to see it... but I still think we manage only 5 wins in 2013

Very well could be a long year, but I'm not willing to throw in the towel yet. I saw mass improvement in the first game. I'm hoping that continues.

 

[CakesW]

I'll never "throw in the towel" on the Cardinals, however, I watched Football on all levels enough to know when I see a team that is not quite ready for prime time yet, and the Cardinals are that team.

Like I've been saying since May, this team IS a much improved team over last year, but it's not going to translate to wins... and to be honest, that is completely OK. It really is...

Let them have a 5-11 season, give us a much better fan experience (by being competitive) this season, get a high draft choice, and then be a MUCH better football team in 2014 when we in essence have two #1 draft pick (Cooper and next years #1) to be difference makers...

Cooper already looked like he was going to be a difference maker in the film I saw, the guy was good.... REALLY good...

 

[Scooby-Doo]

I'll never "throw in the towel" on the Cardinals, however, I watched Football on all levels enough to know when I see a team that is not quite ready for prime time yet, and the Cardinals are that team.

Like I've been saying since May, this team IS a much improved team over last year, but it's not going to translate to wins... and to be honest, that is completely OK. It really is...

Let them have a 5-11 season, give us a much better fan experience (by being competitive) this season, get a high draft choice, and then be a MUCH better football team in 2014 when we in essence have two #1 draft pick (Cooper and next years #1) to be difference makers...

Cooper already looked like he was going to be a difference maker in the film I saw, the guy was good.... REALLY good...

I think your predictions are very realistic. And believe me, I'm not accusing you of "throwing in the towel". I was speaking in general terms. I predicted a 7 win season. That was based on the new talent and coaching. If they are much better than last year you would think that translates into 1 or 2 more wins. I agree with you that the best thing for the team would be to go 5-11 and grab a solid pick in the draft.

I have been known to sip the Koolaid a bit when it comes to the Cards so I still hold hope that they can make some noise this year. However if I was laying down a bet, I would put my money on a 6 or 7 win season.

 

[Scorpion14]

Why do you want to watch a 5-11 team. This team is leaps and bounds over last years team. This offensive line is actually getting Palmer protection and the running game has been superb compared to last season. Palmer has the ability to carry a team and make it a winner. Arians and his staff have also done an awesome job from what I have seen so far.

 

[CakesW]

I've stated multiple times that this IS a much better team that last season, however, you look at the schedule and you will note that it's going to be tough to get much more than 5 wins...

As good as we looked yesterday, there was still TONS of room for improvement... we were 1-13 on third down conversions, and that one came on a play that we actually had given up a strip sack... we only got it because of a hands to the face penalty...

It's about the type of game I expect... and yes.... even if the Cardinals managed to blow that game yesterday by the slimmest of margins, I'd be happy watching them battle and compete in games every week...