For a Cardinal’s game day tomorrow…realistically…this is what I’m looking for…
1) Proper Clock Management…We have not seen that during KK’s entire tenure…it would be nice to see an NFL team display proper clock management…how many times during KK’s tenure did we see it…knowing how much time there is to run and call plays…to get players on and off the field…to break the huddle with a sense of rhythm and urgency but not look like they are running a Chinese fire drill,
2) Proper Time-Out Usage…How many times in KK’s tenure did we see time outs burned to get a play in…to get proper personnel in…to get a play off…hell…for no legit reason at the worst times…only to be left with no time outs at the end of a half or end of a game.
3) No…and I mean No…offensive line illegal procedure penalties…Again…how many offensive drives during KK’s tenure were stalled because a lineman flinched or didn’t remember the snap count…AFTER A WASTED TIME OUT!!!
4) Less Team Penalties as a whole…the Cardinals have typically been one of the most penalized teams year in and year out in the NFL…I’m not sure if it’s part of the NFL narrative…bad teams get lots of calls against them…bad coaching…or just dumb players…but I do not remember the Cardinals being heavily penalized during the Don Coryell or Bruce Arians years.
5) The ability to run a proper running back screen pass play…OMG…haven’t seen this since Terry Metcalf played HB for us;
6) Wide Receiver Screen Pass…like the prior point…I’d like to see one properly executed…but I’m tired of seeing it as our main play over and over again;
7) A Running Game…an NFL team that can’t get more then (2) yards in its run game…isn’t going to be very successful…and the Cardinals have not run the ball successfully for quite awhile;
8) A QB sneak…novel idea…basic play…important to be able to execute at the NFL level…we can’t do it…for obvious reasons (KM too small)…but just ask KC how well they did with their tricks plays on Monday night…instead of being able to call one…I get that KC was protecting their MVP…but even Brady…and Hurts last year ran them…with success;
9) Crossing WR patterns/TE Usage…like to see a passing game that attacks the middle of the field inside the numbers instead of constant out patterns, go patterns or curl patterns. Get our relievers the ball in more catch and run patterns to increase our YAC average;
9) No missed “Key” field goals…kicking is part of the game…but key missed field goals has been a Cardinal theme in recent years;
10) QB play…for right now…has to be able to manage the game…keep turnovers down…help move the chains…not sure we can expect them to make big time plays…that would be a bonus…but managing the game will help keep the games close and competitive at the very least;
There are clearly other things that you’d love to see from “winning” football teams…but “realistically” these are some of the things I’d like to see from the new regime…and…in time…maybe…just maybe…if those things are done more consistently…we might just see some “unrealistic” things…LIKE A WIN!!!