My negative nancy take
 

I left this game actually feeling more optomistic about this season than I was before it started.
The Cardinals are a very legit team with a very legit defense and Palmer is a much better than average QB than given credit for when he is healthy. Many have them picked to win that division. They were my sleeper team last year until Palmer went down. When it was all said and done they made it to the playoffs with their 3rd string QB. I think they make it to the NFCCG this year.

Our defense is better than most thought. Once they settled down our rookies played some very acceptable football. Too many mistakes and Breaux needs to work on the PI but all in all MUCH better than I thought. After that first drive by Arizona I thought we didnt have a chance. We did manage to get a little pressure and the Cards line is not near as bad as some thought. When we start getting some of the vets back from injury this defense might actually be easy to watch.

Payton did not completely abandon the run. Yes way too many screens but I feel like last year he would have had Brees just start airing it out mid way through the first quarter. Again that was a tough defense and they are going to be hard to run against. I doubt many other teams will put 20 points on them.

Hocker-Do we have a kicking game again? Guy looks focused and confident. When the Cards kicker was trying for FGs and XP you could noticeably see the "oh ****" look on his face. I like what I see from this guy.

The team looked focused and showed tremendous effort I thought compared to last year. They were quick to the ball and following through with their plays with passion. I dont think it will take too much for these guys to get their swagger back.

All in all not a horrible first outing. HAVE to clean up that red zone offense. Offensive line played well I think comparatively speaking.

Anyhow I did pull some positives away from this game and I think there is hope for them yet. I was convinced of another 7-9 season but I think the team we saw today can go 10-6 sneak into the playoffs and make some noise.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Im sorry and maybe Im still just pissy after this game but what exactly looked better about the D? No sacks against a terrible O line. No picks when we should have had at least 2. Penalties right and left. Im sorry but they are playing exactly like I thought they would.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

I think you will find this team we just played is Very stout. Last year's team would have been blown out, and Brees would have had a few pick-sixes and possibly a broken limb.

I saw a lot of positive and also a lot of the same frustrations.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

I can't believe we are making excuses for this hot mess of a team. It wasn't all that long ago other teams hated to see us on their schedule. Now we are almost considered an easy mark.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Could have been worse.... 4th down and 6 yards you don't punt I don't care where we Are on the field.... I knew we gave up once we punt....

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Not the same Payton of old. SP has never been the same since the suspension.

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Cant really judge any team until after the first 4 games of the season, but I really hope we don't regret the JG trade. What i can say though is we might have won this game if JG was available. No way we go 1-4 in the redzone with Graham or perform so poorly on 3rd down. Unger and Anthony played well but there were other options at those spots, there is only 1 Jimmy Graham.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

It's a young bunch. Too early to gauge right now.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Fine with the 4th down call. Our receivers can't get open and continue to drop balls. Brees can't fix. D did alright but they misses some turnovers.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Unger & Anthony for Graham, so far I like the trade. Unger has a nasty streak and is a beast on screen plays. Anthony can cover any TE in the league including Graham. The only thing I am regretting is Kenny Still's traded for 3rd and a injured player. We could've used a sure handed wr today

Re: My negative nancy take
 

There comes a time in the game, though, that it doesn't matter how you've played to that point and you simply have to go for it. That was one of those times. If we are going to defend the decision to punt based on how poor the offense was, then how in the world do our chances go up with the ball deep in our own territory with somewhere around 50 seconds and no timeouts? Of course we didn't get it back at all, but if we forced a three and out, that would have been the scenario.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

I also can't help but point something out. This thread title is "My negative nancy take", but the original post gives his positives, and his other thread is "My positive paulie take" and focuses on the negatives.

Is this an inside joke or something?

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Maybe he is just dyslexic?

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Well now we have two possibilities. I hope we get an answer soon.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Last year it was "Jimmy can't get open, Jimmy alligator arms too many passes, Jimmy isn't tough!" Now: OMG!!! Jimmy would have won the game for us!!!! Jimmy caught a TD today (they lost)! Jimmy 's gettin upset!!! LOL

Re: My negative nancy take
 

We are $40million in salaries short of a decent team.

2016!!

Woo Hoo!

Re: My negative nancy take
 

I was about to post the exact same damn thing. Dont forget about the one about Brees targeting Graham too much when he was on the field.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

No sacks but we did get a little pressure which is more than could be said about last year. The young guys did decent I thought in spite of not having played a down of professional football. Veterans played worse last year who had hit their ceiling and werent going to get better. These rookies are going to continue to improve.
I thought they played with heart and intensity. I did not see that last year. There were more pass break ups although you are right about the missed turnover opportunities but I think it will come as the rookies progress. No they didnt play a great game, but I see improvement possible which is more than I can say for last year.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

I know this isn't what you're implying, but I feel compelled to point out that the extremist views on both sides doesn't make either side correct.

Jimmy may or may not have helped, but his absence isn't what cost us the game.

How bad would we have gotten beat without Unger and Anthony?

There are so many variables in the Jimmy Graham trade equation that its impossible to predict what would have happened without the trade.

Its my opinion that we would have lost at Arizona last year even with Jimmy Graham.

The Cards were 16-6 over the last 2 years with Palmer starting, and they were 11-5 last year

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Totally agree and I would do it again in a heart beat. We had red zone problems last year with Jimmy. There is no real, concrete way to see how much effect the trade had on our offense. Personally I think our O line is much better at pass blocking. That is a top defense and I didnt see Brees running for his life nearly as much and that interception was on Colston.
Run blocking could have been better, but again that defense is stout as hell.

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I think Sean will implement plays for slick Willie. We caught a glimpse of what he can do on yesterday. He has great hands ... can't really say that thus far with Coleman.

Re: My negative nancy take
 

I'll wager we go for it next time..............

Re: My negative nancy take
 

And Seattle fans are probably saying "If we still had Unger, Lynch wouldn't have gotten stuffed on 4th and 1 in OT!" It all evens out LOL

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Now that's funny! I don't care who you are...

Re: My negative nancy take
 

I agree. I am still befuddled by that! :confused:

Re: My negative nancy take
 

Not that it means much but the power rankings have the Cards at 4. If that is the litmus test I think there is hope yet.