Big Red Rage - Allen Ready For Big Third Year

dot com, Slash podcasts. The Red Scene, Rising Guard, temperaturizing vision, flurring, rage taking over. Here's Paul CALVC. Get the popcorn ready, It's gonna be a show. And Ron Wolflee. It doesn't get any better than that. Unleash the far No NFL mandated four day labor day weekend for the Big Red Rage. The original Thursday Night Football is on the air. Ron Wolfley, fresh off a Phoenix to Phoenix round trip flight. Oh

my goodness is here with us. In the words of a former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, don't be the guy including me. That's why we keep our nose through the Grindstone. We're working here. It's gonna be a working weekend as the Arizona Cardinals get ready for Week one of the regular season next weekend in a road trip to Tennessee. Ron Wolfley, Paul Calvci. Here we are

on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. So, Paul, you're talking about what the four day weekend coming up here? Is that what you're saying, the big four days? That what you get? You get four days off, not me, not me. You if you're in that locker room, you do by NFL mandate Thursday through Sunday as part of this year's seven team game regular season schedule. Boom. It's like a mini buy before things even get rolling in

the regular sea. Okay, listen, Polly, are you over the turnaround flight, the U flight that we made right there, the big U turn, The U flight just over that right now, ball It was beyond wake. It was in between Waco and Houston. The U turn occurred, and you know what, for obvious reasons. It's understandable, and it was one percent the correct call, yes, but being an hour out of New Orleans, the Hurricane Ida notwithstanding, if we had just been play the game or not play the game,

if there weren't any consequences, there any ramifications on any front. Yeah, I would have just rather gone in at that point an hour away. I got my flip sheet over here on the board and the whole thing, let's call the game. Me and Rob Frederickson, we were going to tear it up. Well, at least we could have landed Polly and maybe at dinner or a little gumbo, So that would have had

a real Yeah. So start making your plans for Nashville as as they go in to take on the Titans once again the Big Red Rage presented by santan four and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Zach Allen will join us nice right around the courtman. How deep are the Cardinals on that defensive line? Really love it at bully? That defensive line when you look at it, it's one of the anomalies. So one of the things that I had that was a takeaway to have seven defensive linemen. Listen,

I realize seven defensive linemen. Back when I was actually playing in nineteen eighty five, that was common seven defensive linemen, But now in today's NFL, so much of the time, Pauli, a defense is in nickel. They're in nickel defense where you have two defensive linemen for the most part, and then you've got edge guys, guys who are designated as edge players. Sometimes it could be a JJ Watt, sometimes it could be more of a Marcus Golden and at

Chandler Jones out on the edge right. So it's interesting when you are in nickels so much of the time, where you're typically only running two defensive linemen out there. With the Cardinals and JJ, it might be three. But the fact they kept seven defensive linemen, that was an anomaly that was interesting to me, and it points to Michael Dogbee and the kind of camp he had. Yeah, he would have been signed immediately if he would have been cut. That's the kind of player he has turned into,

There's no doubt about that. And there are a lot of strange happenings right now on rosters around the NFL. For example, the Tennessee Titans have thirteen dbs on their final fifty three right now, I've heard of ten dbs thirteen, whereas the Cardinals are minus the guy they thought was gonna be CB one When training camps started as we got the news. Okay, you got the final fifty three, you got the practice squad, and then you got one member of the reserve slash retired list, and that is

Malcolm Butler. And that was a surprise to virtually everybody, I think even the decision makers. Yeah, no on this probably In fact, here's Cliff Kingsbury and we'll get into Butler a little bit. But Marco Wilson seems to be the guy. And is he ready as a fourth round rookie, no question. Yeah, he's played at the highest level when you're talking about college football, tried to cover all those, you know, top receivers that come out every year, whether

it's Bama, LSU, Georgia. So he the moment's not too big for him. Here's the question, did Malcolm Butler lose his job to Marco Wilson? Yeah? And was that part of the cause and effect of Malcolm Butler now on the retired list? Polly, it's so, you know what, I'm piecing a lot of pieces of information, like everybody else together right now. I really don't know what to say about this other than the fact that Malcolm Butler scrubbed his social media accounts of any affiliation whatsoever with the

Arizona Cardinals. Now, Polly, when that happens, it's been our experience. There's been something bad that transpired, and I think Malcolm Butler, for whatever reason, he's upset with the team. I don't know what that reason might be. But after talking to some coaches, and I'm talking about before any of this happened, talking to some coaches, they looked me in the eye, Paully, and said, you know what, Marco Wilson might be the

best corner we have on this team. And they were happy with their cornerback room, talking about being very happy with their cornerback room. So when I put all that together, I'm wondering, is there a possibility that the coaches eventually and this is just pure speculation, looked at Marco Wilson and said, you know what, you're gonna start and if that happened, maybe Malcolm Butler got upset. I don't know, pure speculation, it could be. I mean, think about it.

If he's on a three plus million dollar deal with incentives that can make it up to six million, but now he's going to not getting nearly the playing time or reps to earn those incentives. Maybe that's how we became disgruntled. Maybe you don't know. Maybe it's strictly a business decision because it verifies and validates what you just some of the feedback you got from some of the coaches based on the eyeball test, just being out there, the top two corners in camp in camp, Byron Murphy

and Marco Wilson. Think about that. There's no doubt about her. Young guys like that, Byron Murphy going in to his third season right now, right in Marco Wilson is rookie year. We all know. Listen, Marco Wilson's got the size, He's got the ability. He should have been drafted a lot higher. If you wouldn't have shown thrown a shoe. Think about it. Google that right there, Marco Wilson throwing a shoe. If he would if he probably would have been taken higher.

Here's a guy with all of this talent now and he's got experience against SEC wide receivers, and you know how good the SEC is when it comes to the skill positions. I mean four years of experience. He started as a true freshman. He comes from a cornerback family. His dad coaches corners for a living. So this isn't Brandon Williams all over again. It isn't okay, Brandon Williams had one year a play in a position. It was acted running back, So it's not. Here's the thing if

you're Malcolm Butler, is your response to the coaches. Wait a minute, man, I've been in this league for a decade. I'm in my thirties. I was pacing myself in camp. I wasn't competing, and I wasn't at my best. I was trying to make sure I was at my best for Week one against my former team, the Titans. And maybe that's part of what his beef might have been. That's just a thought. That's just me thinking out loud

of the Tennessee Titans. But I will say right now that Malcolm Butler, by reputation, is a guy that wasn't a practice guy. He didn't have that reputation of showing up and being this big time. He had a reputation of being a gamer, Paul, and he's a guy who against Tennessee you figured would be really valuable, not just because he would have been your top three corners, but he really knows that offense obviously, So I don't know if they were able to download some information on Tennessee

before Malcolm Butler went on the retired list. But that's all part of the formula at this point. Here's part of themation you need to know right now. The Tennessee Titans are gonna line up in twelve personnel, one back, two tight ends. They're gonna have a j Brown on the field with Julio Jones at the wide receiver position and King Henry. That's right, Derrick Henry. Of course, his

toes are gonna be at seven yards, Paul. They're gonna put a tight end on either side of the ball, and then those two wide receivers of course, and then here it comes check with me. Let's take a look at your defensive front. We'll figure out which way we want to run Derrick Henry in between the tackles right there. That is what they're gonna do. Now that brings up

a very interesting, this interesting point. I would say, for the Arizona Cardinals, what two cornerbacks are gonna be on the field when that happens on the very first offensive play. For the Tennessee Titans, what two corners will be on the field when the Titans come out in twelve personnel, and that's what I think they're gonna do. With those two tight ends and two wide receivers. What two corners will be on the field. Is it gonna be Byron Murphy and Marco Wilson or is it going to be

Byron Murphy and Robert Alford. Here's the thing. Byron Murphy, I would think you'd like to keep inside, that's where he plays best. But right now, considering the absence of Malcolm Butler, he's probably your best outside corner. We'll see about the status of Robert Alford. They expect him to come off the COVID list next week. Hey, Tennessee's dealing with a lot of COVID issues. They had a dozen guys and coaches on that list. Now, Mike Rabel just

came off the list. He's back in the facility. But Ryan Tannehill is still on the COVID list. They're starting center is still on the COVID list. So, and by the way, Tannehill, neither Tannehill, nor Derrick Henry, nor Julio Jones nor A. J. Brown played a single snap in the preseason. Yes, yes, it's the one thing we can say with certitude, though, PAULI. To me, from a talent perspective, the Arizona Cardinals are a better defense and a better

team with Malcolm Butler inside that owner back room. That's all I'm gonna say. Listen, you can only control which you can control. But the fact of the matter is they were a better team in my opinion with Malcolm Butler, and now they've got to worry about depth at that corner room. Hey. Episode five of The Day Pash Podcast featuring ESPN Monday Night football announcers Steve Levy and Brian Greasy,

is available now wherever you get your podcasts. For all the latest updates on the Day Pash podcast, follow along on Twitter, hat hash pod. All Right, Zach Allen, fresh off the practice field, gonna join us on the Big Red Rage, presented by Satan Ford and Gilbert We are Satan for Zach Allen. Is there for the Cardinals to make the play? Zach Allen's stop bad play. Jones backs up throwing from his two and the balls tip to the line and incomplete. I think Zach Allen got a

hand out a shotgun formation here for her. It's takes the staff drops back the past, facing pressure in trouble and zack back at the thirty two yard line by Zach Allen. An enormous play made by Allen and a loss of fourteen. Boy, that is a huge momentum play right there by Zach Allen. The Eagles got it going. They're trying to set up a screen to the left of Jalen Hurtz. It's Zach Allen got told before we could throw the screen. That is an awesome job. Was

that one game against Philly? Was that one month worth of production? I mean, that was quite a game. In fact, here's the stat I went and found this the first Cardinals defensive lineman to record at least eleven tackles in a game since Collis Campbell two fifteen. You like the sounds of that same You like the sounds of the fact.

Here we go. I'm going to continue with the knowledge right here, Zach Okay, grab a little bit of water there off the practice field as we talk about that game, because there were eleven tackles, six solo, one and a half tackles for a loss, a QB hit, a pass defense, and you joined Willie McGinnis as the only guy in the last two decades defensive lineman to ever half eleven tackles a sack in the past defense in the game, what went really well in that game that you can

bottle up going forward getting sack? Yeah, I think for I'd honestly started the week before against the Giants. Obviously, you know, that's everybody remembers that as Hasan's you know, breakout performance and everything like that. But across the whole defensive line, we were playing really well, and you know, we're going through the film. I was watching with Buck and we're looking It's like I'm in the right spot. You know, it's just you know, I could just do

a little bit extra to make that play. So that whole week we're just working on, you know, doing like that extra half bit, and then that week, yeah, I just all clicked and yeah it was a great day. And then luckily it kind of built into a little bit momentum for the rest of the season, and you know, definitely helped me in the offseason, you know, kind of transitioning with confidence and everything like that. No, I can definitely play and play in a high level in this league.

So the goal this year is obviously to do even more than that, and you've had quite the off season. We'll get into that. Zach Allen is our guest here in the Big Red Rage presented by Saying tan Ford in Gilbert. How are you feeling by the way, you know, I didn't even have a chance to say welcome, welcome into the show, and how you're feeling as we're done with camp one of those unofficial holidays, right for for any football player, you're done with campra And then what

is the best and worst thing about training camp for you? Um? I don't know. I mean camp's great because it just allows you just to focus one hundred percent on you know, on football, what you're doing and then the momentum that you get from it is is incredible and just you know, you're just you're literally doing football twenty four seven. So you know, I think, you know, for a lot of guys, I find it, you know, especially helpful and you know

you enjoy it. But again, I mean, you know, you're in camp for five weeks, so you know you missed your family stuff like that, just you know, going out and get in a bite to eat or whatever or something like that. But no, I think this year was easily. You know, the best camp that you know, I think

that we've had since I've been here. Just the energy, just the competitive the fire, just it was just a different you know, just you definitely could tell there's just a different energy, especially you know, the new guys we brought in. So it was a lot of fun and um, you know, I think we're definitely going to build off that momentum into Week one. You miss your dog? Didn't you get recently? Get a dog? I got my dog. I definitely My girlfriend was sending me the videos every

single day, and yeah, every time I leave the house. Now, I think he doesn't know if I'm coming back for you know, in a couple hours or and you know, for five weeks, so you know, we don't know what's gonna happen. Zach Allen was a guest in The Big Red Rage. Okay, two words here, hot yoga, tell us about tell us about your off season. Yeah, so now, the off season honestly went as well as it could have,

which was great. Um, by the way, can I just say it was uncalled for that you actually put on muscle mass and you got bigger while also losing six percent body fat. That's that's almost uncalled for. While everybody else was putting on the COVID nineteen, you were actually getting in better shape. So how did you achieve that? Well?

This year, I was just I was just so excited because you know, everything was open again basically, so it wasn't like you know before last season where everything was closed. You know, you're trying to it's a guessing game every single day of where you're gonna work out or what you're going to be able to get done. This year there's a lot more structure, which you know, it was great. And then also, I mean we missed the playoffs, so

there definitely was a chip on everybody's shoulder. But then also for our young defensive line, you know, we kind of started to figure out a little bit towards the end, so we just wanted to build off of that right away. So we got right into it. Um you know, I think we took two days off whatever, and then there was just a strong group of four with Michael Dogby Lecky Foe to Richard Lawrence and I and then we

just hit the ground running. Um, you know, and like I've said it before, you know, eight to ten hour days come in here workout, four hours, lunch, break, watch film, and then yeah, hot yoga at night or another workout or whatever it may be. But yeah, the hot yoga is great, kay Now, I know it doesn't come as a shock or to you. Paul A pencil Neck, You're I have no clue really what hot yoga is. Break it down for us. Yeah. So, um, I mean obviously

it's basically what it sounds. You're just doing yoga, and you're doing it and basically, like a sauna room, it gets up to you know, about like one ten. Um. Is that just outside in an Arizona Sam, Yeah, exactly, that's what. That's what the joke was is. You know, once the summer storry happening, We're like, okay, we could just do this outside. It's a lot easier. You know, it probably be honestly cooler outside, you know. So um,

but it's uh, yeah, it was. It was fantastic. Um didn't the instructor say something about you and you got a bunch of guys six four six six two eighty three hundred pounds and um, you guys sweat it a lot. Didn't she make that comment? Yeah? She definitely, like you learned the first time we went in, we all went in just like a shirt and short whatever it was, and then you realize like, oh, we're gonna need a

few more. And then it was funny our teacher, whatever she saw us come in, she'd be like, oh, I have to go get more towels, or just like in fun of everybody too. So you know, it just it didn't help help confidence. But once you're in it, I feel like, you know, everybody's sweating. Luckily, we all were around each other, so when we did, you know, have

to sweat, we sweat on each other. Wasn't There was was a couple of times where it'd be like this, like, poor old woman, I'm just just drenched and sweat on. I'm like, I'm so sorry, but yeah, I can't control it. I don't know, I'm working hard, you know. So what's it like being an extra large human being? When you walk around? How often you know it's they list you

at six five two eighty five. Especially, it's such a site when you get off the Cardinals team bus, you'll walk into a road hotel and if all the old linemen are walking together or all the d linemen are walking together, just the looks on people's faces in the wake you guys leave behind. How often do you hear murmurs like Oh that's a big dude. You get that

a lot. Yeah, I mean obviously, you know, like booking flights and stuff is a pain in the butt because you know there's only like three seats on the entire flight that you know I can fit in or anything like that. But but now it definitely, um, I don't know. I mean it's kind of now that I'm in the NFL, I feel like I spend all my days here basically, So, I mean I'm hanging around guys like JJ Lecky. I mean, you know, I'm average, maybe even below average and size

compared to them. So yeah, when definitely whenever I like I leave my house to go like grocery shopping or something, then it's kind of like, oh, yeah, it's not normal that just everybody year around all day is six five plus you know. So all right, you dropped the name Zach Allen or guests here on the Big Red Rage, JJ Watt. What's it been like, especially since tell the Backstore you've been watching his game film? Since what point

in your career? Yeah, I started my junior well obviously, I've been watching him his whole career, but uh, specifically like my junior year of college before like every single every before every single game, so we would play on Saturdays. That Friday, I would watch his previous week's game film. I don't know, I just you know, I guess it's kind of like one of those things where like you see it and then it kind of helps you you

do it. So there'd be times in games where I was doing stuff like and I was like, I've never done that in practice, but you know, I must have saw it the day before. So and he's obviously, you know, the best to learn from at the position. So it's been like it couldn't have been better having him here, just the way he conducts himself, the way he teaches, just his attitude, the way he really just you know, helps the culture in the locker room, everything like that.

So I mean it's been a blessing. And beyond having him here, I really am truly truly exciting. And still there's times where you know, I'm just casually like talking to my parents or somebody like yeah, like you know, I got I gotta hang up. I'm going out, you know, to dinner with the guys you know with JJ, and I'm like, you know, and they're like, what you're gonna you know, it's the whole thing. I was just like, yeah, no, he's just one. He really is just one of the guys,

which is which has been awesome. Well when you're not the only one. Number of other defensive lignment said there was a moment especial initially they were a little awe struck, little star struck. Didn't you guys have a dinner? Didn't didn't he go out and take you guys out to dinner early on? Yeah? When we I think, what was it? So he's signed around like March or something like that, So I think like April or whatever he was, you know,

house hunting or whatever he was doing. He uh he invited, um, you know, us four young guys out and uh, you know, I was, I'm gonna get there early. You know, I'm gonna be you know, I'm dressed up. He comes in just off the golf course, sweaty got you know, just T shirt and shorts on. Like oh okay, like you know now now he's gonna think I'm a nerd or

whatever it is. But yeah, no, he was awesome. Too, because you know, just everything clicked all of us, you know, so it really has been like a seamless transition having him here, and you know it's been it's been terrific. All right, So, Zach Allen, give us your thoughts. What can Cardinals fans expect when they see ninety nine out on that field, part of that front seven, because you know what, he obviously didn't play in the preseason games,

He wasn't out there during open practices. How much of an impact do you think he's gonna make? Oh, he's gonna be huge. I mean, he really, you know, the way he just plays the game is just it's perfect. You know, it's what the ideal football player of just the you know, his effort, everything like that is just knowledge of the game. And you know, I know people

want to say, oh, it's he's old or whatever. I mean, it's it's if that's what old looks like, then I don't even want to I couldn't imagine seeing what he was like when he was you know, three time defense Player year, because it honestly looks at the similar level. I mean, I've been watching a while, so I'm definitely super excited to see it. Um Week one. You know, Zach Allen is our guest here in the Big Red Rage. It's all about you, presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert.

So here's my thought week one. Every week, as long as this Cardinals defense stays healthy. Ryan Tannehill comes up to the line of scrimmage, he's got ninety nine here, he's got fifty five there, right, Isaiah Simmons maybe is on the edge? Okay, is he coming? Wait, there's Buddha Baker flashing. Zaman Collins might be mugg in the egg gap. You guys have this whole d line rotation. Guys are fresh that you guys go at least six seven deep right now. There's a lot for a quarterback to consider

in that front seven, isn't there. Oh yeah, yeah, I mean that's definitely, you know, a credit to the to the front office. I mean they've brought in great guys, not just great football players, but guys that have a great you know, mindset and mentality about you know, how to how to how to practice and how to play. And you definitely just can tell there's this year there's just a different sense of urgency and accountability. I think

guys are definitely not afraid the whole guy's accountable. It's you know, we have you know, super Bowl or bust hope. So for us, you know, if you're not going to help it, you're gonna get called out. And it's been fantastic. So and we saw that in Cardinals camp. Didn't we have a guy made a pre snap penalty, Boom, he's out of the drill. Yeah, there's definitely the practices have been a lot more intense, a lot more competitive, which has been awesome. And then also just the sense of

urgency and just the strictness with mistake. I mean, we just you know that we have such a goal and we didn't even have a really an OTAs. So for us, we're just down the business, which is the way that you know, any players should want in. I think we got a bunch of guys who liked that. So everybody I just named, it's proven. And then you have a first round rookie middle linebacker. And I asked Cliff Kingsbury and the TV side before the first preseason game, just

tell us the degree of difficulty of that challenge. You're a rookie middle linebacker and you begin in the Keys to the defense. You have to worry about your own performance obviously, and then called the defense and he said, it's a notch behind being a rookie quarterback. So what has it been like for Zamon Collins And how much respect you have for a guy who's face with that

sort of challenge from day one? Yeah, I mean you hear, like the way you described it's perfect because you know, when you hear it, it's like, wow, that that's a lot, especially for a young guy, and like, you know, coming from college and you know, everything like that. But i mean, he's helped handled himself as professional as anyone could have.

So it's been terrific. And you know, he's got a lot of great people in that linebacker room that have been helping him learn and you know, it's been it's it's really cool to see just the maturation process with him already, and it's only been a camp. You know, just how much he's learned already and how much information he can process and then obviously the physical tools take over then. So it's just really exciting to see what

he's gonna do. For those of us who haven't been in an NFL defensive huddle, what does that position mean to a defense, just the ability to call it and then once you guys break the huddle and make those adjustments. Obviously, Jordan Hicks has been that guy. He'll still be that guy at times this year. But just tell us about that role. Yeah, I mean it obviously, you know it's you're basically the quarterback of the defense, so you're in

charge of everything. But at the same time, I mean, you have to go, you know, into a car accident basically that same play. It's not like quarterback where you just dropped back and you know, throw it, so it's just as mental. So he's uh, he's been handling it really well. And obviously, like I said, I mean, he's just a physical freak, an athletic, you know. So all right, so as you wrap it up with Zach Allen, you mentioned car accident, I say the words, Derrick Henry, what

do you think of you know, big back? But you know, I don't think anybody in this you know, I'm six five, two eighty five. I'm the smallest defensive lineman. So obviously, you know, have a lot of respect for him and what he's done. But you know, I'm very confident in what we can do. So what do you know about this defense so far? Real quick, last question? What have you found out about this defense so far that we

might see in week one? I think everyone's gonna love the intensity that they're going to see and just the urgency and just guys flying around and just smacking people. Did you really lose six percent body by the way, I did. I got the papers for it. Well, when you're done playing, you should put out some sort of body by Zach. You know video, you know you can make you know what I mean, don't. I don't know. I think JJ's got to do that first. But that's good. Yeah,

that's good. Okay, And you ordered anything you wanted right when you went out to dinner with JJ. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, we got a story for that next time. Yeah, Zach, thanks for the time, Matt, thank you very much. Okay, all the very best this coming season. Think about that, Zach Allen and company. That front seven is absolutely loaded for the Arizona Cardinals. We continue with the Big Red

Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. Right after this, Murray and Shotgun has the football short set throws a deep ball left side single coverage and it is pulled in by DeAndre Hopkins. Man, he's got a touchdown. What a throw Mike, Tyler Murray and want to catch by duke to put the Cardinals on the board with two thirty nine to go on the first duke was one on one throw by Kyler Murray, but an even better

re touchdown. We said it's gonna be Russell Wilson or Kyler Murray, whoever plays better, That's who's gonna win this game, snapped to Murray, and he keeps it himself running left, got a defender with him at the five breaks. The tackle dives, ball comes out, but he crossed the plane. Touchdown Kyler Murray. Somehow subway found a way to get

that big across Peter. Big time play Kyler Murray. Yeah, that was the win against Seattle in overtime Week seven a year ago where the Cardinals trail ten nothing twenty seven fourteen thirty four to twenty four. Kyler ends up your NFC offensive Player of the week. Had a passer rating to one oh four point five and it was interesting.

Ron Wolfley here on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert to get the first comments out of Mike Vrabel about the quarterback they'll be going against Week one next weekend, next Sunday the twelfth in Tennessee. And I'm quoting very bow on the Cardinals quote. They have a dynamic quarterback, then go that can go eighty yards. I saw a third down in seventeen and he scrambles for a first down. He went seventy yards or something

like that. Against Carolina. He pulls it in the red zones, twenty yard touchdowns. He slides, He makes you miss. He has a strong arm. I think that was the thing that shocked me the most was how strong his arm is. He is very willing to throw outward breaking routes across the field. End quote yesterday Mike Vrabel on Kyler. He's talking about the offensive rookie of the year in his first year, and he's talking about a Pro Bowler along with Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Would you say, POULI,

those are pretty good quarterbacks in the NFC. That is good company to keep jab about that, And Kyler Murray is one of those guys right there. Kyler Murray has every skill you could possibly want. And it's not about the heighth anymore. Nobody's talking about the fact that he's five ten n eighth ball. Nobody's talking about that anymore because of how this kid has played in this offense. Do I believe that this offense needs to expand? Yes, I think it's a must that they expand this offense

and evolve this offense. But Kyler Murray is our quarterback. He's got everything you could possibly want as a cue. It's interesting if Rabel was watching film from last year. Guess what, coach. The quarterback's arm is even stronger. According to Buddha Baker and Christian Kirk, he has more zip, more velocity on the football as of this Cardinals camp.

Christian Kirk also shared with the media the other day, I think you're going to like the sounds of this, when Christian Kirk said that Kyler has been sending some of the receiver's video clips and telling the receivers, you know what, I think we should do it this way, or maybe you might want to make an adjustment here, And that seems to be an indicator an illustration of some increased leadership from the starting quarterback. No, Paul, No,

there's no doubt about that right there. That is good that's what you want to hear when you're going home, when you're leaving the facility, you're still thinking about this stuff. You're still watching this stuff. This is what franchise quarterbacks have got to do. They've got to become the face of the franchise. They've got to become the answerman for everything. They have to become a coach on the field and off the field as well. So hopefully this is what's

happening with Kyler Murray in his development right now. It's a positive sign a right. So, Brian Greasy and the Money Night Football crew, they were in town, they watched a practice, they called the game, and Brian Greasy and Steve Levy the play by play man, they were on the Day Pash podcast. But Brian Greasy, having spent more than a decade in the NFL as a quarterback himself, was asked by Dave, all Right, what's the next step for Kyler in year three? We know he's athletic, he

can throw the football, he can run. It's getting to the playoffs. It's being able to grind through adversity. It's being able to be detail oriented and lead. Now that Larry Fitzgerald is gone. He has to run with it and be the leader on this team when the time is tough, not just when things are going well, but when there's adversity, which is the thing he hasn't faced in his life in high school or college. He's now facing it now and they definitely faced it over the

last two months of last season. In my big takeaway going into this season, Okay, what did this Arizona Cardinals team learn based on the two and five finish? You heard Zach Allen moments ago here in the Big Red Rage. I asked him about camp this year versus his first couple of years, and he said, and I'm quoting loosely, this has been by far our best camp. We've had more fire, we've had more urgency. There's a different energy level out of there. The practices have been a lot

more intense. Coaches have been holding the players more accountable, and that has to connect and correlate to the end of last season, where even Kyler admitted during Cardinals camp in a media session that, yeah, maybe some of the a tension to detail waned a little bit when we were six and three. All those little things contribute to a two and five finish because as we know, in the NFL, historically, the margin of victory is so small,

those little things matter in a big way. You know what, Paul, it's so interesting to hear you say that, because you're right, Kyler Murray did point to the fact maybe we were

feeling ourselves after being six and three. I would wind it back and say, maybe that happened after you were two and oh in this season, after beating San Francisco on the road that was kind of a huge win right there for the Arizona Cardinals, and then coming home and taking care of business against Washington in Week two, and then losing two Detroit and Carolina and being two and two as opposed to three and one or even four and oh at that point, you have to wonder

if they started to kind of feel themselves at that point as well. Listen, what I love about what Kyler said is you have to be willing to identify what it is that confronts you. If you ever hope to get over the top of it, if you ever hope to beat it, you have to be able to identify it and confront it. And that's exactly what they're by admitting maybe we were feeling ourselves when we were six and three. That's an opportunity to learn and not let it happen again. Right, So he got the three series

against the Chiefs in preseason game number two. Everybody, now, they went three and out all three times, negative one total yards. We get it. And even if he would have played in another game, what do you approve going against the team's backups and number threes? At least that's

my take on that one. So you're gonna get tested a lot more in practice than you are ever in these preseason games where you're only seeing vanilla schemes, etc. And with that in mind, Kyler was asked by the media, all right, what's your goal between the end of camp and week one for the offense? For us as an offense, I think just keep going hard, throw practice every every day, treat like a game. You know. That's what we've done this far. You know, I think we've had a pretty

pretty solid camp. So I'm excited to get this going real season, starting in an actually meetings. How does Kyler get better in his third year? For you? Well, if you mentioned it, he was the year he is a pro bowler. But there's always room for improvement where how I think in his preparation for a game. I think in his game management as well. And when I say that, I'm talking about how he sends out the signals to his teammates as well. You can't walk off the field

and suddenly sit on the bench by yourself. Now, again, it's not like he does that all the time. That's not what I'm saying, but we have seen him do that from time to time. As the franchise quarterback, You've got to be willing to communicate. You have to communicate to your offense. You have to communicate really to everybody on the team. Sometimes it's verbal and sometimes it isn't. BALI sometimes it's body language. And that's got to be

something that I think Kyler Murray needs to understand. And that's part of the process of evolving as a leader. And guess what, he has a lot more help this year, whether it's Aj Green or whether it's Rondale Moore, whether it's a healthy Christian Kirk. You had a receiver in DeAndre Hopkins who had thirty four percent of the receiving yards last year. That was the most among any receiver on any team. You have a James Connor another weapon.

Think about the Cardinals options now in the red zone, whether it's two hundred and thirty three pound James Connor, Rondale Moore, six foot four AJ Green, and as Brian Greasy pointed out, I was listening to the pashpot. How valuable or Rodney Hudson is taking a lot of responsibility off Kyler's plate in setting the production. There's no doubt about it, PAULI what you said right there too. I

love the combination of wide receivers. The Arizona Cardinals can run onto the field different personnel groups with not just four wides, but what four wides all are going to be out in their own way? Are they not? Paul, You stop and think about it. You could actually have DeAndre Hopkins on the field with AJ Green on the field and a four two nine in a four three one.

I'm just saying, Andy Isabelle is a four three one, and suddenly you've got to Rondale Moore at four two nine on the field with those two wide receivers that we know are proven commodities in the national football I'm just saying, how are you going to mix that up? Christian Kirk obviously is going to work into the mix as well. But you could actually put a four two nine in a four three one on the field with

those receivers. Interesting ball. And for everyone who's wondering why Andy Isabella made this team, he referenced it that he made a couple of plays that last week a camp in practice that were stellar. Now they can't show him to you. It's a call his practice, but he earned a spot based on two huge catches in traffic walth Andy Isabella. Here's the other thing when it comes to

Rondale Moore. Twice I had conversations with veteran players, and we all know players know players, and on their own, of their own accord, they stop what they were saying and they pointed to Rondale Moore and they said that kid's gonna be good ahead. One guy said that kid's only scratching the surface. So very intrigued to see and you can't tell me Cliff Kingsbury didn't put a couple of those Jets sweeps and end of rounds on film in Game one against Dallas with Rondale Moore. That was

by design. We'll see if that is a part of the offense week one, let him go vertical. We continue with a big red rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert to predict the shotgun staff three step drop looks right in trouble. Any sack back half the twenty yard line dragged down by Jordan Phillips. How about that the big bed Jordan Phillips six six, three hundred forty five pounds grabbed Backti Stafford and basically put him into the crock pot belly buddy. Great job by Jordan Phillips on

nothing but a full rush. Well, unfortunately, Cardinals have not seen a lot of Jordan Phillips in the month of August, and you're not gonna see him for basically the first three weeks of September. News earlier today he was placed an injured reserve, an undisclosed injury Jordan Phillips, and so he was on the COVID list justin Peugh coming off

that COVID list and has been activated. But Jordan Phillips and I are so wolf after they set the fifty three, which means he is eligible to come back, but that's after three weeks, which would mean the first three games of the season ostensibly, and so no Jordan Phillips, which I guess is the reason, among others they kept seven

defensive line. It's a good point right there, Paulie, because again when I looked at it, especially in this day and age of nickel defenses and using two defensive linemen in those nickel defenses. Man, there, it is right there. Maybe they had an idea what was happening there with Jordan Phillips, but it's too bad that guy. Once again, when Steve Kim and the Arizona Cardinals went out and got him and brought him in as a free agent,

I was pretty jacked up about it. He just hasn't been able to get on the field and stay on the field. And you're talking about a Titans team with a top five offensive year ago, they were fourth and scorn and nearly thirty one points a game. They shield only Kansas City and yards per game almost four hundred yards per game. Since twenty nineteen, the Titans lead the NFL in touchdowns plays of fifty plus yards, red zone

TD percentage, and rushing touchdowns. Do you think that's going to get better with Julio Jones added to that, Paul So they're the latest in fact in Tennessee. They're talking about what Julio Jones can do for their offense. Is what Stefan Diggs did for Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. So think about that. I've heard some of the analysts in the offseason this could be a historically great offense,

one of the all time Juggernauts. I mean, that's the sort of talk it's getting went from the ESPN Talking Eds and NFL Network Wolf. If we're talking about remaining questions for this Cardinals team, do we not start with the rookie middle linebacker who's got to make all the calls and be the epicenter of the Cardinals defense against this sort of offense. Yeah, there's no doubt about it. Xavin Collins and Isaiah Simmons. Those two guys I cannot

separate my I really can't those two guys. Even though I think Jordan Hicks is going to play a lot. I think Jordan Hicks and Zaven Collins we're going to see a lot of them on the inside, and Isaiah Simmons moved to the outside. But those two young guys I cannot get over. And I really think they're going to be the key to the Arizona Cardinals defense going forward. That means they've got to play well and they got to hang in there early because they're gonna take their lumps,

There's no doubt about that. But I think by the end of the year it really is going to be paying dividends for the Arizona Cardinals and that defense. But early on, man, it could get ugly, Paul, especially when you're talking about those first two weeks against the Tennessee Titans in the Minnesota Vikings and how they play offensive football.

They attack the line of scrimmage, they attack the line of scrimmage, they attack, and then all of a sudden, here comes the play action throwing the ball over the middle of the field, and those two young bucks are going to be right in the middle of that. And I'm with you, I feel a lot better when Jordan Hicks is out in that field. There's these sort of that insurance policy and he's seen it and been there

and done that. So okay. As for other questions out there, I know there are a lot of guys improve it years, whether it's the end of the contract, whether it's a one year deal. Guys like Christian Kirk for example, and you heard Zach Allen talk about it, this extra sense of intensity or urgency and fire and Cardinals camp and whether that's going to carry over into the regular season. While Christian Kirk was talking about his new mentality, there's

definitely an extra edge. I have an extra edge to myself and I always you know, probably myself on my preparation, my recovery, but you know, I've I've taken it to the next level and you know, I'm doing everything in my power to make sure, like I said, I'm I'm at my best this year. So yeah, I'm there's there's definitely a different mentality for myself and the challenge for

him to stay productive on a consistent basis. We've seen it in spurts and waves, and then we've also seen some stretches where he just hasn't been much of a factor. That's Christian Kirk. What else stands out to you? Walf other questions as you get it was just some of the anomalies of the fifty three that I saw, right some of the things that stood out, like eight offensive linemen, Well that was because Justin Pew of course, was going to be coming in the COVID list. Something they actually did.

As a matter of fact, I think they made that announcement. They did, that's official, and they did have one roster spot available that when they said it. So now all of a sudden, you've got nine offensive linemen that you kept on the roster as opposed to eight. But that really stood out to me. Six wide receivers where one of them is not Keyshawn Johnson. Where six wide receivers where Andy Isabelle of course made the team and Antoine Wesley made the team as well. That was really interesting

to me. And three tight ends being capped. I was actually encouraged by the fact they kept three tight ends. And the reason being is because that means here comes twelve personnel. I would imagine to some degree, one back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers. That's something that in twenty nineteen they used an awful lot of and actually used it very effectively in the second half of

the season. And I think that is going to portend a little bit more this season of twelve personnel, and I think that's good, especially if you take a que and you put him under center. I was semi surprised to see three quarterbacks on the final fifty three. Now, well, Clifford hinted heavily that Streveler had a really good chance. But when you lost the Saints game, which Streveler was going to play all four quarters, I thought that was a play, a chance to really solidify his case for

the roster. A and B. Cole McCoy's the backup, and not a lot of teams in the NFL are keeping a coveted roster spot for that third quarter. And how many teams would have come after Chris Streveler. Could you got him to the practice squad, But because of COVID considerations and you don't want to be caught short on a game day where you're minus a quarterback, and because he's much closer to a Kyler's skill set than obviously a Colt McCoy is, you have those running aspects. Boom,

he's on the final fifty three. Yeah, I'm wondering though, is it going to be a situation where he dresses Chris Scruffler right like last year? Of course? PAULI, Yeah, yeah, absolutely. But if you all of a sudden have a positive COVID test on a Saturday or a game day, you would have the option for the extra quarterback as opposed to if he wasn't on the practice squad. There are some sort of roster gymnastics you have to execute. At

least that's according to Darren Urman. We are doing Cardinals underground. It's not so easy. And then all of a sudden you're the Denver Broncos and your entire quarterback room is wiped out and you're starting a former college quarterback who's a receiver. So that's one of the reasons. But otherwise, you know, it's something that Cliff Kingsbury likes that aspect of having that guy on the roster. And the last thing I'll say about this is four running backs. They

kept four running backs on the roster. Eno Benjamin, Eno, Benjamin. I thought he had made the team, he had a great preseason, and Jonathan warned those two extra running backs right there. I love it. One of our favorite guys is Chase Edmonds. But can he be and every doubt I'm back. That is another big question out there. Special thanks to Zach Allen. Obviously, special thanks Jim i'm mondrom

Cody Fincher for Ron Wolfleyum Paul LVC. This has been the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. Number one, Tyler, You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in Gilbert. Are you Santanford State Farm Talk to an Agent today at eight hundred State Farm and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts visit acy Cardinals dot com Slash podcasts. This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals Football Club.