Big Red Rage - Offensive Line Items

State Farm? Talk to an agent today at eight hundred State Farm, And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts visit Hacy Cardinals dot com, Slash Podcasts, The Reds Rising Guard, Temperaturizing vision, flurring rage taking over. Here's Paul Calveci. I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready. I'm telling you I'm ready. And Ron Wolflee. It doesn't get any better than that. Unleash the Far, the original Thursday Night Football. We don't need no stinking bye week around here. I mean we're all

about talking ball. Fifty two weeks a year on the Big Red Rage, and plenty to talk about what is, what was, what will be, what should be. It is a Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert. We are Santanford, Paul calvci Ron Wolfley, soon to be joined by Cardinals insider Darren Urban and a Cardinals team coming off. Oh not the way they drew it up. You always want to get the win going into the bye.

Not only did they not get the win, and that's the last taste going into the bye week, but the way they ended the game at the very end. As Kyler Murray said after the game, a twenty five twenty four loss against the La Chargers, quote, there was really no excuse for our last three drives. We got the players. There really is no excuse for not finishing that game on our own terms. Y. Yeah, you know what Polly honestly, and I think Kyler said it very very well right there.

How disappointing this loss was. This was big time to me, and the reason being is because of how well they had played through three quarters. And I don't mean just offensively or just defensively, I mean in all three phases. That was the best game I think they've played as a team through three quarters. And then suddenly you had the last four possessions of that game, the last four possessions that happened in that fourth quarter, specifically, you ran

eleven plays in those four possessions for sixteen yards. Polly, I mean you had you had a lead. It was twenty four seventeen, and then all of a sudden you had a three and out. You got the ball again, it was twenty four seventeen, and you had a three and out. Paul, you got it for a third time twenty four seventeen and had a three and out. The defense, I think wardown a little bit in that fourth quarter. It's reality. It happens from time to time, and I

think that's what happened to them. After playing very very well for three quarters and only giving up seventeen points, it took all of the fourth quarter before they finally gave up more points to the Chargers. To me, that's why this game was so disappointing. How well they played for three quarters and beyond they ran for one hundred eighty one yards. The Cardinals have been almost unbeatable in

that sort of scenario under Cliff Kingsbury. When they've had that sort of balance on offense, the Cardinals have been a juggernaut. That's what made this so confounding in so many ways. And he had a justin Herbert, who started three of eight but he ended up thirty five or forty seven for two seventy four, three touchdowns, no interceptions. Remember, Cardinals lost the turnover battle negative two in this game.

They had two takeaways, overturn but eventually ultimately Justin Herbert at his tenth fourth quarter comeback in three seasons as Chargers quarterback and the Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had this to say, I mean we practice that stuff. I mean, there's there's really no excuse for our last three drives, no excuse. You know, I think we got you know, we got the players. There's there's no excuse for you know, um not finishing that game on our terms, not having

to put the defense back out there. They did their job. You know, they did their job. And you know we don't get a first down, we don't run the clock. That's tough. You put them back, you know, put them back on the field like that. And then at the very end, well you saw the two game winning plays.

You saw the one yard touchdown passed Austin Ekeler with fifteen seconds to go, followed by the two point conversion to the tight end Gerald Everett, and as Brandon Staley said after the game, the Charger's head coach about that final two point conversion to win it quotes mood like chocolate milk. So there's that as well. There's there's Look the week before in Mexico City, we were there. The

Cardinals lost that game because the Niners won that game. Yes, but this game against the Chargers twenty five, twenty four, the Cardinals lost that game. If you watched it, they were so dominant for so long, for such stretches of that game. I think that's why. Honestly, that was probably the most downbeat locker room of the season been in there because guys knew man that was there for the taking. Paula.

I believe that, man, because it was. It was so disappointing to me as an analyst to watch it and a former player to see them actually lose that game when they played so well. I already said that, But I'll use Isaiah Simmons as a micro cosum. He was the micro cosm of this game. Isaiah Simmons had eight tackles, eight solo tackles in this game. Isaiah Simmons had a huge sack for minus thirteen yards. Remember how big a

player that was that sack. We said ballgame right there, you say, had that late, late sack Pauli and then a pass defense as well. He played incredibly well until the very end of the game, and you could even bring it down to the two point conversion where that was his man, Everett, the tight end was his man. And yet at the same time, you gotta credit the Chargers.

They did a great job of using eye Candy and Austin Eckler, and it was exactly what they were hoping for that you were going to get Isaiah Simmons eyes off of Everett for a split second and that's all it took on the two point conversion touchdown. So even though he played so well overall, the last play literally that he was out there, he didn't do it. And that Cardinals defense had four sacks. I mean, it was Isaiah Simmons, was JJ Watter, it was Zach Allen, it

was Cam Thomas. They made plays. They didn't have any takeaways, but they definitely made plays. At Cardinals offensive line. The eight difference starting old line combination, four backups and the stalwart Kelvin Beecham, the one constant you're starting right tackle who joined us after the game. And you can hear the resignation in his voice. At the end of the day, it's not about to turnover about him, And we had two turnovers, and you're not supposed to win if you

have two turnovers. But even in spite of that is, as you know, stupid. As we played today, we set out opportunity to close the game out and we didn't do so. Stupid. You didn't like the football IQ, not at all. How so, I mean, there's an opportunity again to close the game out with drives in the fourth quarter, and offenses that are of playoff caliber are able to do so, and we didn't do that today. He didn't get into specifics as you might imagine, but let's go

ahead and translate that sound bite right there. That that answer the Q and A. I mean, he's he talking football IQ in terms of just execution. Is he talking about strategy, play calling? Is he talking about like, for example, DeAndre Hopkins in Hollywood Brown getting combined one target in the fourth quarter when Tray McBride got a couple? What are you going to be all the above? Yes, I think that's what it is. PA. I think the answer

is yes. I also think too, there were a couple of high profile mm's mental errors that I think also happened over the course of those last few possessions right there. I think of the first down run to James Connor that was stuffed to buy a Drew Tranquil. To remember Tranquil, he blitzed a rundown blitz. Actually they brought him down through the bee gap and he shot through the bee gap. And I believe that that was a deuce block they had going on right there where they did not pick

it up. That is where two offensive linemen are going to work from the defensive linemen up to the second level where you had Drew Tranquil and he shot the gap. And I think that it was a mental error. Somebody did not come off when they should have come off. And when you hear Calvin Beecham say stupid football mental errors, I think at the end could be what he's talking about as well. Yeah, he mentioned that the Chargers consistently

pressured on second down. That was their strategy. They did adjust, but there was a big sack of Kyler Murray late on second down. Should the Cardinals have known that was coming, should the ball have been out gentle or should have someone had picked up the extra blitzer. The extra runner should have, Pauli, whether it was an offensive lineman or running back the responsibility to pick it up or Kyler Murray the quarterback himself to know that's hot. If this

guy comes, I've got to throw the hot. So the Cardinals loose. They've lost four out of five. And after the game we asked the head coach, Cliff Kingsbury, and his message to the team going into the bye We just started about we got a bye week coming up. We gotta arrests, recovery set, and got five games. We're gonna see how good Win be as a team. Yeah, they come out, they have an extra day. Actually, the next game is going to be Monday night against the

Patriots in Week fourteen. They're off this weekend and they're gonna self scout. Every team does that during the bye week. I mean, are there are a couple of things that stand out? Well? Do you think when they look at the film and I know the music's rolling here, we got Darren Urban next. But is it one or two things you think really stand out that can be addressed immediately? Yeah, Polly, I think, how do you get the ball to Deandrey Hopkins and Hollywood Brown a little bit more, especially in

clutch situations. They're gonna see a lot of two safeties over these last five games. They're gonna see a lot of two safeties high. That means you've got to be able to run the ball to bring that safety down. And when you get them to bring that safety down, that's when you've got to exploit the secondary with Hollywood Brown and d how And the Cardinals definitely made the Chargers pay, especially in that first half with the run game. You saw James Conner get into the second level easily

with frequency. All Right, what else is on the Cardinals plate as they prepared for the final five games of the season. Cardinals insider Darren Rban is next. I'm the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert hand off James Conner running to the left out a hole twenty five thirty thirty five, forty ragged down at the forty one. Boy, that's as big of a hole as

we've seen opened up for the Cardinals this year. On the run games, Connor the long back, Murray hands it to him off the left side for a priest at fifty five forty and down to the thirty seven of the Chargers twenty more yards on the ground. O Sante Samuel Junior came off the cornerback and suddenly he realized that it was one on one with James Connor on the outside. I thought he was gonna get his doorbell rung. James Connor went right by him with a nice little joke.

And what telling me say after the game? Get James Conner on a corner, get him out there on a dB and then look out. And you saw it early against the Chargers. Four of his first five runs eighteen yards, eight yards, eight yards, six yards. He ends up twenty five carries for a buck twenty That is a Cardinals high his first one hundred plus yard rushing game as

an Arizona Cardinal. Had the receiving touchdown as well. And Wolf, you're now officially back to your full buyack days, fullback blocking for our Darren Rbott Cardinals insider who joins us here on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. What's up? How you doing? Thanks for having me? So, what do you think is that a one game metamorphosis of the offense in a way because you had the

league worst Chargers rush defense. We knew look good yards per carry given up coming in They had given up the most yards per carry to date in a season since the nineteen seventy merger. Or do you think with healthy James Conner and maybe a different run game coordinator in Steve Hyden, will this be more of the DNA over the final month of the season. I think it's I feel fairly confident in saying that Cardinals are not going to be able to run like that against the Patriots.

Let's put it that way. I mean, even the beginning of that game. I don't know if it was because the Chargers, knowing what they couldn't couldn't do against the run, they decided to jam the box, But it was almost like all James Connor had to do is get to the outside and they just didn't bother having anybody out there. It was really odd to see early in the game that the amount of room James Connor had to run. I mean, it wasn't it wasn't hard to get out there. Yeah,

I mean he was to the second level all the time. Yeah, Easily one of the things once again is going to happen though, is you're going to see a lot of two safeties playing hot. You're going to see a lot of cover two shell that is going to be played against the likes of Hollywood Brown in DeAndre Hopkins, especially with Kyler back and healthy. Once again, even if you had Colt McCoy, I think you'd be seeing an awful

lot of that as well. And I think that's going to be something that they're going to get a steady die off. That means you've got to be able to run the ball. If in fact you're gonna have two safeties high, you have to be able to run the ball in that situation. And that's why it was good

to actually see them commit to doing that. Well, how many times you said with backup offensive linement, and four of your five offensive linement are backups at this point, four starters on IR you know what, they're probably better at run blocking than pass blocking. So okay, With that in mind, plus the departure of Sean Coogler the offensive line coach and run game coordinator, and Steve Hyden and Brian Natkin now in charge on that side, Cliff Kingsbury

was asked about the offensive line play. You know Brian Atkin and Steve Hyden got together and had some thoughts, different ideas, and I think it was more about the physical play up front. Those guys really took pride this week and after the previous week we didn't think we played as physicals. We needed to stepped up and created some some nice running lanes and I thought James finished

runs downhill and so that was positive. Schematically, you know, there's similarities, and obviously those guys are gonna put their own spin on things as well, so maybe a little bit maybe a little bit of a different scheme or approach to the run game maybe, But I think most importantly, because Cliff Kingsbury said it with us after the game as well, they just felt like Monday night in Mexico City, they weren't as physical as a forty nine ers. I think we'd all agree that was the case. So that

was most definitely a point emphasis. And you know what, Darren, that's something you can control in this final month plus of this season. The want to the effort, the intensity on the line of scrimmage. I don't disagree with that. You know, again you're talking you are talking about backup offensive lineman. I think Josh Jones has played pretty well. We saw Max Garcia back in the lineup now that he's finally healthy. Unfortunately, Cody Ford seems to have been

surpassed on the depth chart by Richard Coward. So I don't know if that trades worked out exactly how they had hoped. When Billy praates the center. But when you have the backups, you're right, you can control that, but so can the other team. And you're talking about the reserves, and there is a there is a talent level portion to this equation that, especially to me and the run game, that becomes harder to scheme and more about the talent.

To me, I say, yes, we know Derby was a back no no, but see to me, like in the passing game, I feel like there are times when you can you can definitely scheme up situations to not always get over the talent, but it's I think it's y get rid of it. Yeah, whereas the running game, it to me, it does come down to the talent. And and and right now that you know the Cardinals are so banged up, and and and we we saw what happened with the Chargers the Patriots, Bill Belichick knows what

he's doing with that kind of stuff. So that's the thing, Denver, He's got a pretty good defense. Their offense is horrible, but their defense is really good. Todd Bowles knows what he's doing on defense with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, like those are your next three opponents, so you know, we'll see what happens. And to your point that they are banged up and it doesn't look like it's going to change, because here's the latest. DJ Humphrey's on IR and Cliff

Kingsbury asked to be He's out for the year. Just wasn't progressing like we thought. We were hopeful for a while that maybe of something he could come back the last few weeks and play, but at this point that won't be possible. So yes, he has done for the year. Wolf. In fact, dress goes quickly, Polly right here. I'm sorry to cut you off, but I gotta jump in. I mean, DJ Humphries is the one thing about him, if you watch him on type, he's a dog. You know, this

is a guy that goes out in balls. This is a guy that is a dog. This is a guy that will try to bury you. There's a mentality that DJ Humphries brings to a football field, and I know it's hard for us when we see him. He's always smiling, he's always laughing and everything. Even sometimes on the field he's doing that. But he does have a dog mentality, and I think that's what's going to be missed as much as anything else for the next five games for

this team. Is that dog mentality that DJ Humphries brings and playing left tackle right now former third round pick Josh Jones and Cliff Kingsbury was asked about his recent performance. I think he's held his own. He's been waiting for an opportunity. I know at times he's been frustrated because we have had Beach and DJ playing at a high level. But he stepped in and played well. So that's encouraging

for us moving forward. And being able to play right left be that swing guy, I think is a huge bonus for us because think about it, Darren, we talked about this the other day. I mean, there are a lot of questions on this roster, especially with this offensive line. Yeah, DJ Humphrey's is the only guy under contract going into next year. I think right technically, Rodney Hudson is, But

I'm feeling fairly confident. Rodney Hudson's probably getting to the point where he's going to say, yeah, I thought about retiring this year for this very reason. I wasn't sure my body could hold up, and unfortunately it hasn't. So Um. Yeah, Justin Pugh's a free agent. Will Hernandez is a free agent. Max Garcia is a free agent, Calvin Beacham's a free agent, Cody Ford is a free agent. Rashad Coward is a free agent. Wow. Wow, that's interest. I mean, where do

you start about what derb? I mean, there's a there's a reason why I think they wanted to play Lessie to Smith a little bit to see what he had. Um. I think Josh Jones has played solid football and that's a good thing. Now the question is with Josh Jones if Kelvin Beacham's not around here. And I think Kelvin Breacham brings to the table a lot more than just what he does on the field. So that's something you've got to think about. Um, do you is Josh Jones?

Are you comfortable with him at right tackle? If DJ Humphries continue to be left? Is there any chance you do with DJ Humphries that you did with Jared vel there when Dji to the right side, and I have Josh Jones your left tackle. I mean, I think these are some of the things you got to figure out. But in the interior you got to just make sure you have bodies right now they don't have those. Can I just say this quickly as well? Um, Josh Jones to me seems to have played a lot better on

the left side than he has the right. Yeah, that's that's why I brought it up. Yes, that was his entire career in college left side. Let's not forget there are people involved here, and you know how this goes. Jared Veldier was not happy when he had to go from left to right. Yes, DJ Humphries, I'm guessing who desperately wanted to play left wouldn't be all that thrilled to go from left right. And I'm not even suggesting an he's brought that up, DJ, I don't know anything,

but and he's paid like a left tackle. But yes, that's true. But at this point, I think, especially with the way the CAP's going to be at least next year, I think you go into it saying we're paying offensive line X amount of dollars and wherever they end up, they end up. I mean, yeah, Dj Humphries are getting paid like a left tackle. But if you put it Josh Jones at left tackle, he's not getting paid like

a left tackle. So it's all the same. It all comes out, yes, All right, Well, look, this might not be the norm all the way through the rest of this season. There could be potential reinforcements on the old line after the bye. Here's Cliff Kingsbury or hopeful will or Rodney. I don't know what that's gonna look like, but hopefully one of the two at some point in the near future we can get back in there. I'm guessing Will hernad is much more likely, yes than Rodney Hudson.

But even so, I mean, Will Hernandez was playing really good football from all accounts at that right guard position, right was I think he was. I think he's earned the chance to be back again next year if they can get something done, and I think he likes playing here.

You know, again, when you start talking about having five games left in the season and counting every week that we go by, then it starts to become what's what's the realistic what's the point of bringing somebody back at this point, I think will Hernandez sooner rather than later. And I don't know off the top of my head if he's got to miss I think he's got to

miss one more game. Yes, I think you're right, So he would get a chance has to play for if he came back immediately, which I don't know where he is. He was playing so well to your point, Paula, Honestly right now, as a matter of fact, I thought he was the best offensive lineman that Cardinals id at that point in time. He was playing very, very consistently. And

we all know how physical he is as well. That that is his forte and that's exactly what I think the Cardinals need a little bit more of on that line of scrimmage. Speaking of, you go into this offseason and there's no doubt edge rusher, pass rusher is going to be a priority, if not number one overall, but center.

And it was interesting to your Steve Kim in the off season just talk about the importance of the center position, and it was sort of an epiphany realized just because we always talk about, Okay, quarterback, right and then you talk about left tackle, cornerback. You know these are the edge rusher, but center more and more, and he realized just how vital that can be with you. When Rodney Hudson showed up and everything he did for Kyler Murray and everything he did for that offense, I wouldn't be

rise if they set aside some big money. If there's a free agent out there and or a high draft pick for a center this April, I wouldn't be shocked either. I mean the reports came out post draft that had they not traded that that pick for Hollywood Brown, they

probably would have gone center in the first round. And it's funny that they ended up with Billy Price because I think after the draft thing happened and when they weren't sure about Rodney Hudson coming back, I think Billy Price was going to be the free agent they were

seriously thinking about signing. So I think that's something that's absolutely got to get straightened out at this point because the last couple of years with Rodney Hutson being banged up is I don't think anybody's been comfortable with that situation, and talking to a few people, things have slowed down

a little bit. For Billy Price, it was tough. You walk in and you've got to be the quarterback of that offensive line, and he was required to make a lot of calls and recognitions that he wasn't accustomed to doing stuff that Rodney Hudson was doing. They're asking him to do the same thing. And because when he was whipped the Raiders, they didn't want him calling anything. Isn't that interesting, Josh McDaniels. And it was a very different

system the Raiders playbook versus Cliff Kingsbury. So it took him a little while. And he has new interior guards on either side of him, but things have slowed down for him a little bit. Remember the Patriots are number two in the NFL as a team in sacks, behind only the Dallas Cowboys. We continue with this addition to

the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford. In Gilbert third down at six at the LA thirty four, Chargers showing blitz, they back off Murray back the past blackdown pass at the middle, pop at the twenty in a broken tackle, Hop is loose at the ten at the five and end of the end zone before the touchdown.

This will likely stand it looked like the Chargers were offside a Ken Murray getting rid of it quickly, being decisive and letting his playmaker do the rest of thirty four yard ketch and run for a score by hop DeAndre Hopkins over the middle of the field. Great job by Kyler Murray's standing tall in the pocket and delivering a strike to DeAndre Hopkins. And as he does so much at the time, he runs after the catch man,

He's slippery, no doubt. It is amazing, like at Cleveland last year, being field level, remember that catching about ten yard touchdown run and he made like seven guys, Miss Paul. It's so weird because nobody talks about d hopping one of the best yards after catch guys. Nobody really talks about him being that guy. Yet anyone who watches him, he is a dicey proposition to try to tackle. Very unorthodox.

I mean, Greg Dortsch is said in the studio and welcome back into the Big Red Rage or by Week edition presented by Saying tan Ford in Gilbert Paul kelbc Ron Wolfley Cardinals insider Darren Rman with US. Greg Dortsch said, I'll make anybody missing a phone booth but that's a totally different way that he gets it done versus a DeAndre Hopkins. It was longer and leaner, and it's just a you know, but seemingly after every catch he does make that first man miss he does. He's so slippery.

Not only that too, Guys, nobody talks about d hopping a great deep threat. Nobody's not a run by guy. He isn't yet. All he does is make place when you give him the opportunity down the field. It's the magic of DeAndre Hopkins. Well, and that's been crucial this year because if you didn't have guys like that, if you didn't have Greg Dortsch doing a couple of little things, even Hollywood Brown before he got hurt, you wouldn't have any big plays because there is no deep balls this year.

So before I ask you, Darren, about the first time this year you have seen Hollywood Brown and DeAndre Hopkins out there together. Let's see her from the quarterback Kyler Murray. Feel good to have him back out there. Some things we wish we had back, obviously, but to have him back out there on the same field as as you know, that was the first time actually, so it was good to see him both in Nasha. Unfortunately it was week twelve, but you finally saw him out there. So what do

you think Brown does for you? And does Ford hop and does for Kyle Learn does for this passing offense? And to Wolf's point earlier, what does it do against

these two high safety shell looks they keep getting? I mean, for me, the immediate play that comes to mind was hopkins thirty three yard touchdown that we heard the play call on coming back from break, because that was a play where Hopkins was actually lined up next to Hollywood Brown, but Hopkins was on the inside, and they ran a play where Hopkins kind of took the slot and went across,

and I was impressed with how they executed it. And you know, I talked to DeAndre last week about it, and he was I said, Look, everybody talks about Hollywood being back, and does that really mean anything for you or is it still going to be the defense is going to be watching DeAndre Hopkins and then we'll see how they deal with Hollywood And and hop truly believed that it was going to make for harder choices for the opposition and they weren't just going to completely focus

on him. And I thought we saw a little bit of that. I mean, you still want to see again bigger plays down the field, especially with Hollywood. They took a couple of shots, yea, weren't real close, unfortunately, And that's a whole other topic of a conversation. But I think having both those guys out there makes a huge difference.

And I go back, this was before I was on the air with you, but I heard you talking about the lack of targets on those last few possessions that that's really strange to me, because you know, you would think with two guys out there, you'd be able to find a way to get it to one and try and crank out a couple of those first towns you'd

so desperately needed. The one target in the fourth quarter between d Hop and Hollywood Brown was the near interception, the one handed Stah, goodness, my d Hop, that's saved one. Are the greatest catches I've seen ever, And yet how long? What was that? A six yard four yard completion flight there Just an incredible play by an incredible player. And by the way, Hollywood Brown, we thought he was good, ought he was going to be on a pitch count no,

he played sixty four out of sixty six snaps. That's ninety seven percent of the snaps. And there's Cliff Kingsbury on that he felt good. I mean, I thought, we want to see him out there running and he felt good and didn't want to come out and I thought he played fast and played at a high level. Had some some opportunities that weren't able to get him the ball a couple of times that I thought he was running really well. But we'll continue to fit him back

in and get him going. And of course they needed it more than ever because they're without Rondale Moore and Greg Dortch didn't play. You know, we get it, there's no zach Ertz. But well, what do you think what is the upside? What is the potential for this combination at receiver too legitimate wide receiver ones in this lineup?

N Paul, I think it has a huge impact. It's one of the reasons why the Arizona Cardinals once again see so much of the cover two, the two safeties high for the most part in rundown situation, first in ten second and one to six. If in fact that's what you get, you have to be able to run the ball. You have to be able to run the ball against the those looks if in fact that's what you're getting, and the Cardinals get it so much of

the time right now. It's one of the reasons why as well, you've got to have a rhythm and timing quarterback being able to get the ball out quickly. It's something we saw with Colt McCoy as well. You have something where you've got to have route combinations going against a covered two look where you're going to have two deep five underneath and you're gonna get a lot of four man rushes. That is what they've got to work

on more than anything else. I think they're quick game, they're quick passing game, and still be able to take shots down the field. I was so disappointed Kyler Murray two times had the opportunity to hit Hollywood Brown and there was one time where Hollywood Brown looked like he had a couple of steps on the defender, and both times Kyler threw the ball out of bounds. This is one of the reasons why I continue to say they

got to get Kyler Murray right once again. Kyler's got to get right, and it's not just Kyler, who's got

to do it. It's the entire offense around him. This is what I think is in front of them right now with five games to go, they got to get Kyler right, in my opinion, and especially when it comes to those deep shots, because Darren, there's first three years he was among the league leaders, if not number one, in deep ball accuracy, right, Yeah, I mean that missing piece is just that's That's what's glaring this deep in the season, quite frankly, is the inability to have a

ball go over the top. We saw so many of them, and most of them were to Christian Kirk in the past, So I don't know if that plays any kind of factor into this. Obviously, we've talked about the offensive line issues, so you would need a certain amount of protection to be able to throw it that far down the field.

But even when he's had the moments, it's it's either come up short for one reason or another, or it's like in the other game or this past game, it went out of bounds and and not like close out of bounds, like oh, it's he's just tied up in sidelines like the one I'm thinking of, there was no chance and you wonder where that is, because quite frankly,

he's been so good at that. But even even the fourth down play, the one that completely melted down, I felt like, if he gets the ball a little further downfield, hop makes that play over Derwin James and he just left it a little short. Well, look here's clip Kingsbury. He knows what he has and those two receivers is the reason they made the trade for Hollywood Brown and added him to DeAndre Hopkins. You can see that, you know,

it can cause some problems for the defense. And then zach Ertz, you know, he's he's a big part of work in the middle. He's a guy who is kind of the fail safe for this offense. That that's one that with those two guys and the speed they play with around him, I think, you know, could have been

a real weapon. But watching Hollywood run and take the top off things and then DeAndre doing someone underneath stuff, it can be a good a good weapon force moving for there's no doubt, and there's no doubt if he Zach hurts working the seams along with those two wide receivers, whoop all the potential. I know when the pregame show Drew stan was talking about. Look, just the fact of where they're going to line them up and when you put de hop in Hollywood round to the same side,

Now what does the defense do. You certainly can't bracket both of them. You can't double team both of them. Now you have four dbs one side of the field. Guess what that's you know, that's definitely a liability there. So there's it's interesting. I was watching throughout the game, and I don't have the exact specifics, but it was interesting how they were being used. And obviously DeAndre Hopkins

is inside a lot more than he had been last year. Yeah, no, you're right about that, and they're moving him around it. I think that's what they've got to continue to do to expand and evolve this offense is to definitely move them around. But once again, can I just continue to say what the Arizona Cardinals to me need more than

anything else is a true stud tight end. That's what they need, A true why tight end where they can get into eleven personnel, one back, one tight end, three wide receivers, and two of those wide receivers are Hollywood Brown and DeAndre Hopkins. Rondel Moore would be another guy that would be perfect to add to that. But now, all of a sudden, if you had that true stud tight end, you could run down situation. You could run the ball just as effectively as you could throw the ball. Okay,

that messes defenses up. But in when we're sitting here talking, the elephant in the room is Trey McBride have that chance to be that guy? You respect us have a chance. He's a second round pick. I know he does have a chance to be that guy. Will he that's the question? Well, and it was a question put to Cliff Kingsbury this week, the progress of the top tight end taking in the draft.

He's just grown into it right now. I mean we see some real flashes at practice where you know, you know he's going to be a very good player in this league. And then sometimes in the games it seems a little speed up for him. But that's all rookies, you know. And the more reps he gets for zagbean out, I think it's going to continue to help and you start to see some of those flashes as a season winds down. There are a couple of things that are

confounding and perplexing about Trey McBride so far. I think it was week two. We had Max Williams in here on this big red rage in this studio. Unprompted, he went into a long explanation how we thought Trey McBride was going to be special. Sure, how he has everything you need to be that two way tight end. Sure. And then in practices and in training camp he catches the ball easily. He has really nice hands. In practice, I know, but you know he doesn't fight the football.

He looks like a natural pass catcher. But we haven't seen that obviously translate to game days. No, we haven't. And you know, I'm sorry PAULI, but right now the jury is still out on Trey mill. We all know that. Yet at the same time you bring up Max Williams. Never never forget what this offense look like through the first five weeks of the season last year September. In October of twenty twenty one, it was humming. And the reason why it was humming was because of what I

just said. They could throw the ball or they could line up and run the ball. With a true stud tight end, Max Williams run the ball against six man boxes all day long and hold up, especially at the point of attack. They could do it. That was a huge advantage to this offense and they got to get back to that at some point in time. But that requires that you find a true stud tight end. And I'm not saying Max Williams can't be that guy, but

we all know that he's fighting it. I was going to say when Cliff Kingsbury talked about his injury, I mean, Max Williams nerve ending is not walking through that door and fixing that leg that Cliff talked about earlier this week, And I just Max isn't at least this season, and maybe who knows ever, he's not going to be that guy. But I bring it up as an exact yet that

I get that. And to your point, well, there's a reason they went after Tray McBride and round two of the draft, correct, because I think they understood the importance of that two weight tight end what Maxams did do. To your point for that Cardinals offense at the beginning of last year, I agree the jury is still out on Trey McBride, but the reality is is if you're drafting a guy in that spot, he better be that guy. And I'm you know at this point it is what

it is. I think they're you'll you'll use zach Ertz, but we'll talk about in the offseason the jump from year one to year two. Hopefully he can have a Zavin Collins type kind of jump. And they're gonna need him because I agree they need that piece, m but that's why you draft him. And if you're sitting here and saying they don't have that guy right now, he's

gonna have to figure it out. And to me, and I'm writing a piece for the Easy Cardinals dot Com later in the week about different things that they can be looking at down the stretch here because the playoffs, let's face it, aren't going to happen. And one of them is the development of these rookies other my j Sanders and the Cameron Thomas is maybe even Keyanta Ingram and definitely Trey McBride. No, that is a great point right there. Honestly, five games, Trey McBride's to see the field.

You put him mildpare and you let him see it. Well, he's been out there, yes, since it's got hurt. He's the guy. The play after the one handed stab by DeAndre Hopkins he had the incompletion. Whether you want to call it a drop or not, it was knocked away. Paul. He was disappointed. He was dejected on that bench. I'll be honest, I'll draw a parallel. I don't know. This is just my observation to and Andy Isabella early in his career. Confidence is it there right now? For Trey McBride.

There's that story of what coach McDaniel did for Tua in Miami. Yeah, but to go that whole real highlight reel restored his confidence and so maybe somehow, some way they can do that with a Trey McBride at some point in time. And it always has to come back to the individual doing it. Episode fifty one of The Day Pash Podcast featuring RG three Robert Griffin the third

thanks to Darren Irban Cardinals Insider. We continue with a big red rage presented by Santan Ford and Gilbert first and goal on the two Floyd to the right, to Evers to the laft including Fitz snapped a palm or gonna throw lobs at left side of the end zone. For Fitz, he's on the ground and he's still bought it. The century mark for Larry fitzgerald career touchdown number one hundred and the Cardinals tie the game in twenty deadly and single minded of purpose. Larry touches the ball as

he's going down. It's somehow pinned it to his helmet. What a catch by Larry. In fact, when de hop made that one handed stab to prevent the interception late third quarter, the first thing I thought of was, you know that's Larry Esque's that's Fitzgerald worthy, Larry legend. I'm many unbelievable catches did we see over his Hall of

Fame career. Greg call there by Pash Wolf on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network because we wrap up this byweek condition to the Big Red Rage presented by Santan Ford in Gilbert Ron Wolfley, Do you appreciate enough when we had zoom out during a bye week some of the caliber of play you've seen by Larry Fitzgerald, DeAndre Hopkins in company over the years, Yes, Polly, I do. There's no doubt. Don't forget Roy jet Stream, Yeah, somebody that

I actually played with. Polly and ann Quon Bolden it right as well, Man had The Arizona Cardinals had some wide receivers no doubt about that. So Cardinals getting ready for a New England team. So that was sort of ironic there the one hundredth career touchdown against the Patriots team and guess what, they still have the same head coach. And we all remember twenty twenty, at least I do, because of a very long COVID trip to an empty Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and Cam Newton stuck up, I

mean just was terrible, stunk up. The joint had a passer rating in the twenties, and somehow Bell Belichick pulled a win out against the Cardinals in that game, cam Na, I mean, you just look, they're not gonna give you anything. They're gonna be buttoned up. They're not going to beat themselves. Right, you tell me you played for the man. What are you expecting in New England when they come to town on Monday night, Week fourteen. Well, just like you said, right, Polly,

they don't beat themselves. That's a hallmark of Bill Belichick and what he coaches, what he teaches, of course, what he believes, and every team for the most part, all the way back to the Cleveland Browns, even when he was with the Cleveland Browns. We didn't beat ourselves. We just weren't good enough at that point in time, they

had players like me. I mean, they just weren't good enough, Polly, and you know that is a hallmark of Bill Belichick and the Arizona Cardinals are gonna have to be buttoned up if they don't want to get run in this game. And yet at the same time, I just have this feeling, I really do. With five games left, coming off of the buy, I have this feeling that getting Kyler Murray Wright has got to be the goal overall. Forget about wins and losses at this point, when you got a

one percent chance to get into the postseason, forget about that. Yeah, it'd be nice if you you want a couple of games in a row, whatever it may be. But to me, it's all about getting Kyler Murray and this offense playing at the level you thought there were going to be playing coming into this season. Buddha Baker all pro safety. His message to the locker room over these final five

games rests, rejuvenate, recover, be with your families. But at the end of the day, when it's time to work, we work at work, and we've got five more opportunities. Take the best of those opportunities, because you know, this league is stands for not for long, and we got five more opportunities to play some good football. And that's the plan that we're going to do. So let me ask you. Five of the last six games now, dbs

have been the leading tacklers for the Cardinals defense. Is that a problem if your advanced Joseph and look, I get it, Buddha Baker. Over the last four years, nobody has more tackles as a defensive back in the NFL than Buddha Baker. And it's not giving close. But I just one if that's one of those things you're looking at and you're hoping that maybe a Zaving Collins, now Isaiah Simmons did tie for the lead in this game. Sure those two guys to me should always be at

the top of the tackle total. Yeah, I would say as Isaiah Simmons as well, because he's also playing an awful lot in space from time to time. So so that's something that I think he's always going to be up there in terms of tackles. Zaven Collins, on the other hand, Yeah, he's getting better. Man, this much I know about Zaven Collins. This guy is getting better. I watch him on tape and even when he doesn't make the play sometimes he's doing a great job of filling

his gap and stuffing the play. So, yeah, I'm encouraged based on what I'm seeing from those two young guys. That's good to hear because obviously they are the future. They are first round picks. And then you have the likes of a Byron Murphy whereas yeah, DJ Humphreys with his back injury put on IRN Cliff Kingsbury said he's done for the year. That's not the case with Byron Murphy, at least not yet. Can you see Byron Murphy back goes guess what he needs a decision on his future

with the Cardinals and his contracts. That just like as Zach Allen does, another draft pick by the Cardinals who's had a really nice season on the defensive side of the ball, there are a lot of questions to be answered and a roster would be formulated. And you know what, the only real telling trait is what they do on this game film. Yeah, and for that reason, I don't expect this team to cave in. There are too many guys that have too many of their own futures wrapped

up in the outcome of these final five games. Yeah, right now, just looking at it, Zach Allen, I'm extending him. Oh yeah, Byron Murphy, you better believe it. You get him healthy, I'm extending him as well. Yeah, no doubt. And look, your cornerback room I think is a lot better than we thought going into this season. To me, that's not the priority this offseason. If you can extend a Byron Murphy, I think you're set there. Use some of those early round draft assets going after the edge rusher.

I think a Jayleen Thompson. What they did with Jayleen Thompson, I think they're going to do the same thing. Yep, there you go. Well, special thanks Darren Irman, Cardinals insider, Jim almahund Zach Larson. Once again Cardinals This week they come back Monday Night football against the New England Patriots. By games to go and we'll be here every Thursday night on the Big Red Rage presented by Santanford and

Gilbert We are Santanford Number one. Tyler, You've been listening to The Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in Gildall 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 Arizona Cardinals Football Club.