July 15, 2025 • 32 mins
As training camp creeps closer – a week away! – Paul Calvisi, Darren Urban and Dani Sureck will soon have lots to opine about. But before that, for a final time, we go the speculation route as our trio break down their predictions in each of three categories: a player prediction, a game prediction, and a statistical prediction. What are the parameters? Well, there aren’t many guardrails, so the talent has a lot of room to roam. We hear about Michael Wilson, Josh Sweat and Kyler Murray, and as for the rest … you just gotta listen.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This podcast is presented by Pacific Office Automation, proud partner
of the Arizona Cardinals. Learn more at Pacificoffice dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Pulled in by Wilson for a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Wanna throw by Kyler Murray facing pressure Connor to the
five and end of the end zone for the touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Welcome to Cardinals Underground, presented by Pacific Office Automation. Visit
Pacificoffice dot com. Problem solved Garrison ties for the en zone,
he said, touchdown. The latest news and notes from the
insiders who cover the team.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Touchdown, Tyler Murray. That defender is in multiple pieces.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Oh that was nasty right there.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Rights slam the ground by fooda baker like a torpedo.
He came flying into the backfield.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I ain't scared of nobody.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Here's Paul Calvic.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
You know, at this very moment, I realized that tom
My request for a calf X spend twenty twenty five
apparently was not approved. Darren, I'm looking at you. I
don't I don't have any any budget a crystal football.
So we can look into our crystal foot ball in
forecast the future. So when it comes around to making
predictions and the like that you know, I had a
(01:16):
nice prop here, What about like.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
A magic eight ball? Everyone's always using AI chat GPT,
what about bringing back magic eight ball?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Actually, probably account it would tell me that's my budget
is a magic eight ball for yours truly? You know,
that's probably what they would tell me.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
You're right, I will say this about a budget. I've
worked here for twenty almost twenty years and never once
had a budget. They don't trust me with a budget.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
So, Paul, the email was not even read.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
So there you go that that's my mistake. I submitted
the cap X request to Darren. I might even have
a budget.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
I might get you a magicate all.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
Though, next time, maybe just send it to Craig Grilou.
He might have some more powers.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah he does. He does have back channels. You're right,
Craig does know how to play the game a little
bit better. Danny surrec Darren Urban Yours Truly poly podcast
be going to play in the game. In the absence
of information, what do you get speculation? So, since we've
yet to launch into Cardinals camp and the season, I mean,
why not, let's just go ahead lob a few predictions
(02:12):
out there. When it comes to players, when it comes
to what else daring games stats? I mean, you know
all the above.
Speaker 5 (02:20):
I mean I thought, hey, it would make some sense
as we get ready for camp here, let's all go
around the table here and pick a something having to
do with a game, something that has to do with
a player, and something that has to do with the
statistic or somewhere in that. I mean, it's it's wide open, Paula.
I mean, so use your imagination.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Okay, so should you bat lead off? Since this sunds
like it was your concept that pretty compreh has an
understanding here, go ahead, I can do that.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
I'm gonna I'm gonna start with my player prediction. I
know this is gonna it's absolutely going to be loved
by the two of you. Michael Wilson will have eight
hundred yards receiving this season. Nice, that is my prediction.
I think I think he's heard all the conversations about
why haven't they brought somebody else in to be that
(03:11):
number two receiver, because let's face it, when we talk
about bringing in another receiver, that's basically the spot we're
talking about is what Michael Wilson does. So I think
he's worked very hard now there's there's variables involved. They
got to throw them the ball and then he's got
to make the play. But I think he's going to
step up and I think he's going to reach eight
(03:32):
hundred yards I think is the most he had as
a rookie was like five forty eight something like that,
five point fifty somewhere in there that was, and then
he was a little bit lower last year. I think
he'll get up to eight hundred yards.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So you're saying, does he need to go Keishawn Johnson
and put a book out? Throw me the dang ball.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
I thought this was interesting. I was talking to him
about the subject and he's like, you know, the other
day I was looking and Trey McBride had like one
hundred and forty targets last year. Ish, I think Marvin
Harrison was at one sixteen, correct, and then he goes,
I was next at seventy five, and he goes, let's
face it, the way we play offense, I don't anticipate
(04:11):
the targets going way up, like the number of pass attempts.
If things change, he said, I would think maybe Marvin
gets to one forty and Trey is the one twenty.
So I'm probably still going to be in the same ballpark,
So I've got to make more hay with what comes
my way, which is either catching the ball and then
in his thought process, getting more, many more yards after
(04:34):
the catch.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Because when you said eight hundred plus yards receiving, the
first thing I thought of was yards per catch. Yeah,
because I just don't see him getting a ton of receptions.
May might not, but you know, if he averaged eighteen
yards of catch, that would be enormous for this offense.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
You know. And again, we may be sitting here near
the end of the season and you may be laughing
at me, Paul for this, right. I mean, I know
you'll be laughing at me over and he definitely will
be laughing at me over something else.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
You bet your bottom dollar.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
So that's my player prediction. I think Michael Wilson is
going to have a pretty good.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Seaton and he does have I think untapped potential for
yards after the catch. He's a big dude. Yeah, yeah,
I mean, you know, Marvin Harrison Junior bolted up. If
he's going to be breaking tackles and get off me,
you know, on the whole press man, Michael Wilson would
be that gay.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
We've talked about this on previous podcasts. The quarterback has
to find a way to vibe with these receivers getting
it to them in stride.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
All right, Danny, if you had to pick out a player,
where would you go?
Speaker 4 (05:32):
I went back and forth offense or defense, and I
landed on defense. And this is this is a hard
exercise because usually we don't like to put numbers on
bomb players and what they have to hit. It's like
this exercise as long as you're not asking me to
hypothetically bet my paycheck on something.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Well, you hated that day. Yeah, I mean that was
like seven years ago.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Here we go, Darren, this is here we go.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
Yeah. Sorry.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Outside linebacker Josh Sweat double digit sacks. He's done that
once in his career. That was twenty twenty two when
he had eleven coming off a year where he had eight.
He has the ability to do so. He had his
best years statistically when he was playing under Jonathan Gannon
and Nick Rowlis when they were all in Philadelphia and
(06:17):
they are all now reunited in Arizona. Sweat has talked
about part of the reason he had such success under
them was the freedom he had. We've talked about how
Gannon has used the expression of here's the outline of
the drawing pick. However, what colors you want to use
as long as you're staying within the lines, and Sweat
has talked about even from the three practices he had
(06:38):
here in Arizona Mandatory manning camp, he can already feel
he is going to have a similar sense of freedom
and allowing him to do what he does best. That
is still going to be a position room that relies
on rotation. You're going to see Sweat out there a
lot more than you will see anyone else in that room,
just giving his talent the money that you are giving him.
(06:59):
So when you pair that with the bodies and the
skill set that has been added in front of him
on the defensive line and bolstering that when you have
a healthy Darius Robinson Waltern in the third, Dalvin Tomlinson,
Kalaiis Campbell, the good things we have seen from Dante
Stills An LJ. Collier, I think that the floodgates are
going to open a lot more and a lot more
(07:19):
consistently to get some more sacks. And I think that
Josh Swat is going to lead the charge and have
a double digit sack here.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I like it. I like it. I'm feeling a little
trepidation about my selection because I'm most definitely not taking
out the seven iron and just you know, playing it
safe right down the fairway. More than me, I'm taking
the driver out of the bag right now, Darren. You know,
I got my new carbon fiber you know, high strength
titanium alloy, you know, with the AI club face design.
(07:46):
I got it. Boom. I'm just done. Really, I'm gripping
and ripping right here, and I'm going with Owen Papo,
Owen Papo.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
What about him?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
The forgotten man? He is the forgotten man, Round five
pick couple of years ago, inside linebacker, former five star recruit,
by the way, the freak max prep all American has
run still the second fastest forty for a linebacker in
Combine history at four three nine, and he did get
(08:16):
a number of starts at the end of last year. True,
I can't say he made any splash plays. He did
have a forced fumble along the way, But what if
they harnessed all that athleticism and maybe, just maybe he's
ready to be out there next to Mac Wilson Senior.
They conspicuous by the lack of a signing a of
(08:39):
Kaiser White, b of a big time, big money free
agent at the position. Yes, they went after a Keem
Davis Gather, Yes, Michael Walker, Yes, Cody Simon. I get it.
They flooded the position with numbers and they're going to
see who emerges. But I wonder if Owen Papo, with
two years in the system, has a leg up on
the other guys between the football IQ and the many
(09:00):
of the playbook and now the athleticism.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
So you're not saying so, you're just saying more playing time. Yes, Okay, Yes,
I like that.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
That's a that's a fascinating thought because you're right. I
love the fact that you're calling him the forgotten man,
because he really is.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
He is.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
Every time that subject comes up, nobody talks about.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
The only thing that's questionable is not even his play
per se, but what we've talked about in recent episodes
of the Numbers Game, if you have all of these
players on the defensive line, specifically that you want to
maybe go from having six that they did on the
roster last year to seven, you've got to You've got
to take a body out from another position room in
(09:40):
some sense, so that that would be the only thing
kind of I don't know if working against him is
the right phrase to use, but something that he is
going to have to combat.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Well, I would say to that though, if he is
the kind of player that Paul is talking about, then
he's not the one who has to be worried about
the numbers. It's somebody like Michael Walker or or even
a Keem Davis Gaither.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Yeah, fair, Yeah, because Papa has made the roster the
last couple of years.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
And you know what, I would draw a potential parallel
to Mac Wilson Senior and a Keem Davis Gather in
their last year with their former team. What happened? They
were special teams standouts and then they got a number
of games at the inside linebacker position and they really
excelled and put up some big numbers. It's the reason
Moniasiford went ahead inside MacWilson Senior. It's the reason he
(10:26):
went after a Keen Davis Gaither. I wonder if Owen
Papo could be in a similar career arc where you
know what, he was on all the special teams last
year and all of a sudden he has a command
of the position, and in year three, some guys take
a little longer than others. And uh so, anyway, you
understood the assignment, Paul, that's a good call. Well, there's
(10:46):
still time for me to screw it up. So let's
get in now the game part of this. We're supposed
to pick out a game on the schedule and identify
what exactly whatever.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
You want and in fact, and in fact, I'm hoping
you prep for that and you're not just out. No, no,
I got one in mind, but I will say this,
I have more than one, but it's it's a combo comment.
So hopefully I'm not stepping too much on what you
guys might do. But my my game related prediction is
(11:17):
that this team is going to come out of the
by which has not been a good time. They go
after the bye, they go at Dallas at Seattle home
against the forty nine ers. I'm saying they're going to
go three to zero in those games.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Hello, wow.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
I think they always play really well in Dallas, and
I'm not a believer in what Dallas is doing right now.
I think they're better than the Seahawks right and I
think they are anxious to finally get a win against
the Seahawks now that Gino Smith is.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Gone, can't wait to see Kalis in Seattle again.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
And I think by then they have some momentum at
home going against the forty nine ers, which I think
the forty nine ers are still going to be a
pretty good team. But I that is that is my thought.
I think I think this time around they're going to
come out of the bye and they're they're going to
do so. Now, again, the bye is way earlier than
it's been yep, so it's more mid season, and they've
(12:14):
been okay in mid season. I guess you could kind
of say, but like that that is my that's my
no stra domassy thing.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
Kech Okay, that's a good one. I took a bit
of a different approach, which is what this is, which
is right after your game San Francisco Week eleven, Week
twelve home against Jacksonville. I don't think Travis Hunter is
going to be a two way player at that point.
I think by that point, I think by that point
rookie year, he's going to have to have settled one
(12:44):
side of the ball. Now, maybe a few snaps, but
even by I just a few snaps to me, I
think is generous from what we could see. I mean
when I say a few, I mean like, let's say
he's the wide receiver, right, because that's supposedly where he
was going to be starting, right, that was gonna be
the mains, like no more than five snaps at cornerback,
not going to be a two way player. I think
(13:06):
the difference of college to the pros and the amount
of knowledge he's going to have to be able to
withstand and the nuances of being a receiver and what
you're looking for in the defender, and then vice versa
going up against the best of the best in the
NFL physically his body being able to play that many
snaps in a game and stay healthy. Week twelve, I
(13:30):
think Travis Hunter is one way player.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Okay, So I want you to level up, oh boy
on this prediction. Obviously you don't know for sure, but
you're saying he's going to be on one side of
the ball. So pick a side of the ball he's
going to be on, and then what is the match
up with the cardinal that he's going to have that day?
What's what's your prediction?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Just because they you know it's been said wide receiver.
I'll go with wide reach.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
That's what I would do. So, so who do you
think gets that that job?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Now?
Speaker 5 (14:01):
Again, the way they play defense, he could see five different.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Cardinalis who would I really like to see Kerrett Williams.
I think it could be will Johnson. If Hunter is lined.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
Up outside, I think that's fascinating.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
So Brian Thomas Junior and then Travis Hunter. I mean,
those are two really good young receivers. They are Jacksonville
sort of that sleeper. All right. What's interesting is I'm
sort of falling in line with you guys. If this
was a game of poker, we might have a straight Ooh,
I don't know what that means, and I'll just say
(14:33):
I'll just say good hand. I went into chat GPT
and it says here, Sunday night football games are eligible
for flexing any week from weeks eleven through seventeen. Monday
night football games anytime you can be flexed weeks twelve
through seventeen. Week thirteen, there's your straight. Okay, Cardinals at
(14:55):
Tampa will be flexed into prime time?
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Okay, why Tampa?
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Kyler Baker Okay, and two NFC division leaders at that point.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Okay, this podcast is coming together quite well.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I have to say, I think that'll be a titanic matchup.
Week thirteen, Cardinals in Tampa asserting dominance in the NFC,
and they just love the subplot of the two Oklahoma
Heisman winning quarterbacks going against each other.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Did you know, I'm sorry, did you say Sunday night
or did you say primetime?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
So it could be the one, you know, it could
be there. It could be eligible for Sunday night or
Monday night, could be flexed.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
I like that because Week fourteen that's a little too
early if it's a tight race between the Cardinals and
the Rams for any sort of playoff push and securing
something like like winning the division. And then if you
can't flex week eighteen, that's the next time the Cardinals
play the Rams, and in between them Houston that's kind
of a question mark at this point, Atlanta probably not,
(15:56):
and Cincinnati. So I like choosing like this.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
I like how that category came together. There were some
very like interesting thoughts on that, Okay, I.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Mean, you know, we already talked about early in the
year anyway, like at New Orleans the season opener, polyprop Bett,
I have five and a half number of sacks of
the Saints quarterback. And then my prediction for Week four
I've already made known. I expect Jalen Milroe will be
the starting quarterback for Seattle coming to Thursday night. What
at the cartage?
Speaker 5 (16:25):
Because I miss something?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
When did you predict Sam Donald will be broken in
half behind that Jankee O line of Seattle. And there's
a reason Mike McDonald came out during the mini camp
Ota session and was so adamant that the notion of
Sam Darnald not being the starting quarterback was quote crazy.
I think he's trying to snuff out a faction in
his own locker room that looks at the ridiculous athleticism,
(16:50):
the ninety nine athleticism score Jalen Milroe, and they're already
guys in his own locker room wondering, Wait a minute, coach,
are you sure this isn't Russ so Wilson beating out
Matt Flynn? Are you sure Jalen Milroe isn't better equipped
to lead this team than Sam Darnold.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Wow, we'll see I can't say, Polly, we'll see conspiracy theory, yes,
because that did happen once upon its time.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
But yeah, Okay. Last category that we need a prediction
for Darren.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Was statistics a status stack.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
I thought we don't do math on this show.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Well yeah we did.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Wait, we're talking about statistics and math could be different things.
I mean, I'm doing basic addition here.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
As long as I don't have to calculate it, you won't.
I'll cite it.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
I did all the calculation for my own.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
It's good.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
So last season, as we've talked about, more than we
would have liked, the Cardinals ended up with forty three
explosive pass plays of twenty yards or more. Okay, I
am going to say that the Cardinals will have will
increase that by twenty this year, so they will have
(17:58):
at least sixty three explosive pass plays, so essentially one
more per game on average. My prediction for my statistic
I think, as we said in a previous podcast, Paul,
there's the idea of maybe using two good running backs
(18:19):
in the backfield that could open some things up with matchups.
I've already talked about how I think they might be
able to use Michael Wilson a little bit more. I
do think there's going to be some plays down the
field for Marvin Harrison that are successful that weren't previously,
that will gain some yards, and I just think generally,
I think they're going to figure some things out. With
(18:40):
some of this extra motion and getting guys moving around,
I think they will be in a better place to
do it. And again I'm not going outside the box.
I'm not saying they're going to have eighty explosive pass
plays and double up their number, but one more game
seems doable, especially when they were relatively low in the
(19:01):
first place. So that is what I think you're gonna need.
You're gonna need Kyler Murray to play at a high level,
and they're gonna need to hit what was talked about
at the end of the of mini camp when they
were talking about the off schedule plays. They have some
options there. And it always, it always makes me kind
of raise an eyebrow because to me, when you have
(19:23):
Kyler Murray and when you're talking about a defense that's
having a run around and cover for more than the
pass rush, that should be a heavy advantage for this team,
and I don't feel like it has been, and it
really needs to be.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, that's a great point. You're right, they need to
leverage that a lot more. Hence why Drew Petsen has
spoken openly about Okay being more effective when Kyler's on
the move out of the pocket, especially when he's flushed
out of the pocket organic. Do you know, I do
know that the Cardinals ended up in the bottom third
of the league last year an explosive pass place. If
they end up with sixty three instead of forty three,
(19:57):
do you know where that puts them in the NFL rankings?
Speaker 5 (19:59):
I didn't, I'll be honest. I was curious because I
wasn't looking at a league ranking. I literally went in
and counted up their explosive.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Because with James Connor among the league leaders all year
long in broken tackles, the Cardinals were top five in
explosive run place. So if you can add the pass plays,
look out well.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
And again, as I said earlier on Michael Wilson when
he said the receivers have to get better with yards
after the catch, yeah, I mean not everybody's going to
be James Connor, but man follow the league Rumph Kap.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Third down conversions. I'm talking a little offense and a
little defense. Offensively, last season, the Cardinals were good third
downs one hundred and ninety three attempts. They converted eighty
three of those. That's a forty three percent success right,
which was eighth best in the league, despite the fact
that one ninety three was the third fewest attempts in
(20:51):
the league. Where they struggled was when it was ten
or more yards. So when it was ten or more yards,
the Cardinals were five of forty four, twenty three percent
success rate. Those forty four attempts the second fewest. My
prediction is the Cardinals are going to jump into top
five in third down conversion, so move up three spots.
(21:14):
They need to be better in long situations, so they're
not finding themselves there. They have the pieces. Trey McBride
was top, I mean, top notch on third downs. He
had twenty seven targets, twenty of those receptions, fourteen of
those for first down. And Kyler Murray was the main
was the main player running whenever they ran the bomb
(21:35):
third down twenty two attempts, twelve of those for a
first down. So and Amario de Mercado also was used
in those situations. So that's my prediction. You move from
eighth best third down conversions top five given the pieces
and the consistency there. Do you want to chime in
before I.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Moved to defense, Yes, I just want to jump in.
My first thought when you said all that was they
had so many third down A tempts at ten or
more yards. I mean, that's where they can fix your thing.
If they make sure that they're not you can't be
in third and long not like that. That's tough. And
they still finish top ten. That's crazy to me.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
That is remarkable. I did not know that.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
I did not know that either. Thanks for bringing the
knowledge there.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Yeh yes. And then on defense, my prediction is the
Cardinals are going to jump from twenty eighth in the
league on defending third down versions and get into the
top half. Last season, Cardinals allowed their conversion rate allowed
was forty three point eight percent with the twentieth best
run defense, that's where they were ranked. Now they have
(22:40):
really bolstered the box, like they have really focused on
that defensive line, which is going to strengthen the run
defense and in turn, obviously, third down versions force your
opponents to be in third and long situations and when
they've been focusing on developing in the second secondary. All
the reasons we've talked about the defense improving this year.
That's all obviously going to come into play. Last year,
(23:00):
the Cardinals really struggled. When it was third and one
they were defending. That was a seventy eight point three
percent conversion rate allowed. Third and nine was fifty percent.
So in between between you know, two and eight yards
to go it was much much lower than that. But
that is where they really struggle the most. So goals offensively,
you go from eighth to fifth or better third down
(23:24):
conversions and then defense go from twenty eighth to anywhere
around sixteen.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
You know what is not a recipe for winning Having
an offense that's in third and ten or longer a
lot of the time, and having a defense that gives
up first downs on third and nine or longer. Jeez them.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, Well, the completion percentage was among the worst in
the league in terms of allowed by the defense. And
to Danny's point, if you could affect the quarterback a
lot better, get to the quarterback, hit harass and speed
up the quarterback, guess what the completion percentage is going
to plummet.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
I will say, I like, I feel like what we're
doing here is like we're not I'm doing crazy things.
We're we're making realistic predictions that these things can happen.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
And special thanks to craigorylu and Mike Hellman Media Relations
for helping me with the.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Numbers with Darren, that is, until I came along with us.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
Okay, what's your stat I've.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Said it in the past that you know, my attempt
to get come for the arm, stay for the legs
to you know, get traction was was akin to fetch
and mean girls, Uh, never really got.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Anything trying to make fetch happen.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Thank you. But I'm going to come back to it
because I'm resilient if nothing else, if not stupid, I'm
coming back to because it's already happened. And I may
have mentioned this about a month earlier, but I'm dead
said on Kyler running the ball more and in twenty twenty,
a Pro Bowl season, he ran it a career high
one hundred and thirty three times for a career high
(24:49):
eight hundred nineteen rushing yards. But here's the best part.
Wait for it, eleven rushing touchdowns, which I totally forgot
about eleven rushing touchdowns, and I mean, you talk about
keeping a defense, honest.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
Those play action keepers would just.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
So you can't tell me that isn't what defensive coordinators
really fear is the Cardinals flood the end zone with
weapons and then Kyler just runs for the pylon and
makes your defense look stupid.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
I will say before you get to your stat Paul,
that I think one of the reasons James Connor ended
up with eighteen touchdowns in twenty twenty one was because
after twenty twenty, all the defenses gave a crap about
is watching when Kyler was going and so when we
just did a dive play to Connor, it was always
going to be open.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Good point and you know what, and we do see
this on third down as well, that you know teams
will definitely put a spy on number one. So look,
it may not be eleven rushing touchdowns. You're not going
to get a fifty yard touchdown run like you did
against the forty nine ers in Santa Clara a year
ago like that very often. But I am looking for
(25:57):
him to get near, if not eclipse, his career high
in rushing yards. Just based on the fact that he's
been so open and talking about it. It sounds like
to me complete speculation. He sat around and watch the
AFC playoffs and said, wait a minute, look what Lamar
Jackson's doing. Look what Josh Allen is doing with little legs.
I can do that. Why aren't I doing more of that?
Speaker 5 (26:19):
What was his total in twenty twenty for yards?
Speaker 2 (26:21):
It was eight nineteen eight nineteen, that's what. Now he
did set a career HIH last year in yards per
carry seven point three yards per carry, first time he's
been over seven yards of carry. So now you take
the fact he's still in his prime at age twenty eight,
still has the athleticism, but he has the knowledge of
six NFL seasons and the decision making to know when
and how and where to run the ball. So you
(26:42):
would think he's even more equipped than ever to be
able to be successful in running the ball. Wow.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
The only thing that makes always makes me pause with
Kyler is his need and desire to get down if
they're a runner, because, again, when you're talking about game
large amounts of yards rushing in a season, there's gotta
be some willingness to get the extra two, three, four
yards when there's guys coming.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
And by the way, I've heard this said that a
lot of teams these days in the NFL, are teaching
these quarterbacks to slide head first, to go head like
when you got to get down, don't slide feet first,
baseball style, get down, throw your body down head first,
because when you're sliding, you're just leaving your upper torso
exposed to getting clean.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
That's something this coaching staff changed with Murray. That and
the footwork was leading foot when he was in shotgun,
but also how he was sliding.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Ye. So, although I'll be honest with you in hindsight,
while Danny was talking, I said, you know the stat
I should have picked interceptions by the Cardinals defense.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Wait a second. While Danny was talking.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yes, I'm like, you're talking about the passage.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
It was one in one ear out the other. We're
even paying attention.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
I was, you were making such a good point about
the pass rush. I'm thinking, you know what one leads
to the other.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
I did think about doing interceptions too, because of what
we're talking about with the pass rush.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
But they could they could ramp up the interception title
this year by it a lot.
Speaker 5 (28:09):
I'm feeling fairly confident. I will say this not directly
in opposition, but I feel fairly confident that the combo
of Michael Wilson eight hundred receiving yards and Kyler Murray
eight hundred and twenty rushing yards is not possible, like
it would be one or the other if if either happened,
(28:31):
that is my guess.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
And Marvin Harrison one thousand yards receiving and.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Marvin Harrison's gonna have nineteen hundred and seventy two about
McBride one thousand.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Tenant James Connor having three straight thousand yard rushing seasons well.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Of course, and there's two RB one so then Trey
Benson's gonna run for one thousands, so easy. Yeah, it's
pretty amazing.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
That did get brought up in a press conference at
the end of the offseason. I did where we're talking
when somebody was bringing up one of the reporters was
bringing up all the unbelievable satistics that are going to
come up well with.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
The revamped defense, They're going to win the time of
possession game forty to twenty every single game. And you know,
I mean the offense is the opposing offense is go
three and out every possession, So the Cardinals are going
to own the ball.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
I will say about a month ago I was on
a podcast with Danny's favorite Hawk blogger. On that blogger said, no,
like he covers the Seahawks, covers the Seahawks, and he
said a couple of things to our group when we
were at the Comboy.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Oh. I was like, who are we talking about? I
was I was the least bothered at that.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
But his last his last question to me was Okay.
He goes, we get to the end of the season
and we're going into the playoffs or like the last
whatever whatever he was saying. I can't remember if it
was the last time they played the Seahawks, the last
game of the year, whatever it was. But he goes,
the Cardinals are going into the playoffs with thirteen wins.
What what things had to happen? And I'm like, I'm
(29:57):
just thinking to myself, Okay, if this team thirteen games,
a lot of good things have happened. I don't know
if all the things we just predicted are gonna happen.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Well why not?
Speaker 5 (30:06):
Because I know this. If if the Cardinals win thirteen
games and we all we go over for all these predictions,
that's I'm sure everybody would take.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
That gladly own that. Yeah. But to answer that question,
thirteen wins means they swept the Seahawks. That's what they mean, Paul.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
This episode is our last one before training camp, and
I am surprised, and I'll be honest a bit disappointed
that we have gone an entire offseason without hearing about
your break fifteen breakout players of training camp.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Yeah, he'll hit those with a first training camp early
enough because we have those five days without pads, so
he still has time to break that out.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Wait a minute, who DoD I have? Last year? I
had Xavier Weaver, that's a ding, and I had one
on dal.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
You had legit ten players and you promised that like
seven of them were gonna like make the team, and
they were like all draft picks.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
I made the mistake of thinking out loud and coming
to my final two. And maybe why I've been so
silent to date is because I've been taking a task
and or the woodshed for thinking outlined and trying trying
to mull through the potential candidates.
Speaker 4 (31:12):
I'm excited to hear what your final list.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
Remember, Danny, in this department, we can throw all the
ideas against the wall. No idea is a bad idea.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
I will say this and you guys haven't realized this yet.
But I was a little ahead of my time a
little bit with the marketing mantra last year, a twenty
twenty three dip for a twenty twenty four and uh,
you know, I was just a yearly. I was a yearly.
I was a little premature on that. So maybe I'm
a little tentative.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
A twenty twenty three dip for a twenty twenty five rip, or.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Is it I haven't settled on that head either.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
I'm sorry you're thinking out loud again. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
You know it's uh, he's got a week before Trump
can give us right time. You know, there's a round
table Calvisy consulting on and get my top minds around this,
and then we'll come up and well we'll have some
answers next time. We can bene on Cardinals Underground and
presented by Pacific Office Automation
This podcast is presented by Pacific Office Automation, proud partner
of the Arizona Cardinals. Learn more at Pacificoffice dot Com.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Pulled in by Wilson for a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Wanna throw by Kyler Murray facing pressure Connor to the
five and end of the end zone for the touchdown.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Welcome to Cardinals Underground, presented by Pacific Office Automation. Visit
Pacificoffice dot com. Problem solved Garrison ties for the en zone,
he said, touchdown. The latest news and notes from the
insiders who cover the team.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Touchdown, Tyler Murray. That defender is in multiple pieces.
Speaker 4 (00:38):
Oh that was nasty right there.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Rights slam the ground by fooda baker like a torpedo.
He came flying into the backfield.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I ain't scared of nobody.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Here's Paul Calvic.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
You know, at this very moment, I realized that tom
My request for a calf X spend twenty twenty five
apparently was not approved. Darren, I'm looking at you. I
don't I don't have any any budget a crystal football.
So we can look into our crystal foot ball in
forecast the future. So when it comes around to making
predictions and the like that you know, I had a
(01:16):
nice prop here, What about like.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
A magic eight ball? Everyone's always using AI chat GPT,
what about bringing back magic eight ball?
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Actually, probably account it would tell me that's my budget
is a magic eight ball for yours truly? You know,
that's probably what they would tell me.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
You're right, I will say this about a budget. I've
worked here for twenty almost twenty years and never once
had a budget. They don't trust me with a budget.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
So, Paul, the email was not even read.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
So there you go that that's my mistake. I submitted
the cap X request to Darren. I might even have
a budget.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
I might get you a magicate all.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
Though, next time, maybe just send it to Craig Grilou.
He might have some more powers.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Yeah he does. He does have back channels. You're right,
Craig does know how to play the game a little
bit better. Danny surrec Darren Urban Yours Truly poly podcast
be going to play in the game. In the absence
of information, what do you get speculation? So, since we've
yet to launch into Cardinals camp and the season, I mean,
why not, let's just go ahead lob a few predictions
(02:12):
out there. When it comes to players, when it comes
to what else daring games stats? I mean, you know
all the above.
Speaker 5 (02:20):
I mean I thought, hey, it would make some sense
as we get ready for camp here, let's all go
around the table here and pick a something having to
do with a game, something that has to do with
a player, and something that has to do with the
statistic or somewhere in that. I mean, it's it's wide open, Paula.
I mean, so use your imagination.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Okay, so should you bat lead off? Since this sunds
like it was your concept that pretty compreh has an
understanding here, go ahead, I can do that.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
I'm gonna I'm gonna start with my player prediction. I
know this is gonna it's absolutely going to be loved
by the two of you. Michael Wilson will have eight
hundred yards receiving this season. Nice, that is my prediction.
I think I think he's heard all the conversations about
why haven't they brought somebody else in to be that
(03:11):
number two receiver, because let's face it, when we talk
about bringing in another receiver, that's basically the spot we're
talking about is what Michael Wilson does. So I think
he's worked very hard now there's there's variables involved. They
got to throw them the ball and then he's got
to make the play. But I think he's going to
step up and I think he's going to reach eight
(03:32):
hundred yards I think is the most he had as
a rookie was like five forty eight something like that,
five point fifty somewhere in there that was, and then
he was a little bit lower last year. I think
he'll get up to eight hundred yards.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So you're saying, does he need to go Keishawn Johnson
and put a book out? Throw me the dang ball.
Speaker 5 (03:48):
I thought this was interesting. I was talking to him
about the subject and he's like, you know, the other
day I was looking and Trey McBride had like one
hundred and forty targets last year. Ish, I think Marvin
Harrison was at one sixteen, correct, and then he goes,
I was next at seventy five, and he goes, let's
face it, the way we play offense, I don't anticipate
(04:11):
the targets going way up, like the number of pass attempts.
If things change, he said, I would think maybe Marvin
gets to one forty and Trey is the one twenty.
So I'm probably still going to be in the same ballpark,
So I've got to make more hay with what comes
my way, which is either catching the ball and then
in his thought process, getting more, many more yards after
(04:34):
the catch.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Because when you said eight hundred plus yards receiving, the
first thing I thought of was yards per catch. Yeah,
because I just don't see him getting a ton of receptions.
May might not, but you know, if he averaged eighteen
yards of catch, that would be enormous for this offense.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
You know. And again, we may be sitting here near
the end of the season and you may be laughing
at me, Paul for this, right. I mean, I know
you'll be laughing at me over and he definitely will
be laughing at me over something else.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
You bet your bottom dollar.
Speaker 5 (05:03):
So that's my player prediction. I think Michael Wilson is
going to have a pretty good.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Seaton and he does have I think untapped potential for
yards after the catch. He's a big dude. Yeah, yeah,
I mean, you know, Marvin Harrison Junior bolted up. If
he's going to be breaking tackles and get off me,
you know, on the whole press man, Michael Wilson would
be that gay.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
We've talked about this on previous podcasts. The quarterback has
to find a way to vibe with these receivers getting
it to them in stride.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
All right, Danny, if you had to pick out a player,
where would you go?
Speaker 4 (05:32):
I went back and forth offense or defense, and I
landed on defense. And this is this is a hard
exercise because usually we don't like to put numbers on
bomb players and what they have to hit. It's like
this exercise as long as you're not asking me to
hypothetically bet my paycheck on something.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Well, you hated that day. Yeah, I mean that was
like seven years ago.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Here we go, Darren, this is here we go.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
Yeah. Sorry.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Outside linebacker Josh Sweat double digit sacks. He's done that
once in his career. That was twenty twenty two when
he had eleven coming off a year where he had eight.
He has the ability to do so. He had his
best years statistically when he was playing under Jonathan Gannon
and Nick Rowlis when they were all in Philadelphia and
(06:17):
they are all now reunited in Arizona. Sweat has talked
about part of the reason he had such success under
them was the freedom he had. We've talked about how
Gannon has used the expression of here's the outline of
the drawing pick. However, what colors you want to use
as long as you're staying within the lines, and Sweat
has talked about even from the three practices he had
(06:38):
here in Arizona Mandatory manning camp, he can already feel
he is going to have a similar sense of freedom
and allowing him to do what he does best. That
is still going to be a position room that relies
on rotation. You're going to see Sweat out there a
lot more than you will see anyone else in that room,
just giving his talent the money that you are giving him.
(06:59):
So when you pair that with the bodies and the
skill set that has been added in front of him
on the defensive line and bolstering that when you have
a healthy Darius Robinson Waltern in the third, Dalvin Tomlinson,
Kalaiis Campbell, the good things we have seen from Dante
Stills An LJ. Collier, I think that the floodgates are
going to open a lot more and a lot more
(07:19):
consistently to get some more sacks. And I think that
Josh Swat is going to lead the charge and have
a double digit sack here.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I like it. I like it. I'm feeling a little
trepidation about my selection because I'm most definitely not taking
out the seven iron and just you know, playing it
safe right down the fairway. More than me, I'm taking
the driver out of the bag right now, Darren. You know,
I got my new carbon fiber you know, high strength
titanium alloy, you know, with the AI club face design.
(07:46):
I got it. Boom. I'm just done. Really, I'm gripping
and ripping right here, and I'm going with Owen Papo,
Owen Papo.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
What about him?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
The forgotten man? He is the forgotten man, Round five
pick couple of years ago, inside linebacker, former five star recruit,
by the way, the freak max prep all American has
run still the second fastest forty for a linebacker in
Combine history at four three nine, and he did get
(08:16):
a number of starts at the end of last year. True,
I can't say he made any splash plays. He did
have a forced fumble along the way, But what if
they harnessed all that athleticism and maybe, just maybe he's
ready to be out there next to Mac Wilson Senior.
They conspicuous by the lack of a signing a of
(08:39):
Kaiser White, b of a big time, big money free
agent at the position. Yes, they went after a Keem
Davis Gather, Yes, Michael Walker, Yes, Cody Simon. I get it.
They flooded the position with numbers and they're going to
see who emerges. But I wonder if Owen Papo, with
two years in the system, has a leg up on
the other guys between the football IQ and the many
(09:00):
of the playbook and now the athleticism.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
So you're not saying so, you're just saying more playing time. Yes, Okay, Yes,
I like that.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
That's a that's a fascinating thought because you're right. I
love the fact that you're calling him the forgotten man,
because he really is.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
He is.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
Every time that subject comes up, nobody talks about.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
The only thing that's questionable is not even his play
per se, but what we've talked about in recent episodes
of the Numbers Game, if you have all of these
players on the defensive line, specifically that you want to
maybe go from having six that they did on the
roster last year to seven, you've got to You've got
to take a body out from another position room in
(09:40):
some sense, so that that would be the only thing
kind of I don't know if working against him is
the right phrase to use, but something that he is
going to have to combat.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
Well, I would say to that though, if he is
the kind of player that Paul is talking about, then
he's not the one who has to be worried about
the numbers. It's somebody like Michael Walker or or even
a Keem Davis Gaither.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
Yeah, fair, Yeah, because Papa has made the roster the
last couple of years.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
And you know what, I would draw a potential parallel
to Mac Wilson Senior and a Keem Davis Gather in
their last year with their former team. What happened? They
were special teams standouts and then they got a number
of games at the inside linebacker position and they really
excelled and put up some big numbers. It's the reason
Moniasiford went ahead inside MacWilson Senior. It's the reason he
(10:26):
went after a Keen Davis Gaither. I wonder if Owen
Papo could be in a similar career arc where you
know what, he was on all the special teams last
year and all of a sudden he has a command
of the position, and in year three, some guys take
a little longer than others. And uh so, anyway, you
understood the assignment, Paul, that's a good call. Well, there's
(10:46):
still time for me to screw it up. So let's
get in now the game part of this. We're supposed
to pick out a game on the schedule and identify
what exactly whatever.
Speaker 5 (10:55):
You want and in fact, and in fact, I'm hoping
you prep for that and you're not just out. No, no,
I got one in mind, but I will say this,
I have more than one, but it's it's a combo comment.
So hopefully I'm not stepping too much on what you
guys might do. But my my game related prediction is
(11:17):
that this team is going to come out of the
by which has not been a good time. They go
after the bye, they go at Dallas at Seattle home
against the forty nine ers. I'm saying they're going to
go three to zero in those games.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Hello, wow.
Speaker 5 (11:35):
I think they always play really well in Dallas, and
I'm not a believer in what Dallas is doing right now.
I think they're better than the Seahawks right and I
think they are anxious to finally get a win against
the Seahawks now that Gino Smith is.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Gone, can't wait to see Kalis in Seattle again.
Speaker 5 (11:53):
And I think by then they have some momentum at
home going against the forty nine ers, which I think
the forty nine ers are still going to be a
pretty good team. But I that is that is my thought.
I think I think this time around they're going to
come out of the bye and they're they're going to
do so. Now, again, the bye is way earlier than
it's been yep, so it's more mid season, and they've
(12:14):
been okay in mid season. I guess you could kind
of say, but like that that is my that's my
no stra domassy thing.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
Kech Okay, that's a good one. I took a bit
of a different approach, which is what this is, which
is right after your game San Francisco Week eleven, Week
twelve home against Jacksonville. I don't think Travis Hunter is
going to be a two way player at that point.
I think by that point, I think by that point
rookie year, he's going to have to have settled one
(12:44):
side of the ball. Now, maybe a few snaps, but
even by I just a few snaps to me, I
think is generous from what we could see. I mean
when I say a few, I mean like, let's say
he's the wide receiver, right, because that's supposedly where he
was going to be starting, right, that was gonna be
the mains, like no more than five snaps at cornerback,
not going to be a two way player. I think
(13:06):
the difference of college to the pros and the amount
of knowledge he's going to have to be able to
withstand and the nuances of being a receiver and what
you're looking for in the defender, and then vice versa
going up against the best of the best in the
NFL physically his body being able to play that many
snaps in a game and stay healthy. Week twelve, I
(13:30):
think Travis Hunter is one way player.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Okay, So I want you to level up, oh boy
on this prediction. Obviously you don't know for sure, but
you're saying he's going to be on one side of
the ball. So pick a side of the ball he's
going to be on, and then what is the match
up with the cardinal that he's going to have that day?
What's what's your prediction?
Speaker 4 (13:51):
Just because they you know it's been said wide receiver.
I'll go with wide reach.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
That's what I would do. So, so who do you
think gets that that job?
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Now?
Speaker 5 (14:01):
Again, the way they play defense, he could see five different.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Cardinalis who would I really like to see Kerrett Williams.
I think it could be will Johnson. If Hunter is lined.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
Up outside, I think that's fascinating.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
So Brian Thomas Junior and then Travis Hunter. I mean,
those are two really good young receivers. They are Jacksonville
sort of that sleeper. All right. What's interesting is I'm
sort of falling in line with you guys. If this
was a game of poker, we might have a straight Ooh,
I don't know what that means, and I'll just say
(14:33):
I'll just say good hand. I went into chat GPT
and it says here, Sunday night football games are eligible
for flexing any week from weeks eleven through seventeen. Monday
night football games anytime you can be flexed weeks twelve
through seventeen. Week thirteen, there's your straight. Okay, Cardinals at
(14:55):
Tampa will be flexed into prime time?
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Okay, why Tampa?
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Kyler Baker Okay, and two NFC division leaders at that point.
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Okay, this podcast is coming together quite well.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I have to say, I think that'll be a titanic matchup.
Week thirteen, Cardinals in Tampa asserting dominance in the NFC,
and they just love the subplot of the two Oklahoma
Heisman winning quarterbacks going against each other.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Did you know, I'm sorry, did you say Sunday night
or did you say primetime?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
So it could be the one, you know, it could
be there. It could be eligible for Sunday night or
Monday night, could be flexed.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
I like that because Week fourteen that's a little too
early if it's a tight race between the Cardinals and
the Rams for any sort of playoff push and securing
something like like winning the division. And then if you
can't flex week eighteen, that's the next time the Cardinals
play the Rams, and in between them Houston that's kind
of a question mark at this point, Atlanta probably not,
(15:56):
and Cincinnati. So I like choosing like this.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
I like how that category came together. There were some
very like interesting thoughts on that, Okay, I.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Mean, you know, we already talked about early in the
year anyway, like at New Orleans the season opener, polyprop Bett,
I have five and a half number of sacks of
the Saints quarterback. And then my prediction for Week four
I've already made known. I expect Jalen Milroe will be
the starting quarterback for Seattle coming to Thursday night. What
at the cartage?
Speaker 5 (16:25):
Because I miss something?
Speaker 2 (16:26):
When did you predict Sam Donald will be broken in
half behind that Jankee O line of Seattle. And there's
a reason Mike McDonald came out during the mini camp
Ota session and was so adamant that the notion of
Sam Darnald not being the starting quarterback was quote crazy.
I think he's trying to snuff out a faction in
his own locker room that looks at the ridiculous athleticism,
(16:50):
the ninety nine athleticism score Jalen Milroe, and they're already
guys in his own locker room wondering, Wait a minute, coach,
are you sure this isn't Russ so Wilson beating out
Matt Flynn? Are you sure Jalen Milroe isn't better equipped
to lead this team than Sam Darnold.
Speaker 5 (17:08):
Wow, we'll see I can't say, Polly, we'll see conspiracy theory, yes,
because that did happen once upon its time.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
But yeah, Okay. Last category that we need a prediction
for Darren.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
Was statistics a status stack.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
Right.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
I thought we don't do math on this show.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Well yeah we did.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Wait, we're talking about statistics and math could be different things.
I mean, I'm doing basic addition here.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
As long as I don't have to calculate it, you won't.
I'll cite it.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
I did all the calculation for my own.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
It's good.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
So last season, as we've talked about, more than we
would have liked, the Cardinals ended up with forty three
explosive pass plays of twenty yards or more. Okay, I
am going to say that the Cardinals will have will
increase that by twenty this year, so they will have
(17:58):
at least sixty three explosive pass plays, so essentially one
more per game on average. My prediction for my statistic
I think, as we said in a previous podcast, Paul,
there's the idea of maybe using two good running backs
(18:19):
in the backfield that could open some things up with matchups.
I've already talked about how I think they might be
able to use Michael Wilson a little bit more. I
do think there's going to be some plays down the
field for Marvin Harrison that are successful that weren't previously,
that will gain some yards, and I just think generally,
I think they're going to figure some things out. With
(18:40):
some of this extra motion and getting guys moving around,
I think they will be in a better place to
do it. And again I'm not going outside the box.
I'm not saying they're going to have eighty explosive pass
plays and double up their number, but one more game
seems doable, especially when they were relatively low in the
(19:01):
first place. So that is what I think you're gonna need.
You're gonna need Kyler Murray to play at a high level,
and they're gonna need to hit what was talked about
at the end of the of mini camp when they
were talking about the off schedule plays. They have some
options there. And it always, it always makes me kind
of raise an eyebrow because to me, when you have
(19:23):
Kyler Murray and when you're talking about a defense that's
having a run around and cover for more than the
pass rush, that should be a heavy advantage for this team,
and I don't feel like it has been, and it
really needs to be.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, that's a great point. You're right, they need to
leverage that a lot more. Hence why Drew Petsen has
spoken openly about Okay being more effective when Kyler's on
the move out of the pocket, especially when he's flushed
out of the pocket organic. Do you know, I do
know that the Cardinals ended up in the bottom third
of the league last year an explosive pass place. If
they end up with sixty three instead of forty three,
(19:57):
do you know where that puts them in the NFL rankings?
Speaker 5 (19:59):
I didn't, I'll be honest. I was curious because I
wasn't looking at a league ranking. I literally went in
and counted up their explosive.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Because with James Connor among the league leaders all year
long in broken tackles, the Cardinals were top five in
explosive run place. So if you can add the pass plays,
look out well.
Speaker 5 (20:17):
And again, as I said earlier on Michael Wilson when
he said the receivers have to get better with yards
after the catch, yeah, I mean not everybody's going to
be James Connor, but man follow the league Rumph Kap.
Speaker 4 (20:30):
Third down conversions. I'm talking a little offense and a
little defense. Offensively, last season, the Cardinals were good third
downs one hundred and ninety three attempts. They converted eighty
three of those. That's a forty three percent success right,
which was eighth best in the league, despite the fact
that one ninety three was the third fewest attempts in
(20:51):
the league. Where they struggled was when it was ten
or more yards. So when it was ten or more yards,
the Cardinals were five of forty four, twenty three percent
success rate. Those forty four attempts the second fewest. My
prediction is the Cardinals are going to jump into top
five in third down conversion, so move up three spots.
(21:14):
They need to be better in long situations, so they're
not finding themselves there. They have the pieces. Trey McBride
was top, I mean, top notch on third downs. He
had twenty seven targets, twenty of those receptions, fourteen of
those for first down. And Kyler Murray was the main
was the main player running whenever they ran the bomb
(21:35):
third down twenty two attempts, twelve of those for a
first down. So and Amario de Mercado also was used
in those situations. So that's my prediction. You move from
eighth best third down conversions top five given the pieces
and the consistency there. Do you want to chime in
before I.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Moved to defense, Yes, I just want to jump in.
My first thought when you said all that was they
had so many third down A tempts at ten or
more yards. I mean, that's where they can fix your thing.
If they make sure that they're not you can't be
in third and long not like that. That's tough. And
they still finish top ten. That's crazy to me.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
That is remarkable. I did not know that.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
I did not know that either. Thanks for bringing the
knowledge there.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Yeh yes. And then on defense, my prediction is the
Cardinals are going to jump from twenty eighth in the
league on defending third down versions and get into the
top half. Last season, Cardinals allowed their conversion rate allowed
was forty three point eight percent with the twentieth best
run defense, that's where they were ranked. Now they have
(22:40):
really bolstered the box, like they have really focused on
that defensive line, which is going to strengthen the run
defense and in turn, obviously, third down versions force your
opponents to be in third and long situations and when
they've been focusing on developing in the second secondary. All
the reasons we've talked about the defense improving this year.
That's all obviously going to come into play. Last year,
(23:00):
the Cardinals really struggled. When it was third and one
they were defending. That was a seventy eight point three
percent conversion rate allowed. Third and nine was fifty percent.
So in between between you know, two and eight yards
to go it was much much lower than that. But
that is where they really struggle the most. So goals offensively,
you go from eighth to fifth or better third down
(23:24):
conversions and then defense go from twenty eighth to anywhere
around sixteen.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
You know what is not a recipe for winning Having
an offense that's in third and ten or longer a
lot of the time, and having a defense that gives
up first downs on third and nine or longer. Jeez them.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yeah, Well, the completion percentage was among the worst in
the league in terms of allowed by the defense. And
to Danny's point, if you could affect the quarterback a
lot better, get to the quarterback, hit harass and speed
up the quarterback, guess what the completion percentage is going
to plummet.
Speaker 5 (23:55):
I will say, I like, I feel like what we're
doing here is like we're not I'm doing crazy things.
We're we're making realistic predictions that these things can happen.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
And special thanks to craigorylu and Mike Hellman Media Relations
for helping me with the.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Numbers with Darren, that is, until I came along with us.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
Okay, what's your stat I've.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Said it in the past that you know, my attempt
to get come for the arm, stay for the legs
to you know, get traction was was akin to fetch
and mean girls, Uh, never really got.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
Anything trying to make fetch happen.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Thank you. But I'm going to come back to it
because I'm resilient if nothing else, if not stupid, I'm
coming back to because it's already happened. And I may
have mentioned this about a month earlier, but I'm dead
said on Kyler running the ball more and in twenty twenty,
a Pro Bowl season, he ran it a career high
one hundred and thirty three times for a career high
(24:49):
eight hundred nineteen rushing yards. But here's the best part.
Wait for it, eleven rushing touchdowns, which I totally forgot
about eleven rushing touchdowns, and I mean, you talk about
keeping a defense, honest.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
Those play action keepers would just.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
So you can't tell me that isn't what defensive coordinators
really fear is the Cardinals flood the end zone with
weapons and then Kyler just runs for the pylon and
makes your defense look stupid.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
I will say before you get to your stat Paul,
that I think one of the reasons James Connor ended
up with eighteen touchdowns in twenty twenty one was because
after twenty twenty, all the defenses gave a crap about
is watching when Kyler was going and so when we
just did a dive play to Connor, it was always
going to be open.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Good point and you know what, and we do see
this on third down as well, that you know teams
will definitely put a spy on number one. So look,
it may not be eleven rushing touchdowns. You're not going
to get a fifty yard touchdown run like you did
against the forty nine ers in Santa Clara a year
ago like that very often. But I am looking for
(25:57):
him to get near, if not eclipse, his career high
in rushing yards. Just based on the fact that he's
been so open and talking about it. It sounds like
to me complete speculation. He sat around and watch the
AFC playoffs and said, wait a minute, look what Lamar
Jackson's doing. Look what Josh Allen is doing with little legs.
I can do that. Why aren't I doing more of that?
Speaker 5 (26:19):
What was his total in twenty twenty for yards?
Speaker 2 (26:21):
It was eight nineteen eight nineteen, that's what. Now he
did set a career HIH last year in yards per
carry seven point three yards per carry, first time he's
been over seven yards of carry. So now you take
the fact he's still in his prime at age twenty eight,
still has the athleticism, but he has the knowledge of
six NFL seasons and the decision making to know when
and how and where to run the ball. So you
(26:42):
would think he's even more equipped than ever to be
able to be successful in running the ball. Wow.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
The only thing that makes always makes me pause with
Kyler is his need and desire to get down if
they're a runner, because, again, when you're talking about game
large amounts of yards rushing in a season, there's gotta
be some willingness to get the extra two, three, four
yards when there's guys coming.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
And by the way, I've heard this said that a
lot of teams these days in the NFL, are teaching
these quarterbacks to slide head first, to go head like
when you got to get down, don't slide feet first,
baseball style, get down, throw your body down head first,
because when you're sliding, you're just leaving your upper torso
exposed to getting clean.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
That's something this coaching staff changed with Murray. That and
the footwork was leading foot when he was in shotgun,
but also how he was sliding.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Ye. So, although I'll be honest with you in hindsight,
while Danny was talking, I said, you know the stat
I should have picked interceptions by the Cardinals defense.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
Wait a second. While Danny was talking.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
Yes, I'm like, you're talking about the passage.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
It was one in one ear out the other. We're
even paying attention.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
I was, you were making such a good point about
the pass rush. I'm thinking, you know what one leads
to the other.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
I did think about doing interceptions too, because of what
we're talking about with the pass rush.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
But they could they could ramp up the interception title
this year by it a lot.
Speaker 5 (28:09):
I'm feeling fairly confident. I will say this not directly
in opposition, but I feel fairly confident that the combo
of Michael Wilson eight hundred receiving yards and Kyler Murray
eight hundred and twenty rushing yards is not possible, like
it would be one or the other if if either happened,
(28:31):
that is my guess.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
And Marvin Harrison one thousand yards receiving and.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Marvin Harrison's gonna have nineteen hundred and seventy two about
McBride one thousand.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Tenant James Connor having three straight thousand yard rushing seasons well.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Of course, and there's two RB one so then Trey
Benson's gonna run for one thousands, so easy. Yeah, it's
pretty amazing.
Speaker 5 (28:50):
That did get brought up in a press conference at
the end of the offseason. I did where we're talking
when somebody was bringing up one of the reporters was
bringing up all the unbelievable satistics that are going to
come up well with.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
The revamped defense, They're going to win the time of
possession game forty to twenty every single game. And you know,
I mean the offense is the opposing offense is go
three and out every possession, So the Cardinals are going
to own the ball.
Speaker 5 (29:12):
I will say about a month ago I was on
a podcast with Danny's favorite Hawk blogger. On that blogger said, no,
like he covers the Seahawks, covers the Seahawks, and he
said a couple of things to our group when we
were at the Comboy.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Oh. I was like, who are we talking about? I
was I was the least bothered at that.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
But his last his last question to me was Okay.
He goes, we get to the end of the season
and we're going into the playoffs or like the last
whatever whatever he was saying. I can't remember if it
was the last time they played the Seahawks, the last
game of the year, whatever it was. But he goes,
the Cardinals are going into the playoffs with thirteen wins.
What what things had to happen? And I'm like, I'm
(29:57):
just thinking to myself, Okay, if this team thirteen games,
a lot of good things have happened. I don't know
if all the things we just predicted are gonna happen.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Well why not?
Speaker 5 (30:06):
Because I know this. If if the Cardinals win thirteen
games and we all we go over for all these predictions,
that's I'm sure everybody would take.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
That gladly own that. Yeah. But to answer that question,
thirteen wins means they swept the Seahawks. That's what they mean, Paul.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
This episode is our last one before training camp, and
I am surprised, and I'll be honest a bit disappointed
that we have gone an entire offseason without hearing about
your break fifteen breakout players of training camp.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Yeah, he'll hit those with a first training camp early
enough because we have those five days without pads, so
he still has time to break that out.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Wait a minute, who DoD I have? Last year? I
had Xavier Weaver, that's a ding, and I had one
on dal.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
You had legit ten players and you promised that like
seven of them were gonna like make the team, and
they were like all draft picks.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
I made the mistake of thinking out loud and coming
to my final two. And maybe why I've been so
silent to date is because I've been taking a task
and or the woodshed for thinking outlined and trying trying
to mull through the potential candidates.
Speaker 4 (31:12):
I'm excited to hear what your final list.
Speaker 5 (31:14):
Remember, Danny, in this department, we can throw all the
ideas against the wall. No idea is a bad idea.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
I will say this and you guys haven't realized this yet.
But I was a little ahead of my time a
little bit with the marketing mantra last year, a twenty
twenty three dip for a twenty twenty four and uh,
you know, I was just a yearly. I was a yearly.
I was a little premature on that. So maybe I'm
a little tentative.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
A twenty twenty three dip for a twenty twenty five rip, or.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Is it I haven't settled on that head either.
Speaker 4 (31:45):
I'm sorry you're thinking out loud again. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
You know it's uh, he's got a week before Trump
can give us right time. You know, there's a round
table Calvisy consulting on and get my top minds around this,
and then we'll come up and well we'll have some
answers next time. We can bene on Cardinals Underground and
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