June 19, 2025 • 45 mins
Longtime NFL defender Lorenzo Alexander, who played 15 seasons, joined Paul Calvisi and Ron Wolfley to talk about the Cardinals' offseason. He discussed the team's additions to the defense, the return of his former teammate Calais Campbell, and how getting pressure with just four pass rushers could help defensive coordinator Nick Rallis. He also shared his thoughts on the young but talented group of cornerbacks. Plus, Calvisi and Wolfley talked about what more friction at training camp might look like, how running back Trey Benson plans to take advantage of his chances, and a surprising snub for Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Strap on the boots and scrape up the knuckles.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hold ahead.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
He got jacked.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
This is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford
and Gilbert Terry's gonna score touchdown Slam to the ground
by Buddha Baker like a torpedo.
Speaker 4 (00:18):
He came flying into the back deal.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
The rage is brought to you by santan Ford and
Gilbert right on the Price, right on the corner of
the sand Tan two to two Freeway in.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Valves WAA Crab by Tray McBride.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
That was spectacular and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast Visit Azycardinals
dot Com Slash Podcast.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
All Right, Seas, Rising Up, Jumper, Rising Vision, Flurry Rage,
take it over.
Speaker 6 (00:50):
Here's Paul CALVICI I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
I'm telling you I'm ready.
Speaker 6 (00:55):
And Ron Wolfley, it doesn't get any better than.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
That the Fiord.
Speaker 6 (01:03):
Let's just say that I was talking to a key
Cardinals decision maker recently, and let's just say Ron Wolfley
that I did what I do best. I asked the
dumb guy question, Okay, Jason, how competitive will this Cardinals
camp be? And let's just say this person who would
(01:24):
know didn't have to say anything because the wide eyes
said it all. There will be blood, there will be
Cardinals players snapped up by other teams after final cuts. Right,
this will be the most competitive Cardinals camp in recent
memory by design, and we're all about it, and we're
(01:44):
here to talk about it. The Big Red Rage presented
by santan Ford in Gilbert. We are santan Ford soon
to feature Lorenzo Alexander, the former Cardinal fifteen year vet
Paul calvic Here Ron Wolfle.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
There you know what's great about what you just said
as well, Paully, there's no doubt about it. On both
sides of the ball, offensively and defensively, the Resonner Cardinals
are going to be a very very physical team. Now
that doesn't mean, PAULI, you're going to be a great team.
Doesn't mean you're gonna be a great team. You gotta
go win games. You gotta make plays to win games.
But man, they're gonna be a very very physical team
(02:18):
on both sides of the ball. Offensively of course, and
running the ball the way that they do and defensively.
So why wouldn't you go into training camp and say, hey, guys,
by the way, competition has just been ratcheted up, and
we're gonna have some seriously highly contested positions that are
going to be open for the best man. Man, this
(02:40):
is gonna be this is going to be one of
the best camps we've seen in a long time.
Speaker 6 (02:46):
Twenty eight draft picks over the last three years. I mean,
let the rooks cook and then some every single draft
pick is still on this roster. That will not be
the case once you get to the final fifty three.
And remember what we reported at the end of the
twenty twenty three season when GM moniasap Fort brought his
(03:06):
initial rookie class into that room the day after the
season ended, and you remember what he told them. He
said to these young guys in that room, in case
you didn't know, my job as an NFL GM is
to replace every one of you. Awesome, that is my job.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Every It's just an awesome way to actually get up
there in front of the entire team and say that,
because it's a great reminder, Paul of what this is
all about, what the NFL is about. It is a
mercenary league. How many times have you heard me talk
about this. It is a mercenary league. And your goal
as a football player should be not to go out
(03:45):
and win a Super Bowl. Your goal should be I
want to be able to support my family for as
long as I possibly can. And oh, by the way,
I'm going to try and play as hard as I
possibly can so we can win a Super Bowl. My goal,
My goal is to support and take care of my family. Period.
Speaker 6 (04:06):
Remember how the B and BA used to stand for
Blunt and he would say in August, we're not the Cardinals,
not until you get a job, not until you earn
a spot on this team, right on this roster. And
it's a good reminder to the young guys coming out
of college. There ain't no stinking four year scholarships. There's
no such thing as job security. You got to earn
it every single year. And that's what this camp is
(04:28):
going to be about more than ever so far under
Monni Austin Ford, the head coach, Jonathan Gannon, in fact,
who was asked this past week, all right, how excited
are you to put the pads on?
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Excited? Yeah, excited, that'd be good.
Speaker 7 (04:42):
That was one of the things that we kind of
tweaked going into camp. And the players know this, have
a little more friction, you know, what I mean, so
during camp, so in a safe way, but I want
to get on the paths a little bit and play football.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
More pads, more friction, more content tacked, more physicality.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Paulie, I know all of those things right there, especially
when you're talking about the line of scrimmage and the
contested line of scrimmage of the Arizona Cardinals, especially in
training camp when guys are trying to win jobs right now,
that that friction and that competition and that physicality. I
wonder if he's changed his opinion on the fight policy,
(05:24):
paul Something something tells me he has not. Something tells
me he has not changed the policy on that. That's
why you threw in to do it safely, of course.
Speaker 6 (05:35):
Well, if you fight in a game, you're gonna get
penalized and or ejected. You're gonna hurt your team. You
got to manage your emotions while still remaining physical. Okay,
Why is that so hard for you to process.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
PAULI everybody knows your dad. They know you never fight
in the game. You're never gonna do that, you selfish,
How could you possibly do that? Everyone knows that. Anyways,
It's the one area I disagree. I love jg Oh
my goodness. You know I am philosophic way aligned with Jag.
He's a beautiful, beautiful man when it comes to being
a head coach on an NFL team. I just disagree
(06:07):
with his fight pome.
Speaker 6 (06:08):
Well, look, I have a theory as to why there's
going to be more physicality, more time in pads, more friction.
But first the head coach was asked, all right, what's
behind that decision.
Speaker 7 (06:19):
For where we're at as a team and where our
development is and where our health is. Honestly, and that
can and you have to adapt that as we get
going in training camp. Honestly, is the best thing to do.
Get ready to play a week one.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
I have two theories as to why why he's ramping
up the physical Okay, all right. Number one is are
you a much more physical team than you were before
Jonathan Gan and Mantias Spfort took over. Say yes, yes,
But there was still a couple of games last year
where you went against some heavyweights. The Lions were very physical.
That Washington defensive front, even the Carolina Panthers and the
(06:54):
right side of that offensive line they ran for over
two hundred and fifty yards in a key game on
the road at Carroll. So yes, you can still get
you still need to get more physical. But beyond that, Wolf,
how are you gonna make some of these key roster
decisions without seeing these guys play football? Yes, if you
want to know who's the best corner, who's the best
(07:14):
middle linebacker, Who's what's your rotation along the defensive line,
who's your starting offensive guard right side? How do you
figure that out unless you're playing real football, full contact,
full speed.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Yeah, no, you're right about that, Paully. But can I
also say this right now? Training camps going forward in
the Arizona Cardinals are gonna do it this year as well.
But training camps going forward, you're gonna see them practicing
more with teams. Pollie, this is what's gonna happen. I
honestly believe at some point in time. You know my
feeling on this. I've talked to you about it. They're
going to extend. They're gonna add that eighteenth game, That's
(07:48):
what they're gonna do, and add another buy as well, Paulli,
and I honestly think that preseason games you're gonna have one,
it's gonna be eliminated they're gonna bring it down to
one and what they're gonna do instead of those preseason games,
they're going to practice. They're going to practice man against
other NFL teams. That's how they're going to replace that
(08:09):
to get ready for the season.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
And we know Jonathan Gannon is in favor of that.
Vikings two years ago, Colts last year. This year, it's
going to be the Broncos a single joint practice before
the middle preseason game. It's official. Cardinals are going to
report on July twenty second, That is when Cardinals camp
will commence. What are some of the biggest questions if
you had to check them off real quick, and we
(08:31):
have a month to talk about this, but off the
top of your head, some of the biggest questions you
need answered by the end of camp. If you're Jonathan
Gannon and Manti assen Ford, I would start with Mike linebacker, captain,
play caller of the defense.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Why do you say that, PAULI? Why would you start there?
Speaker 6 (08:47):
Because you need to know who's going to be wearing
that green dot and Kuise you're white not only a
team captain, but he was an expert at calling the defense,
getting the defense into the right looks, the right checks
playing that chess match against the posing quarterback and the
opposing play caller. Do you have that guy? Who is
that guy? And he better start to jell with the
rest of your defense.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Okay? For me, it's really the interior offensive line. Listen,
the offensive line and the ability to run the ball,
lower the plow and hit the gas and run over people,
especially with James Connor in a different tray Benson and
more on that a little bit later. But to me,
they're going to attack the line of scrimmage so much
(09:28):
more in a North sal fashion than we've seen them
do before. That means you better be able to run
the ball up front. You better have offensive linemen that
are going to come off the ball. And because of that,
I think of Isaiah Adams getting the opportunity, and I
think Paul he's going to be fine, but he's got
to prove that, doesn't he And I think Kevin Brown
as well. Is he going to be able to hold
(09:49):
on to that left guard position? Right now? It's going
to be fascinating to watch the battle the camp battles
on the interior offensive line at the guard and see
who wins in the end.
Speaker 6 (10:03):
What did Isaiah Adams tell us last week here in
the Big Red Rage that all you have to do
is look into that revamp, new and improved defensive line
room and realize you're gonna have your hands full in
the O line D line drills when Isaiah Adams is
gonna be squaring off against Dalvin Tomlinson, Kaleis Campbell. Look
at what Darius Robinson appears to be Yeh Walter Nolan,
(10:25):
the ridiculous lateral quickness, Dante Stills keeps coming. LJ. Collier
is legit, so you'll know. You'll find out. The other
position group obviously is corner. I mean, you have four
guys fighting for two spots at least, so we'll see.
Hey join the Bird Gang Monday Night Football, Cardinals Premiere Travel,
(10:46):
get all the info. It is quite an experience waiting
to happen, Azycardinalstravel dot com. All right, Lorenzo Alexander, fifteen
years in the league. We have questions. And that's next
on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilder.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
That Scott to throw pleasure he is Jack Dalvin Tomlinson
flying through the middle in a sack to store down,
the pocket collapses and downy girls.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
The ball is out.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Dalvin Tomlinson with the strip sack pass played for breeze
and Trouble tumbles the phone.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
It's caught out of the air by Camble and he's
running free at the thirty. At the twenty, they'll take
it all the way and into the end zone for
the cardinal touchdown.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Kalaius Campbell caught the ball out of the air and
took it to the house. Had a lot of fun
playing in the stadium, you know, just hanging with the
Bird Gang. The energy I fed off it for nine years,
you know, and it's it's been quite the pleasure.
Speaker 6 (11:43):
I am seen an event the other night.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Wolf.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
I just mentioned the name Kalaias Campbell. The Bird Gang
went crazy. His Q rating is off the hook, and
rightfully so, Palli, you know the other word on the
street out there, Wolf. Are you aware that there's a
fifty ten year NFL veteran Okay pro bowler who's been
so busy with parenthood and coaching and maybe even a
(12:08):
little golf. You know, what does that hasn't had as
much time lately for the gym, and you know, may
or may not have let himself go. You know, I
don't know the beer belly, the double chin, the dad bot,
you know, but I feared we should really ask him
before we get rolling. So, Lorenzo Alexander, you on their
Big Red Rage, Yeah, presented by Santane Ford and gohert.
(12:28):
We are santan Ford. Please tell us you've let yourself
go at this point? Come on now?
Speaker 8 (12:32):
Yeah, no, no, not at all. Man Wolf will understand
that God built me different. You know, God some different
things in my life. And I mean quite frankly, and
I'm being kind of funny, but Kendid. You know, last
week Wednesday, to be exact, I was in a pre
significant car crash. Car flipped over, bounced up, and I
(12:52):
walked out on me with just what some bruising and ribs.
So I'm definitely blessed to be here, but God feel
me different. So I'm never gonna let myself go, always
going to honor him.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Wow, oh my goodness, that is praise the Lord. Indeed
that you are okay? So okay, So after saying that,
talk to me about some of the off season editions,
of course, that the Arizona Cardinals have made to this team.
Right now, where do you start. So when you think
of all the moves they've made.
Speaker 8 (13:23):
It's a defensive line. You know, everybody likes the sexy,
you know, the outside positions, And obviously we're gonna talk
about Will Johnson a little bit as far as what
he's going to bring to that dB room, but it
starts from the interior, especially when you think about stopping
the run, which has been an achilles heel of this
team not being able to do it consistently, and then
also not having to rely on you know, downing up
(13:43):
different blitzes on third downs, and I think they're going
to be able to be able to rush the passer,
you know, on fourth day or third down with just
four with the guys that they brought in, you think
of a guy like a Class Campbell, who had a
chance to actually play with for a couple of years
in Agy when I played here, and you know, I
go way back with class, big Man and great heart.
And as you said, the Q rating is out the room.
But you know, I'm old enough to remember when that
(14:04):
dude's running down on kickoffs and he's earned his way
in this league as being sustainable as a leader, and
so I'm really interested to see how just his presence
elevates the room, not even necessarily his play, but how
he talks to some of those young guys in there,
and what is that going to look like as far
as helping them elevate their game so they've become pros.
(14:24):
He's gonna do what he needs to do. I'm not
worried about him one bit in the plays that he gets,
but how does he elevate their room? And then also
I think a guy like Josh Wat who's seeing him
and how he's been dominant throughout his career just really
consistent as far as rushing the.
Speaker 6 (14:38):
Passer as well former Cardinal, former pro bowler Lorenzo Alexander.
As our guests, not many guys can come close to
relating to eighteen years of playing time. And then you
got the year fifteen. Here's my specific question about Lays
at this point, because he has started all seventeen games
each of the last two years. How much is he
winning with his knowledge versus his physical skill.
Speaker 8 (15:01):
Well, I'll say this too, if I was getting paid
like a lass, I wouldn't walk away from the game myself,
you know, if I ever made that type of money.
But you know, hearing him talk the other day. You know,
obviously he's selling his body's not even ready right now.
Mentally he's not ready. He's kind of pacing himself and
I know exactly where he is as far as just
(15:21):
at this stage in your in your in your game,
you know how to kind of have that ramp up
period so that you're ready to go, and he is
still you can't. You have to be extremely smart our
physical to play this game. But he's also winning with
his mind. Understand the protection, understand the weaknesses of some
of these younger guards or centers that he's going to face.
(15:42):
Right we talk about those vet moves that he's doing
that just getting him off the edge, and then his
guy giving a billity just to be so long, you
know whatever. He is six seven sixty eight long tall,
so he's always going to be impacting the quarterback even
though he may not be getting that physical pressure. His pressure,
his presence is enough pressure to make quarterbacks pull down
(16:05):
the ball or getting a lot of pvus as far
as baddy balls. So he's doing a little bit of both.
He still has enough to get out there and run
around these young fellows and it's always fun. To watch
an older guy of his caliber be able to do
it at the high level.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So it's gonna be fascinating to watch us. Because I
believe Nick rawlas of course a defensive coordinator for the Cardinals.
He's gonna line Kalais off in a zero right on
the head of the center all the way out to
maybe a five technique. Where do you think he's the
most effective?
Speaker 8 (16:35):
I mean, at this stage, it's really wherever I think
when you're when he's in the middle, though, because of
his presence, because of his lance, he's still able to
impact quarterback vision and make guys have to maybe put
a little bit more air on it, because that's where
I think he's most dangerous at But anytime you can
and again, when he's gonna be over that center, they're
gonna probably have that five down seco looked as I
(16:56):
used to call it, with five deef a the linemen.
It typically the center is your worst pass protector because
oftentimes he's the help for helping out that guard right.
He's also typically a smaller guy and what a man
like Kalay has kind of eating him up, and with
the pass rush moves in his lens, he can actually
have a lot of production with some of the other
guys that's going to be around him also rushing to
(17:18):
pass it from the interior side. So I think for
a couple of reasons, just because the way he's built,
and also that's typically the O lineman or the center
is typically the fish, the weaker, the weakest O line
of the.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
Group of five Lorenzo, Alexander our guest on the Big
Red Rage Presentaboy, Santan Ford and Gilbert all right, So
talking about that revamp, new and improved defensive front, we
were asked the other day for some some predictions and
I said, I don't know how many interceptions the Cardinals
had last year as a team, but double it. That
was one of my predictions because of the increased pass rush.
(17:50):
I mean, is that valid? Do you think that this
secondary is gonna be able to BALLHWK a lot more?
Speaker 8 (17:56):
Double is a lot. And I don't know how many
I had last year. I know they were really good
in the red zone. I don't know if they had
that many turnovers because teams were getting down there. So
I could see them definitely getting that increase because they're
gonna be on in there a lot more. Pressure. Like
I said, you know, class alone is probably gonna call
two or three with getting some tits and overthrows where
a linebacker can come up or maybe even another defensive
(18:18):
linement off the ball that he's batted up in the
air to get his hands on. So I definitely see
an uptick because of that, along with some of those
other guys that are gonna get some pressure. Right, he
robbed sweat, So I definitely think it can happen. And
then when you have that one last guy that's rushing
or blitzing that you know rollers had to do last year,
that's one extra body in the back end if they're
playing like some type of zone blitz or or zone
(18:38):
pressure I mean, or or zone coverage that can actually
have their eyes on the ball and actually go get
it when it's in their.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
So Zoe, go ahead and talk to me about Josh
Swatt and his impact and what an edge guy, a
premier edge guy can actually bring to a defense.
Speaker 8 (18:56):
I mean, he's gonna because he's consistent, He's consistently been
you know, a guy that impacts the quarterback. You know,
I've kind of got a chance to obviously see him
kind of develop and grow up as a leader as well,
and it's going to be another guy that's going to
impact beyond just what he brings. But he's long, he's strong,
he's violent, he's physical. You know, he's gonna be able
to help in the run game in the past, so
(19:17):
he understands how to play this game. And he's been
consistent and that's what I really like to see, you know,
just from year to years of consistency in terms of
how he plays this game. And it's just only gonna
help when you add him into that mix with everybody else.
And when you have a dominant edge guy, you typically
have to help on the outside, you know, where we
think about a back half of the chip, maybe keeping
(19:39):
a tight end, which again helps the back end. That's
one last guy you have to worry about or if
he gets out and getting out late and he's more
of a checkdown versus a vertical threat. So having a
guy that can rush from the edge is definitely gonna
help just a defense overall to be able to impact
the offense.
Speaker 6 (19:56):
Yeah, if it can have that Chandler Jones effect, you
go from fifteen guys with one sack till one guy
with fifteen sacks. And they have to game plan for
that guy. So look, it's going to be really competitive.
The edge rushroom, the D line room, the cornerback room
is really deep. But probably the biggest question I have
on defense going into camp would be middle linebacker. How
big a deal is that trying to replace Kaiser White?
(20:18):
Because I see at least four candidates potentially.
Speaker 8 (20:21):
Yeah, I mean it's hard. Anytime you go with a
guy that's been there for a couple of years, that
understands the defense, that makes the calls right, he kind
of becomes he creates an identity within that huddle. People
you know, typically learn and listen for his voice and
hear it. And so for someone to step into that
role who maybe who hasn't done it, who hasn't done
it here is going to be a little bit of
a learning curve, you know, hearing the call come in
(20:44):
on the mic and then be able to make the
huddle his own. But these guys are professionals, you know,
you know, so whether it's Mack Wilson or another guy
that's on MS ROSS, so somebody will step up, take
the bull by his horns and lead this defense. And
the great thing is that he has some other great
players on this team that going to allow him to
take that role like khalais for example. So if it's
a young guy or a younger guy that's never done it,
(21:06):
if he clais hears other people in the huddle talking
while the mike is trying to talk, I guarantee you
he's gonna say shut up. Right. You need to have
that because you know, being in front of a other
grown men as you're trying to hear the call coming in,
people talking about what just happened, and now you're trying
to say something and you've never done it, it can
be I don't want to say overwhelming. Is just just
(21:27):
something new that you have to get used to. But
having advocates in in that on that defense that understand
the importance of hearing the call and getting the call
and communicating when we get out here and play fast,
I think will be key. And they have plenty of
that so so.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Will Johnson, of course, was drafted in the second round
out of Michigan by the Arizona Cardinals. He is a corner.
He has a long, tall corner. What are your concerns
if he is starting coming out of training camp and
I do again it really doesn't matter if he does
or not. But we love sitting around talking about, man,
can this kid actually start coming out of training camp?
(22:02):
I think Will Johnson possibly could having said that, what
is your concern when starting a rookie corner?
Speaker 8 (22:10):
It's just a confidence. You know, how do they start?
Because there's been a lot of great corners that get
drafted high. You know, I could think about Etom that
was up and Buffalo and just guys like that that
have a lot of pressure on them. You out on
the island and then you know most offenses are gonna
go at you. And if you you know, facing top
tier receiver week in and week out and you get
(22:31):
roasted a couple of times, you know you're in a
new space. You know you can get down on yourself
because now you know, obviously college has turned to more
of a business, but the NFL is a whole different animal.
You know, you at the top, there is no transfer
portal you you know, there is no hiding. You can't
get away from it. So that's what you worry about
with a young corner. You know, can he have success early?
(22:51):
And then how does he handle the adversity that he
is going to face because offensive coordinators are going to
attack him until they make him go somewhere else. And
so the great ones are able to figure that out,
understand become students of the game, watching their film, watching
other guys. How do the other guys attack this receiver?
And I think the quicker he learns that and becomes
(23:12):
a professional. You'll you'll see him have the consistency from
weekend to week out, because we all know that he
should have been a number one or as far as
first rounder. He just dropped because of some injury and
people not being quite sure what that's gonna look like.
So he has the ability to do it now. It's
about putting this together and I think a lot of
times being a second round picking in his regard, he's
(23:32):
gonna have a chip on the shoulder to be able
to go out there and put it in the work
that's going to be needed for him to showcase.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Well.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
Yeah, even minus SMB, that is going to be an
ultra competitive position. Group twenty eight draft picks last three years,
seven of them corners by Mani os Ford and Jonathan
Gannon Zoe. We appreciate the time even better news that
you survived the car crash.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
You rolled over.
Speaker 6 (23:54):
I mean, I mean, none of this fast and furious
driving the rest of the summer. Okay, no more of
that though, all right, I wouldn't drive it, okay, all right.
Speaker 8 (24:02):
And we hit a d here, so it's just whoa goodness?
Speaker 1 (24:06):
All right?
Speaker 6 (24:06):
Wolf wanted to know if you put the video on YouTube,
Stop a wolf. Don't ask him about that.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
You know what. Not surprise the dog that you are
that you walked away from that man. Not surprised?
Speaker 6 (24:16):
All right, thanks, Zoe was the next day. There you go,
appreciate it. We'll come back. We'll talk about two rby
ones Kramit vertical times two. As we continue on the
big red rage presented by Santan forward in Gilbert.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Connor.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Thelone back, Furry take skip the Connor this time and
easily straight ahead for the touchdown.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
You give me three dirt liquors and a ground pounder,
and I'm gonna break the plane every time.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Urry, barking out the call, takes the snap, hands it off.
Benson running left, dives into the end zone.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
First first touchdown. Give it to Tray Benson. Let him
get a little pay dirt, a little grease for Trey Benson.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Breaking tree is Steve Kada with the forty Dear Site
thirty twenty ten to five touchdown.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Forget about the hell Mary about the hell Lamary.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Team Erkada want a handoff runs fifty three yards for
a touchdown.
Speaker 6 (25:15):
You talk about wearing down a defense. Cardinals have done
plenty of that via the run game in two years
under Jonathan Gann and Drew Petsing the offensive coordinator and
that running back room. It is loaded once again. In fact,
the Cardinals stood pat with what they had. They're bringing
it back in twenty twenty five. We are back in
the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert.
(25:36):
We are santan Ford, all the best. The Lorenzo Alexander Man,
He's had an eventful offseason at this point, but it
was great to get his knowledge and his insight and
as someone who was stout against the run, guess what,
That's exactly what the Cardinals want to do this year.
And Wolf, I think the most intriguing aspect of this look.
We know all about James Connor and what he's capable of,
(25:58):
but if you add a Ray Benson to this mix,
we know. I'm Mari Dear Mercado in spots and is
your third down pass pro back. But you tell us
what you saw from Trey Benson before his season? Is
rookie year ended prematurely with that ankle?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, you know, I saw Trey Benson go through a
paradigm shift, if you will, in regard to how you
run the ball. I think early on in the season, PAULI,
you could see Troy Benson. He was all about, man,
watch me how shifty I am, and watch me explode
and just outrun you and use my speed and my quickness.
(26:34):
And I think being in the room with James Connor
and watching James Connor run the ball, because Trey Benson
is a big man as well. And I think watching
James Connor run the ball and being more decisive picking
his shoulder and trying to run through the tackle. I
think Trey Benson learned a lesson and how to run
(26:55):
the ball. In the National Football League. There is a
time and a place for your speed, There's no doubt
about that. But it's after you break a tackle and
then get to the second level and now you're into
the secondary. That's when you want to hit the jets.
Not all the time. Do you want to try to
run the ball and hit the big one. Paully, I
don't think that's what Troy Benson wants to do this year.
(27:18):
I think he wants to be a little bit more decisive.
And I stand and applaud.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
Him, and you know what he's on that. You're absolutely right,
he said, you know what, I was thinking too much,
trying to hit the home run every time. And he
said he said to the media recently that James Connor
took him aside and said, look, take what they give you.
It kind of reminds me back in the day. I
recently had a chance to interview David Johnson and he
reiterated how valuable Chris Johnson was one of the fastest
(27:46):
dudes in the history of the NFL. But you know
what he taught him patience, Yeah, your blocks develop, you know,
just wait until the hole decrease is there and then
stoke it. Don't get ahead of your blocking scheme. And
so it's interest out these younger backs learn from established guys.
In fact, Jonathan Gannon was asked recently on just why
James Connor, we know, three time Cardinals team captain, two
(28:09):
time Pro bowler, why he's such a premier player.
Speaker 7 (28:12):
We have some different variety in the run game, and
he can really do it all. He can run wide zone,
he can run inside zone, he can run gap schemes,
he can do it from gone, from under, from pistol
so and then obviously his style of running. He's a
premiere player. You know, he hits it. He's got good vision,
he's got good balance, he's hard to bring down, he's
(28:34):
got juice.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
And he's one of the leaders in the NFL when
it comes to breaking tackles. And when I asked Trey
Benson about that, he said he has asked James Connor
about that. He's like, okay, how what's the key, what's
the secret sauce? Because he said, you know what, James
Connor is definitely one of the best I've ever seen.
And he said the media doesn't give him enough credit.
This is Trey Benson now for his ability to break
(28:56):
tackles and get those extra dirty yards.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Yeah, there's no out Pauly, and that's what Tray Benson.
This is where he's got to grow the most. It's
not just about hitting the hole. So much of the
time college running backs coming out, you talk about the
patients and the fact that he had to learn. Patients
man college running backs, they want to hit the hole.
They think hitting the hole as hard as you possibly
(29:19):
can is what you've got to do. Where the zone scheme,
especially the tackle zone, the wide zone, whatever you want
to call it. Right now, the zone scheme, you really
have got to wait. You have to bide your time,
stay on course, stay on your track. And at the
same time, that play could hit in the C gap,
it could hit in the B gap, it could hit
(29:40):
in the A it could hit in the backside a gap.
You got to be very, very patient. And I think
this is what Tray Benson is learning right now, and
it's the reason why Paully I think Trey Benson is
going to get a lot more reps this season.
Speaker 6 (29:55):
He says he is seven pounds heavier than his rookie year,
except in his words, I am way mo more explosive
quote end quote. Here's a guy who ran a four
to three to nine at the combine and was disappointing
at that time. Thought he should have run much closer
to a four to three flat. So if you do
the math, he's over two hundred and twenty pounds, close
to to twenty five and he told the media, I
(30:16):
want to be a bruising back, except with speed. Okay,
we're all on board for that right In fact, in
an ideal scenario, Trey Benson saying he thinks the Cardinals
can have a pair of RB one's.
Speaker 9 (30:28):
Oh yeah, I feel like I'm gonna get more opportunities,
you know, help James out a lamar. I feel like
we can have two RB one's on this team. And
that's my mindset. This is two RB one's, you know,
be able to help James out because he's the who's
the work load for us last year and he set
the tone for me and you know, set the tongue
for the whole running back room. So being able to
help him out a little bit more this year, well
a lot more this year is to go.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
Two years in a row. The air is on the
Cardinals rushing offense has finished number two in the NFL
in yards per carry. Think abou how many times the
Cardinals have worn down a defense in the second half?
How much more if they do have two RB ones.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Paully, it's oh man, that would be a dream, that
really would be a nightmare for everyone else in the
NFC West. Okay, but it'd be a dream for the
Arizona Cardinals to have two rb ones. Number one is
because it would give James Connor a spot, it would
rest him. And you know, James Connor runs the ball
in a very physical, very in your face, very hard way,
(31:24):
and because of that, he takes a lot of hits.
And you worry about James wearing down over the course
of a season, Paul, You're getting injured from time to time,
even though he's done a great job staying healthy for
the most part. James Connor, to me, runs the ball
in such a physical way, So I think it's awesome
to have another guy that you could look at and say, yeah,
our offense doesn't need to change at all when Trey
(31:45):
Benson comes into the game. So yeah, we do have
two rb ones and he can spot. He can spot
James Connor and give him a blow when he needs
it so that maybe he can play in a lot
more games and a lot more reps throughout the end
higher season. That's number one, Polly. But it's also the competition.
It's it's competing. Trey Benson's going to be competing against
(32:09):
James Connor for who can gain the most yards, who
can score the most touchdowns. And anytime you've got that
kind of competition, friendly competition, but competition in a room,
it's good for the team.
Speaker 6 (32:22):
There's no doubt for everything the Cardinals offense did to
stay the same in terms of personnel, I think they
really are going to evolve this year. And that's not
just us. It's Trey McBride saying that in the offseason
there's been a lot more motion, that extra sauce right
into the Cardinals offense. We've heard Kyler and Drew Petsen
talking about Kate Kyler out of the pocket a little
(32:44):
bit more, sometimes by design. Sometimes when he's flushed out,
you need to be more effective and make a defense
pay when he's on the move. Kyler talking about how
he was a big fan of Lamar Jackson and Josh
Allen watching them in the AFC playoffs. What does that mean?
Don't forget Kyler ran for over eight hundred yards in
his second year in the NFL, So yes, is that coming?
(33:05):
And then the other thing, I do wonder, and you
tell me wolf of them off base on this what
are the odds that go with split backs two backs
at the same time.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Okay, I bet Drew Petsig will do it from time
to time, but I don't think it's it's going to
be a common thing. Can I just say that, would
I be surprised if he didn't do it from time
to time, Yes, I would, But I think it's going
to be specific to whatever opponent they're playing. Having said
that too, PAULI, I just want to talk about Trey
(33:34):
Benson's ability to come out of the backfield and catch
the ball. That's something that I think is really important
as well. And not only not only that, but being
able to hold up in protection. James Connor is very
very good in terms of protection, and we know that
rundown situation, play action of course, and throwing the ball
(33:54):
deep down the field to Marvin Harrison Junior, this is
going to be a big part of what the Arizona
Cardinals are going to try to do offensively. That means
you need running backs who can hold up in protection,
and this is where Trey Benson needs to improve the most,
no doubt.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
And do not forget how much importance the coach is
attached to just that thou shall protect quarterback. And last year,
when we realized it was a crowded running back room.
I automatically assumed to Mario de Mercato would be the guy,
the odd man out. Nope, it was Michael Carter who
ended up going to the practice squad because they needed
They wanted to mari de Mercado on third down in
(34:36):
pass protection because that is where he excels. Hey get
ready for the twenty twenty five season. With the latest
gear from the Cardinals team shop. We're talking the hottest items,
including the recently drop Marvin Harrison junior jersey. Go to
Azycardinals dot com slash shop today. All right, there's another
list out and this one snubbed. Larry the Legend. All
that is next on the big red Rage.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Open one of the thirty five mob he's hair, he's
in the morning. At the fifth he turns up field
of the forty.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Five hurt the morning thirty five step COM's thirty twenty
five twenty fits to the near side ten to the five.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
Tackle There amay course of bomber saw Larry Fitzgerald on
the other side of the field and threw it while
moving on the run, and then Larry Fitzgerald the Legend
took over and did the rest.
Speaker 10 (35:29):
I told Wolf I actually phoned up to the to
the box right when overtime was starting. I told him, listen,
I'm gonna go to the left. I'm gonna break a
few tanglers. I'm gonna get tackler to five. So get
what you're gonna say. Prepare so you so.
Speaker 8 (35:40):
You look good.
Speaker 10 (35:40):
And it sounds like to live on forever.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
And you took the advice hitting ran with.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
It snapped the palmer rolls up.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
He is a pitch to fence Runnicks right ahead, head
of the hands on the shovel pass. Then it touchdown
of the wind the Cardinals and dance to the NFC
Championship game on a shovel pass, of all things, and
one of the craziest games ever fits.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
On the shovel pass, stores Ken the Cardinals winning it
overtime twenty six to twenty.
Speaker 6 (36:08):
Let that memory hang in the air.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Great call.
Speaker 6 (36:11):
Dave fash Ron Wolfley in the booth is Larry's cider.
Larry had a handle on everything going on everywhere in
the stadium at all times. And by the way, they
were sitting in that shovel pass play for about two years,
every single Friday they would practice it and then finally
in that very moment to beat Green Bay in Round
one of the playoffs. There was fits after the hail,
(36:33):
Larry seventy five yards. I still love more than anything,
maybe in his entire career. I still love the Nolak
stiff arm boom out.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Of nowhere, look stiff arm.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
Yes, oh man, all right, sorry, I'm getting carried away.
It is the Big Red Rage, presented by Santane Ford
and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul calvic, Ron, Wolfley
and wolf You know'tis the season four lists the off season.
I mean we could spend a whole hour talking about
I mean, right in front of me. I've been keeping
track of a few that came out in the last
month or so. Top ten breakout candidates entering year two.
(37:07):
Number three, Marvin Harrison Junior, Top eight Bandwagons to jump
on number three, Arizona Cardinals, six off season champions Cardinals
on that list of the top six, I mean sixteen
day three picks who could compete to start Number three
Cody Simon, Cardinals linebacker. I could go on ten perfect
team fits. Number four Will Johnson.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
You're right, Paulyly, it is wish list season. It is
list season. Right now. So many people love doing this.
It drives me crazy, it really does. It's kind of
like a producer question where you have to answer the
question one way or the other. You can have both.
How about we do have both? But not during list season.
Speaker 6 (37:52):
You can, because it can always get worse.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
It did.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
This week. The ESPN All Quarter Century Team build a
fifty three man roster just based on the two thousands
ever since the turn of the century, and they put
out at each position group those who made the team.
And then there was a practice squad. So there were
let's count him here, six six receivers who made the
All quarter Century Team. Yes, men dot Com? You ready, yeah?
(38:18):
Randy Moss okay, Julio Jones, Marvin Harrison, Calvin Johnson, Megatron, Wow,
Terrell Owens, Justin Jefferson. Okay, Justin Jefferson, Justin Jefferson. And
then the practice squad consists of Antonio Brown and Andre Johnson.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Oh, my goodness, Larry Fitzgerald did not make this list.
Is that what you're saying? He did not make this roster.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
He's not on the list.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Oh he's going goodness? Okay, Okay, this is funny because
Justin Jefferson, all those names. It's Justin Jefferson that I
have a problem with Paully, and it's not because he's
not a great player. Oh my goodness, he is a
great wide receiver. There's no denying that he's only been
(39:08):
in the league for five years. Paul, he's only been
in the league for five years. I understand you might
want to be a little controversial when you make this list.
I understand you might want to be a little relevant
as well, and not just talk about guys that played
over a decade ago. I understand that you want some
(39:28):
relevance to today. But man, I would have a problem
with Justin Jefferson, even though he's had five great seasons
with the Minnesota Vikings, Larry had seventeen with the Arizona Cardinals.
Speaker 6 (39:42):
See, I would start with Tarrell Owens. Too had more
drops in one game than Larry had in his entire career.
I happen to see almost every single game of Too's career.
I'm telling you so I respect his game. He's definitely
a Hall of Famer. He's not more deserving than Larry
fi Gerald. Let me also throw this out, Calvin Johnson, unbelievable.
(40:04):
You know it's the NFL, as your friendly neighborhood Pencils
sideline reporter, when Megatron would break the huddle and come
to the Cardinals sideline and right across from as Patrick Peterson,
you talk about an epic all time battle, and I
mean they were ten feet away from me and it
might as well have been another planet. The athleticism on
display right there. But did Calvin Johnson ever even play
in a single postseason game? Think of Larry's prowess in
(40:27):
his production in the playoffs compared to someone like Calvin Johnson.
I get it's not necessarily his fault. The Lions were
woeful at the time, but think of everything Larry did
in the playoffs and how he built that reputation a
national brand basically both based on the postseason.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
Yeah, no, you're right. Well, when you throw in Larry
Fitzgerald his seventeen years of course in the league, the
fact that fits. How many yards did he have passing yards?
Seventeen thousand, four hundred and ninety two receiving yards. Think
about that for a minute, the production that this guy
(41:03):
put up, and Polly I think also you have to
consider how many great quarterbacks did Larry Fitzgerald have how
many great quarterbacks? Man, I mean to go.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
From Kurt Warner to Carson Palmer and then two years
with Kyler, but one was his rookie year and the
second year was Covid. So yes, I get your point.
So maybe we're on the same Patriot because when I
look at Marvin Harrison, and I'm gonna take anything away
from Marvin Harrison, but if you put Larry Fitzgerald with
Peyton Manning.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
He's gonna have twenty seven thousand yards receiving.
Speaker 6 (41:37):
He'd have better numbers than Jerry Rice. He's number two
to Jerry Rice in virtually every category all time. And
he doesn't make the Quarter Century Team.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
Yeah, I don't know. I've got a little bit of
a problem with this quarter Century team. There's no doubt
about it. I do. And I think it starts with
Justin Jefferson. Again, a great wide receiver, a great he's
played five years in a league.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
Man, come on, yeah, yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you.
And look, Julio Jones played a lot of the same
years that Larry did. And Julio Jones is legit all pro.
He wasn't better than Larry Fitzgerald. I just read my
opinion on that, so okay, you know, but they need
to stir it up, right, They take out the big
soup spoon. They stir it up. They make sure there's
(42:20):
a little controversy. So what happens Guys like us are
talking about it. They get airtime, they get publicity across promotion.
I get it.
Speaker 1 (42:28):
You know what is interesting, though, Paully, Kaleis Campbell, and
Patrick Peterson, you were on the.
Speaker 6 (42:33):
List, yes, and deservedly so, I mean yes, you know
what we forget is Kaleis Campbell made the All Decade
Team in the twenty tens. Think about just how good
he was. He's in Europe team right now. So he's
a six time pro bowler, Kalaeis Campbell who has still
started every game of the last two years, and he's
(42:54):
aged thirty eight. And then Pat P Look Pat P
in his prime. Those all pro teams there or I mean,
other than Darrell Reeves, there really was no one better
in his era, and there aren't many corners in this
day and age. I don't know if there's a single
corner left in the NFL that will travel. We'll go
with one premiere wide receiver wherever he goes all over
(43:18):
the field, and that was Pat Pe.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Yeah, no, you're right, Pape. I just thinking of some
of the plays he made on some incredible throws, just
some of the plays he made. Pat Pe was one
of these guys who got a lot of passes defensed
as well for a corner. He was a guy that
could play in his own room very very well, but
also a guy that, as we know, could walk up
(43:41):
and play press man cover. But even when he played
press cover, and he played that a lot, pap Pe
was still so good in regard to playing press man
that he could still get his hands on a lot
of pigs and knock the ball away. That's a pass
defense and he did it very very well.
Speaker 6 (44:00):
And so as we come full circle on this ESPN
All quarter Century team that left Larry Fitzgerald off the team.
To your point, he had two long term, really good quarterbacks,
and Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer, and then in between man,
think of the turnover, Think of the different guys he
had to try and vibe with right to get chemistry with.
(44:20):
Think of the evolving door and the turnstile was of quarterbacks.
And yet Larry was productive every single season, regardless of
who threw him the football.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
Yes, so to me to leave him off of that
list outrageous.
Speaker 6 (44:34):
Yeah so.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
And by the way, even though we did go to pitt.
Speaker 6 (44:39):
By the way, he's up for a gold jacket. So
wolf get ready, get ready? Tis the year. This is
year five after he called it a career, Larry Fitzgerald
gonna be heading to Canton. I mean right, yeah, of
course it was up to ESPN All quarter century Team.
Maybe he wouldn't be going to Canadon as a first
ballot wide receiver. Hey, be part of the Red Sierra
(45:00):
on the Cardinals single game tickets on sale now. Tickets
available online by visiting Azycardinals dot com slash buy tickets Special.
Thanks Lorenzo Alexander for joining us for Ron Wolfley on
Paul Calvic Special. Thanks as always, Jim Almahundro, Cody Fincher,
Evan Reiser. This has been the Big Red Rage presented
by santan Ford in Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by
santan Ford and Gilbert right on the price, right on
the corner of the Santan two oh two Freeway and
Valvesta The Rage is brought to you by Arizona Cardinals Podcast.
Visit Azycardinals dot com slash podcast.
Speaker 1 (45:40):
We're gonna see a little, big red rage football right here.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals
Football Clock
Strap on the boots and scrape up the knuckles.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hold ahead.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
He got jacked.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
This is the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford
and Gilbert Terry's gonna score touchdown Slam to the ground
by Buddha Baker like a torpedo.
Speaker 4 (00:18):
He came flying into the back deal.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
The rage is brought to you by santan Ford and
Gilbert right on the Price, right on the corner of
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That was spectacular and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast Visit Azycardinals
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Speaker 5 (00:42):
All Right, Seas, Rising Up, Jumper, Rising Vision, Flurry Rage,
take it over.
Speaker 6 (00:50):
Here's Paul CALVICI I'm ready. I'm one hundred percent ready.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
I'm telling you I'm ready.
Speaker 6 (00:55):
And Ron Wolfley, it doesn't get any better than.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
That the Fiord.
Speaker 6 (01:03):
Let's just say that I was talking to a key
Cardinals decision maker recently, and let's just say Ron Wolfley
that I did what I do best. I asked the
dumb guy question, Okay, Jason, how competitive will this Cardinals
camp be? And let's just say this person who would
(01:24):
know didn't have to say anything because the wide eyes
said it all. There will be blood, there will be
Cardinals players snapped up by other teams after final cuts. Right,
this will be the most competitive Cardinals camp in recent
memory by design, and we're all about it, and we're
(01:44):
here to talk about it. The Big Red Rage presented
by santan Ford in Gilbert. We are santan Ford soon
to feature Lorenzo Alexander, the former Cardinal fifteen year vet
Paul calvic Here Ron Wolfle.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
There you know what's great about what you just said
as well, Paully, there's no doubt about it. On both
sides of the ball, offensively and defensively, the Resonner Cardinals
are going to be a very very physical team. Now
that doesn't mean, PAULI, you're going to be a great team.
Doesn't mean you're gonna be a great team. You gotta
go win games. You gotta make plays to win games.
But man, they're gonna be a very very physical team
(02:18):
on both sides of the ball. Offensively of course, and
running the ball the way that they do and defensively.
So why wouldn't you go into training camp and say, hey, guys,
by the way, competition has just been ratcheted up, and
we're gonna have some seriously highly contested positions that are
going to be open for the best man. Man, this
(02:40):
is gonna be this is going to be one of
the best camps we've seen in a long time.
Speaker 6 (02:46):
Twenty eight draft picks over the last three years. I mean,
let the rooks cook and then some every single draft
pick is still on this roster. That will not be
the case once you get to the final fifty three.
And remember what we reported at the end of the
twenty twenty three season when GM moniasap Fort brought his
(03:06):
initial rookie class into that room the day after the
season ended, and you remember what he told them. He
said to these young guys in that room, in case
you didn't know, my job as an NFL GM is
to replace every one of you. Awesome, that is my job.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Every It's just an awesome way to actually get up
there in front of the entire team and say that,
because it's a great reminder, Paul of what this is
all about, what the NFL is about. It is a
mercenary league. How many times have you heard me talk
about this. It is a mercenary league. And your goal
as a football player should be not to go out
(03:45):
and win a Super Bowl. Your goal should be I
want to be able to support my family for as
long as I possibly can. And oh, by the way,
I'm going to try and play as hard as I
possibly can so we can win a Super Bowl. My goal,
My goal is to support and take care of my family. Period.
Speaker 6 (04:06):
Remember how the B and BA used to stand for
Blunt and he would say in August, we're not the Cardinals,
not until you get a job, not until you earn
a spot on this team, right on this roster. And
it's a good reminder to the young guys coming out
of college. There ain't no stinking four year scholarships. There's
no such thing as job security. You got to earn
it every single year. And that's what this camp is
(04:28):
going to be about more than ever so far under
Monni Austin Ford, the head coach, Jonathan Gannon, in fact,
who was asked this past week, all right, how excited
are you to put the pads on?
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Excited? Yeah, excited, that'd be good.
Speaker 7 (04:42):
That was one of the things that we kind of
tweaked going into camp. And the players know this, have
a little more friction, you know, what I mean, so
during camp, so in a safe way, but I want
to get on the paths a little bit and play football.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
More pads, more friction, more content tacked, more physicality.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Paulie, I know all of those things right there, especially
when you're talking about the line of scrimmage and the
contested line of scrimmage of the Arizona Cardinals, especially in
training camp when guys are trying to win jobs right now,
that that friction and that competition and that physicality. I
wonder if he's changed his opinion on the fight policy,
(05:24):
paul Something something tells me he has not. Something tells
me he has not changed the policy on that. That's
why you threw in to do it safely, of course.
Speaker 6 (05:35):
Well, if you fight in a game, you're gonna get
penalized and or ejected. You're gonna hurt your team. You
got to manage your emotions while still remaining physical. Okay,
Why is that so hard for you to process.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
PAULI everybody knows your dad. They know you never fight
in the game. You're never gonna do that, you selfish,
How could you possibly do that? Everyone knows that. Anyways,
It's the one area I disagree. I love jg Oh
my goodness. You know I am philosophic way aligned with Jag.
He's a beautiful, beautiful man when it comes to being
a head coach on an NFL team. I just disagree
(06:07):
with his fight pome.
Speaker 6 (06:08):
Well, look, I have a theory as to why there's
going to be more physicality, more time in pads, more friction.
But first the head coach was asked, all right, what's
behind that decision.
Speaker 7 (06:19):
For where we're at as a team and where our
development is and where our health is. Honestly, and that
can and you have to adapt that as we get
going in training camp. Honestly, is the best thing to do.
Get ready to play a week one.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (06:32):
I have two theories as to why why he's ramping
up the physical Okay, all right. Number one is are
you a much more physical team than you were before
Jonathan Gan and Mantias Spfort took over. Say yes, yes,
But there was still a couple of games last year
where you went against some heavyweights. The Lions were very physical.
That Washington defensive front, even the Carolina Panthers and the
(06:54):
right side of that offensive line they ran for over
two hundred and fifty yards in a key game on
the road at Carroll. So yes, you can still get
you still need to get more physical. But beyond that, Wolf,
how are you gonna make some of these key roster
decisions without seeing these guys play football? Yes, if you
want to know who's the best corner, who's the best
(07:14):
middle linebacker, Who's what's your rotation along the defensive line,
who's your starting offensive guard right side? How do you
figure that out unless you're playing real football, full contact,
full speed.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Yeah, no, you're right about that, Paully. But can I
also say this right now? Training camps going forward in
the Arizona Cardinals are gonna do it this year as well.
But training camps going forward, you're gonna see them practicing
more with teams. Pollie, this is what's gonna happen. I
honestly believe at some point in time. You know my
feeling on this. I've talked to you about it. They're
going to extend. They're gonna add that eighteenth game, That's
(07:48):
what they're gonna do, and add another buy as well, Paulli,
and I honestly think that preseason games you're gonna have one,
it's gonna be eliminated they're gonna bring it down to
one and what they're gonna do instead of those preseason games,
they're going to practice. They're going to practice man against
other NFL teams. That's how they're going to replace that
(08:09):
to get ready for the season.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
And we know Jonathan Gannon is in favor of that.
Vikings two years ago, Colts last year. This year, it's
going to be the Broncos a single joint practice before
the middle preseason game. It's official. Cardinals are going to
report on July twenty second, That is when Cardinals camp
will commence. What are some of the biggest questions if
you had to check them off real quick, and we
(08:31):
have a month to talk about this, but off the
top of your head, some of the biggest questions you
need answered by the end of camp. If you're Jonathan
Gannon and Manti assen Ford, I would start with Mike linebacker, captain,
play caller of the defense.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Why do you say that, PAULI? Why would you start there?
Speaker 6 (08:47):
Because you need to know who's going to be wearing
that green dot and Kuise you're white not only a
team captain, but he was an expert at calling the defense,
getting the defense into the right looks, the right checks
playing that chess match against the posing quarterback and the
opposing play caller. Do you have that guy? Who is
that guy? And he better start to jell with the
rest of your defense.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Okay? For me, it's really the interior offensive line. Listen,
the offensive line and the ability to run the ball,
lower the plow and hit the gas and run over people,
especially with James Connor in a different tray Benson and
more on that a little bit later. But to me,
they're going to attack the line of scrimmage so much
(09:28):
more in a North sal fashion than we've seen them
do before. That means you better be able to run
the ball up front. You better have offensive linemen that
are going to come off the ball. And because of that,
I think of Isaiah Adams getting the opportunity, and I
think Paul he's going to be fine, but he's got
to prove that, doesn't he And I think Kevin Brown
as well. Is he going to be able to hold
(09:49):
on to that left guard position? Right now? It's going
to be fascinating to watch the battle the camp battles
on the interior offensive line at the guard and see
who wins in the end.
Speaker 6 (10:03):
What did Isaiah Adams tell us last week here in
the Big Red Rage that all you have to do
is look into that revamp, new and improved defensive line
room and realize you're gonna have your hands full in
the O line D line drills when Isaiah Adams is
gonna be squaring off against Dalvin Tomlinson, Kaleis Campbell. Look
at what Darius Robinson appears to be Yeh Walter Nolan,
(10:25):
the ridiculous lateral quickness, Dante Stills keeps coming. LJ. Collier
is legit, so you'll know. You'll find out. The other
position group obviously is corner. I mean, you have four
guys fighting for two spots at least, so we'll see.
Hey join the Bird Gang Monday Night Football, Cardinals Premiere Travel,
(10:46):
get all the info. It is quite an experience waiting
to happen, Azycardinalstravel dot com. All right, Lorenzo Alexander, fifteen
years in the league. We have questions. And that's next
on the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilder.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
That Scott to throw pleasure he is Jack Dalvin Tomlinson
flying through the middle in a sack to store down,
the pocket collapses and downy girls.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
The ball is out.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
Dalvin Tomlinson with the strip sack pass played for breeze
and Trouble tumbles the phone.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
It's caught out of the air by Camble and he's
running free at the thirty. At the twenty, they'll take
it all the way and into the end zone for
the cardinal touchdown.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Kalaius Campbell caught the ball out of the air and
took it to the house. Had a lot of fun
playing in the stadium, you know, just hanging with the
Bird Gang. The energy I fed off it for nine years,
you know, and it's it's been quite the pleasure.
Speaker 6 (11:43):
I am seen an event the other night.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Wolf.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
I just mentioned the name Kalaias Campbell. The Bird Gang
went crazy. His Q rating is off the hook, and
rightfully so, Palli, you know the other word on the
street out there, Wolf. Are you aware that there's a
fifty ten year NFL veteran Okay pro bowler who's been
so busy with parenthood and coaching and maybe even a
(12:08):
little golf. You know, what does that hasn't had as
much time lately for the gym, and you know, may
or may not have let himself go. You know, I
don't know the beer belly, the double chin, the dad bot,
you know, but I feared we should really ask him
before we get rolling. So, Lorenzo Alexander, you on their
Big Red Rage, Yeah, presented by Santane Ford and gohert.
(12:28):
We are santan Ford. Please tell us you've let yourself
go at this point? Come on now?
Speaker 8 (12:32):
Yeah, no, no, not at all. Man Wolf will understand
that God built me different. You know, God some different
things in my life. And I mean quite frankly, and
I'm being kind of funny, but Kendid. You know, last
week Wednesday, to be exact, I was in a pre
significant car crash. Car flipped over, bounced up, and I
(12:52):
walked out on me with just what some bruising and ribs.
So I'm definitely blessed to be here, but God feel
me different. So I'm never gonna let myself go, always
going to honor him.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Wow, oh my goodness, that is praise the Lord. Indeed
that you are okay? So okay, So after saying that,
talk to me about some of the off season editions,
of course, that the Arizona Cardinals have made to this team.
Right now, where do you start. So when you think
of all the moves they've made.
Speaker 8 (13:23):
It's a defensive line. You know, everybody likes the sexy,
you know, the outside positions, And obviously we're gonna talk
about Will Johnson a little bit as far as what
he's going to bring to that dB room, but it
starts from the interior, especially when you think about stopping
the run, which has been an achilles heel of this
team not being able to do it consistently, and then
also not having to rely on you know, downing up
(13:43):
different blitzes on third downs, and I think they're going
to be able to be able to rush the passer,
you know, on fourth day or third down with just
four with the guys that they brought in, you think
of a guy like a Class Campbell, who had a
chance to actually play with for a couple of years
in Agy when I played here, and you know, I
go way back with class, big Man and great heart.
And as you said, the Q rating is out the room.
But you know, I'm old enough to remember when that
(14:04):
dude's running down on kickoffs and he's earned his way
in this league as being sustainable as a leader, and
so I'm really interested to see how just his presence
elevates the room, not even necessarily his play, but how
he talks to some of those young guys in there,
and what is that going to look like as far
as helping them elevate their game so they've become pros.
(14:24):
He's gonna do what he needs to do. I'm not
worried about him one bit in the plays that he gets,
but how does he elevate their room? And then also
I think a guy like Josh Wat who's seeing him
and how he's been dominant throughout his career just really
consistent as far as rushing the.
Speaker 6 (14:38):
Passer as well former Cardinal, former pro bowler Lorenzo Alexander.
As our guests, not many guys can come close to
relating to eighteen years of playing time. And then you
got the year fifteen. Here's my specific question about Lays
at this point, because he has started all seventeen games
each of the last two years. How much is he
winning with his knowledge versus his physical skill.
Speaker 8 (15:01):
Well, I'll say this too, if I was getting paid
like a lass, I wouldn't walk away from the game myself,
you know, if I ever made that type of money.
But you know, hearing him talk the other day. You know,
obviously he's selling his body's not even ready right now.
Mentally he's not ready. He's kind of pacing himself and
I know exactly where he is as far as just
(15:21):
at this stage in your in your in your game,
you know how to kind of have that ramp up
period so that you're ready to go, and he is
still you can't. You have to be extremely smart our
physical to play this game. But he's also winning with
his mind. Understand the protection, understand the weaknesses of some
of these younger guards or centers that he's going to face.
(15:42):
Right we talk about those vet moves that he's doing
that just getting him off the edge, and then his
guy giving a billity just to be so long, you
know whatever. He is six seven sixty eight long tall,
so he's always going to be impacting the quarterback even
though he may not be getting that physical pressure. His pressure,
his presence is enough pressure to make quarterbacks pull down
(16:05):
the ball or getting a lot of pvus as far
as baddy balls. So he's doing a little bit of both.
He still has enough to get out there and run
around these young fellows and it's always fun. To watch
an older guy of his caliber be able to do
it at the high level.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
So it's gonna be fascinating to watch us. Because I
believe Nick rawlas of course a defensive coordinator for the Cardinals.
He's gonna line Kalais off in a zero right on
the head of the center all the way out to
maybe a five technique. Where do you think he's the
most effective?
Speaker 8 (16:35):
I mean, at this stage, it's really wherever I think
when you're when he's in the middle, though, because of
his presence, because of his lance, he's still able to
impact quarterback vision and make guys have to maybe put
a little bit more air on it, because that's where
I think he's most dangerous at But anytime you can
and again, when he's gonna be over that center, they're
gonna probably have that five down seco looked as I
(16:56):
used to call it, with five deef a the linemen.
It typically the center is your worst pass protector because
oftentimes he's the help for helping out that guard right.
He's also typically a smaller guy and what a man
like Kalay has kind of eating him up, and with
the pass rush moves in his lens, he can actually
have a lot of production with some of the other
guys that's going to be around him also rushing to
(17:18):
pass it from the interior side. So I think for
a couple of reasons, just because the way he's built,
and also that's typically the O lineman or the center
is typically the fish, the weaker, the weakest O line
of the.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
Group of five Lorenzo, Alexander our guest on the Big
Red Rage Presentaboy, Santan Ford and Gilbert all right, So
talking about that revamp, new and improved defensive front, we
were asked the other day for some some predictions and
I said, I don't know how many interceptions the Cardinals
had last year as a team, but double it. That
was one of my predictions because of the increased pass rush.
(17:50):
I mean, is that valid? Do you think that this
secondary is gonna be able to BALLHWK a lot more?
Speaker 8 (17:56):
Double is a lot. And I don't know how many
I had last year. I know they were really good
in the red zone. I don't know if they had
that many turnovers because teams were getting down there. So
I could see them definitely getting that increase because they're
gonna be on in there a lot more. Pressure. Like
I said, you know, class alone is probably gonna call
two or three with getting some tits and overthrows where
a linebacker can come up or maybe even another defensive
(18:18):
linement off the ball that he's batted up in the
air to get his hands on. So I definitely see
an uptick because of that, along with some of those
other guys that are gonna get some pressure. Right, he
robbed sweat, So I definitely think it can happen. And
then when you have that one last guy that's rushing
or blitzing that you know rollers had to do last year,
that's one extra body in the back end if they're
playing like some type of zone blitz or or zone
(18:38):
pressure I mean, or or zone coverage that can actually
have their eyes on the ball and actually go get
it when it's in their.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
So Zoe, go ahead and talk to me about Josh
Swatt and his impact and what an edge guy, a
premier edge guy can actually bring to a defense.
Speaker 8 (18:56):
I mean, he's gonna because he's consistent, He's consistently been
you know, a guy that impacts the quarterback. You know,
I've kind of got a chance to obviously see him
kind of develop and grow up as a leader as well,
and it's going to be another guy that's going to
impact beyond just what he brings. But he's long, he's strong,
he's violent, he's physical. You know, he's gonna be able
to help in the run game in the past, so
(19:17):
he understands how to play this game. And he's been
consistent and that's what I really like to see, you know,
just from year to years of consistency in terms of
how he plays this game. And it's just only gonna
help when you add him into that mix with everybody else.
And when you have a dominant edge guy, you typically
have to help on the outside, you know, where we
think about a back half of the chip, maybe keeping
(19:39):
a tight end, which again helps the back end. That's
one last guy you have to worry about or if
he gets out and getting out late and he's more
of a checkdown versus a vertical threat. So having a
guy that can rush from the edge is definitely gonna
help just a defense overall to be able to impact
the offense.
Speaker 6 (19:56):
Yeah, if it can have that Chandler Jones effect, you
go from fifteen guys with one sack till one guy
with fifteen sacks. And they have to game plan for
that guy. So look, it's going to be really competitive.
The edge rushroom, the D line room, the cornerback room
is really deep. But probably the biggest question I have
on defense going into camp would be middle linebacker. How
big a deal is that trying to replace Kaiser White?
(20:18):
Because I see at least four candidates potentially.
Speaker 8 (20:21):
Yeah, I mean it's hard. Anytime you go with a
guy that's been there for a couple of years, that
understands the defense, that makes the calls right, he kind
of becomes he creates an identity within that huddle. People
you know, typically learn and listen for his voice and
hear it. And so for someone to step into that
role who maybe who hasn't done it, who hasn't done
it here is going to be a little bit of
a learning curve, you know, hearing the call come in
(20:44):
on the mic and then be able to make the
huddle his own. But these guys are professionals, you know,
you know, so whether it's Mack Wilson or another guy
that's on MS ROSS, so somebody will step up, take
the bull by his horns and lead this defense. And
the great thing is that he has some other great
players on this team that going to allow him to
take that role like khalais for example. So if it's
a young guy or a younger guy that's never done it,
(21:06):
if he clais hears other people in the huddle talking
while the mike is trying to talk, I guarantee you
he's gonna say shut up. Right. You need to have
that because you know, being in front of a other
grown men as you're trying to hear the call coming in,
people talking about what just happened, and now you're trying
to say something and you've never done it, it can
be I don't want to say overwhelming. Is just just
(21:27):
something new that you have to get used to. But
having advocates in in that on that defense that understand
the importance of hearing the call and getting the call
and communicating when we get out here and play fast,
I think will be key. And they have plenty of
that so so.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Will Johnson, of course, was drafted in the second round
out of Michigan by the Arizona Cardinals. He is a corner.
He has a long, tall corner. What are your concerns
if he is starting coming out of training camp and
I do again it really doesn't matter if he does
or not. But we love sitting around talking about, man,
can this kid actually start coming out of training camp?
(22:02):
I think Will Johnson possibly could having said that, what
is your concern when starting a rookie corner?
Speaker 8 (22:10):
It's just a confidence. You know, how do they start?
Because there's been a lot of great corners that get
drafted high. You know, I could think about Etom that
was up and Buffalo and just guys like that that
have a lot of pressure on them. You out on
the island and then you know most offenses are gonna
go at you. And if you you know, facing top
tier receiver week in and week out and you get
(22:31):
roasted a couple of times, you know you're in a
new space. You know you can get down on yourself
because now you know, obviously college has turned to more
of a business, but the NFL is a whole different animal.
You know, you at the top, there is no transfer
portal you you know, there is no hiding. You can't
get away from it. So that's what you worry about
with a young corner. You know, can he have success early?
(22:51):
And then how does he handle the adversity that he
is going to face because offensive coordinators are going to
attack him until they make him go somewhere else. And
so the great ones are able to figure that out,
understand become students of the game, watching their film, watching
other guys. How do the other guys attack this receiver?
And I think the quicker he learns that and becomes
(23:12):
a professional. You'll you'll see him have the consistency from
weekend to week out, because we all know that he
should have been a number one or as far as
first rounder. He just dropped because of some injury and
people not being quite sure what that's gonna look like.
So he has the ability to do it now. It's
about putting this together and I think a lot of
times being a second round picking in his regard, he's
(23:32):
gonna have a chip on the shoulder to be able
to go out there and put it in the work
that's going to be needed for him to showcase.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Well.
Speaker 6 (23:37):
Yeah, even minus SMB, that is going to be an
ultra competitive position. Group twenty eight draft picks last three years,
seven of them corners by Mani os Ford and Jonathan
Gannon Zoe. We appreciate the time even better news that
you survived the car crash.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
You rolled over.
Speaker 6 (23:54):
I mean, I mean, none of this fast and furious
driving the rest of the summer. Okay, no more of
that though, all right, I wouldn't drive it, okay, all right.
Speaker 8 (24:02):
And we hit a d here, so it's just whoa goodness?
Speaker 1 (24:06):
All right?
Speaker 6 (24:06):
Wolf wanted to know if you put the video on YouTube,
Stop a wolf. Don't ask him about that.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
You know what. Not surprise the dog that you are
that you walked away from that man. Not surprised?
Speaker 6 (24:16):
All right, thanks, Zoe was the next day. There you go,
appreciate it. We'll come back. We'll talk about two rby
ones Kramit vertical times two. As we continue on the
big red rage presented by Santan forward in Gilbert.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Connor.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
Thelone back, Furry take skip the Connor this time and
easily straight ahead for the touchdown.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
You give me three dirt liquors and a ground pounder,
and I'm gonna break the plane every time.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Urry, barking out the call, takes the snap, hands it off.
Benson running left, dives into the end zone.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
First first touchdown. Give it to Tray Benson. Let him
get a little pay dirt, a little grease for Trey Benson.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Breaking tree is Steve Kada with the forty Dear Site
thirty twenty ten to five touchdown.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Forget about the hell Mary about the hell Lamary.
Speaker 4 (25:09):
Team Erkada want a handoff runs fifty three yards for
a touchdown.
Speaker 6 (25:15):
You talk about wearing down a defense. Cardinals have done
plenty of that via the run game in two years
under Jonathan Gann and Drew Petsing the offensive coordinator and
that running back room. It is loaded once again. In fact,
the Cardinals stood pat with what they had. They're bringing
it back in twenty twenty five. We are back in
the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert.
(25:36):
We are santan Ford, all the best. The Lorenzo Alexander Man,
He's had an eventful offseason at this point, but it
was great to get his knowledge and his insight and
as someone who was stout against the run, guess what,
That's exactly what the Cardinals want to do this year.
And Wolf, I think the most intriguing aspect of this look.
We know all about James Connor and what he's capable of,
(25:58):
but if you add a Ray Benson to this mix,
we know. I'm Mari Dear Mercado in spots and is
your third down pass pro back. But you tell us
what you saw from Trey Benson before his season? Is
rookie year ended prematurely with that ankle?
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, you know, I saw Trey Benson go through a
paradigm shift, if you will, in regard to how you
run the ball. I think early on in the season, PAULI,
you could see Troy Benson. He was all about, man,
watch me how shifty I am, and watch me explode
and just outrun you and use my speed and my quickness.
(26:34):
And I think being in the room with James Connor
and watching James Connor run the ball, because Trey Benson
is a big man as well. And I think watching
James Connor run the ball and being more decisive picking
his shoulder and trying to run through the tackle. I
think Trey Benson learned a lesson and how to run
(26:55):
the ball. In the National Football League. There is a
time and a place for your speed, There's no doubt
about that. But it's after you break a tackle and
then get to the second level and now you're into
the secondary. That's when you want to hit the jets.
Not all the time. Do you want to try to
run the ball and hit the big one. Paully, I
don't think that's what Troy Benson wants to do this year.
(27:18):
I think he wants to be a little bit more decisive.
And I stand and applaud.
Speaker 6 (27:22):
Him, and you know what he's on that. You're absolutely right,
he said, you know what, I was thinking too much,
trying to hit the home run every time. And he
said he said to the media recently that James Connor
took him aside and said, look, take what they give you.
It kind of reminds me back in the day. I
recently had a chance to interview David Johnson and he
reiterated how valuable Chris Johnson was one of the fastest
(27:46):
dudes in the history of the NFL. But you know
what he taught him patience, Yeah, your blocks develop, you know,
just wait until the hole decrease is there and then
stoke it. Don't get ahead of your blocking scheme. And
so it's interest out these younger backs learn from established guys.
In fact, Jonathan Gannon was asked recently on just why
James Connor, we know, three time Cardinals team captain, two
(28:09):
time Pro bowler, why he's such a premier player.
Speaker 7 (28:12):
We have some different variety in the run game, and
he can really do it all. He can run wide zone,
he can run inside zone, he can run gap schemes,
he can do it from gone, from under, from pistol
so and then obviously his style of running. He's a
premiere player. You know, he hits it. He's got good vision,
he's got good balance, he's hard to bring down, he's
(28:34):
got juice.
Speaker 6 (28:35):
And he's one of the leaders in the NFL when
it comes to breaking tackles. And when I asked Trey
Benson about that, he said he has asked James Connor
about that. He's like, okay, how what's the key, what's
the secret sauce? Because he said, you know what, James
Connor is definitely one of the best I've ever seen.
And he said the media doesn't give him enough credit.
This is Trey Benson now for his ability to break
(28:56):
tackles and get those extra dirty yards.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Yeah, there's no out Pauly, and that's what Tray Benson.
This is where he's got to grow the most. It's
not just about hitting the hole. So much of the
time college running backs coming out, you talk about the
patients and the fact that he had to learn. Patients
man college running backs, they want to hit the hole.
They think hitting the hole as hard as you possibly
(29:19):
can is what you've got to do. Where the zone scheme,
especially the tackle zone, the wide zone, whatever you want
to call it. Right now, the zone scheme, you really
have got to wait. You have to bide your time,
stay on course, stay on your track. And at the
same time, that play could hit in the C gap,
it could hit in the B gap, it could hit
(29:40):
in the A it could hit in the backside a gap.
You got to be very, very patient. And I think
this is what Tray Benson is learning right now, and
it's the reason why Paully I think Trey Benson is
going to get a lot more reps this season.
Speaker 6 (29:55):
He says he is seven pounds heavier than his rookie year,
except in his words, I am way mo more explosive
quote end quote. Here's a guy who ran a four
to three to nine at the combine and was disappointing
at that time. Thought he should have run much closer
to a four to three flat. So if you do
the math, he's over two hundred and twenty pounds, close
to to twenty five and he told the media, I
(30:16):
want to be a bruising back, except with speed. Okay,
we're all on board for that right In fact, in
an ideal scenario, Trey Benson saying he thinks the Cardinals
can have a pair of RB one's.
Speaker 9 (30:28):
Oh yeah, I feel like I'm gonna get more opportunities,
you know, help James out a lamar. I feel like
we can have two RB one's on this team. And
that's my mindset. This is two RB one's, you know,
be able to help James out because he's the who's
the work load for us last year and he set
the tone for me and you know, set the tongue
for the whole running back room. So being able to
help him out a little bit more this year, well
a lot more this year is to go.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
Two years in a row. The air is on the
Cardinals rushing offense has finished number two in the NFL
in yards per carry. Think abou how many times the
Cardinals have worn down a defense in the second half?
How much more if they do have two RB ones.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Paully, it's oh man, that would be a dream, that
really would be a nightmare for everyone else in the
NFC West. Okay, but it'd be a dream for the
Arizona Cardinals to have two rb ones. Number one is
because it would give James Connor a spot, it would
rest him. And you know, James Connor runs the ball
in a very physical, very in your face, very hard way,
(31:24):
and because of that, he takes a lot of hits.
And you worry about James wearing down over the course
of a season, Paul, You're getting injured from time to time,
even though he's done a great job staying healthy for
the most part. James Connor, to me, runs the ball
in such a physical way, So I think it's awesome
to have another guy that you could look at and say, yeah,
our offense doesn't need to change at all when Trey
(31:45):
Benson comes into the game. So yeah, we do have
two rb ones and he can spot. He can spot
James Connor and give him a blow when he needs
it so that maybe he can play in a lot
more games and a lot more reps throughout the end
higher season. That's number one, Polly. But it's also the competition.
It's it's competing. Trey Benson's going to be competing against
(32:09):
James Connor for who can gain the most yards, who
can score the most touchdowns. And anytime you've got that
kind of competition, friendly competition, but competition in a room,
it's good for the team.
Speaker 6 (32:22):
There's no doubt for everything the Cardinals offense did to
stay the same in terms of personnel, I think they
really are going to evolve this year. And that's not
just us. It's Trey McBride saying that in the offseason
there's been a lot more motion, that extra sauce right
into the Cardinals offense. We've heard Kyler and Drew Petsen
talking about Kate Kyler out of the pocket a little
(32:44):
bit more, sometimes by design. Sometimes when he's flushed out,
you need to be more effective and make a defense
pay when he's on the move. Kyler talking about how
he was a big fan of Lamar Jackson and Josh
Allen watching them in the AFC playoffs. What does that mean?
Don't forget Kyler ran for over eight hundred yards in
his second year in the NFL, So yes, is that coming?
(33:05):
And then the other thing, I do wonder, and you
tell me wolf of them off base on this what
are the odds that go with split backs two backs
at the same time.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Okay, I bet Drew Petsig will do it from time
to time, but I don't think it's it's going to
be a common thing. Can I just say that, would
I be surprised if he didn't do it from time
to time, Yes, I would, But I think it's going
to be specific to whatever opponent they're playing. Having said
that too, PAULI, I just want to talk about Trey
(33:34):
Benson's ability to come out of the backfield and catch
the ball. That's something that I think is really important
as well. And not only not only that, but being
able to hold up in protection. James Connor is very
very good in terms of protection, and we know that
rundown situation, play action of course, and throwing the ball
(33:54):
deep down the field to Marvin Harrison Junior, this is
going to be a big part of what the Arizona
Cardinals are going to try to do offensively. That means
you need running backs who can hold up in protection,
and this is where Trey Benson needs to improve the most,
no doubt.
Speaker 6 (34:13):
And do not forget how much importance the coach is
attached to just that thou shall protect quarterback. And last year,
when we realized it was a crowded running back room.
I automatically assumed to Mario de Mercato would be the guy,
the odd man out. Nope, it was Michael Carter who
ended up going to the practice squad because they needed
They wanted to mari de Mercado on third down in
(34:36):
pass protection because that is where he excels. Hey get
ready for the twenty twenty five season. With the latest
gear from the Cardinals team shop. We're talking the hottest items,
including the recently drop Marvin Harrison junior jersey. Go to
Azycardinals dot com slash shop today. All right, there's another
list out and this one snubbed. Larry the Legend. All
that is next on the big red Rage.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Open one of the thirty five mob he's hair, he's
in the morning. At the fifth he turns up field
of the forty.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Five hurt the morning thirty five step COM's thirty twenty
five twenty fits to the near side ten to the five.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
Tackle There amay course of bomber saw Larry Fitzgerald on
the other side of the field and threw it while
moving on the run, and then Larry Fitzgerald the Legend
took over and did the rest.
Speaker 10 (35:29):
I told Wolf I actually phoned up to the to
the box right when overtime was starting. I told him, listen,
I'm gonna go to the left. I'm gonna break a
few tanglers. I'm gonna get tackler to five. So get
what you're gonna say. Prepare so you so.
Speaker 8 (35:40):
You look good.
Speaker 10 (35:40):
And it sounds like to live on forever.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
And you took the advice hitting ran with.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
It snapped the palmer rolls up.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
He is a pitch to fence Runnicks right ahead, head
of the hands on the shovel pass. Then it touchdown
of the wind the Cardinals and dance to the NFC
Championship game on a shovel pass, of all things, and
one of the craziest games ever fits.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
On the shovel pass, stores Ken the Cardinals winning it
overtime twenty six to twenty.
Speaker 6 (36:08):
Let that memory hang in the air.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
Great call.
Speaker 6 (36:11):
Dave fash Ron Wolfley in the booth is Larry's cider.
Larry had a handle on everything going on everywhere in
the stadium at all times. And by the way, they
were sitting in that shovel pass play for about two years,
every single Friday they would practice it and then finally
in that very moment to beat Green Bay in Round
one of the playoffs. There was fits after the hail,
(36:33):
Larry seventy five yards. I still love more than anything,
maybe in his entire career. I still love the Nolak
stiff arm boom out.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Of nowhere, look stiff arm.
Speaker 6 (36:44):
Yes, oh man, all right, sorry, I'm getting carried away.
It is the Big Red Rage, presented by Santane Ford
and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, Paul calvic, Ron, Wolfley
and wolf You know'tis the season four lists the off season.
I mean we could spend a whole hour talking about
I mean, right in front of me. I've been keeping
track of a few that came out in the last
month or so. Top ten breakout candidates entering year two.
(37:07):
Number three, Marvin Harrison Junior, Top eight Bandwagons to jump
on number three, Arizona Cardinals, six off season champions Cardinals
on that list of the top six, I mean sixteen
day three picks who could compete to start Number three
Cody Simon, Cardinals linebacker. I could go on ten perfect
team fits. Number four Will Johnson.
Speaker 1 (37:30):
You're right, Paulyly, it is wish list season. It is
list season. Right now. So many people love doing this.
It drives me crazy, it really does. It's kind of
like a producer question where you have to answer the
question one way or the other. You can have both.
How about we do have both? But not during list season.
Speaker 6 (37:52):
You can, because it can always get worse.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
It did.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
This week. The ESPN All Quarter Century Team build a
fifty three man roster just based on the two thousands
ever since the turn of the century, and they put
out at each position group those who made the team.
And then there was a practice squad. So there were
let's count him here, six six receivers who made the
All quarter Century Team. Yes, men dot Com? You ready, yeah?
(38:18):
Randy Moss okay, Julio Jones, Marvin Harrison, Calvin Johnson, Megatron, Wow,
Terrell Owens, Justin Jefferson. Okay, Justin Jefferson, Justin Jefferson. And
then the practice squad consists of Antonio Brown and Andre Johnson.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
Oh, my goodness, Larry Fitzgerald did not make this list.
Is that what you're saying? He did not make this roster.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
He's not on the list.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Oh he's going goodness? Okay, Okay, this is funny because
Justin Jefferson, all those names. It's Justin Jefferson that I
have a problem with Paully, and it's not because he's
not a great player. Oh my goodness, he is a
great wide receiver. There's no denying that he's only been
(39:08):
in the league for five years. Paul, he's only been
in the league for five years. I understand you might
want to be a little controversial when you make this list.
I understand you might want to be a little relevant
as well, and not just talk about guys that played
over a decade ago. I understand that you want some
(39:28):
relevance to today. But man, I would have a problem
with Justin Jefferson, even though he's had five great seasons
with the Minnesota Vikings, Larry had seventeen with the Arizona Cardinals.
Speaker 6 (39:42):
See, I would start with Tarrell Owens. Too had more
drops in one game than Larry had in his entire career.
I happen to see almost every single game of Too's career.
I'm telling you so I respect his game. He's definitely
a Hall of Famer. He's not more deserving than Larry
fi Gerald. Let me also throw this out, Calvin Johnson, unbelievable.
(40:04):
You know it's the NFL, as your friendly neighborhood Pencils
sideline reporter, when Megatron would break the huddle and come
to the Cardinals sideline and right across from as Patrick Peterson,
you talk about an epic all time battle, and I
mean they were ten feet away from me and it
might as well have been another planet. The athleticism on
display right there. But did Calvin Johnson ever even play
in a single postseason game? Think of Larry's prowess in
(40:27):
his production in the playoffs compared to someone like Calvin Johnson.
I get it's not necessarily his fault. The Lions were
woeful at the time, but think of everything Larry did
in the playoffs and how he built that reputation a
national brand basically both based on the postseason.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
Yeah, no, you're right. Well, when you throw in Larry
Fitzgerald his seventeen years of course in the league, the
fact that fits. How many yards did he have passing yards?
Seventeen thousand, four hundred and ninety two receiving yards. Think
about that for a minute, the production that this guy
(41:03):
put up, and Polly I think also you have to
consider how many great quarterbacks did Larry Fitzgerald have how
many great quarterbacks? Man, I mean to go.
Speaker 6 (41:16):
From Kurt Warner to Carson Palmer and then two years
with Kyler, but one was his rookie year and the
second year was Covid. So yes, I get your point.
So maybe we're on the same Patriot because when I
look at Marvin Harrison, and I'm gonna take anything away
from Marvin Harrison, but if you put Larry Fitzgerald with
Peyton Manning.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
He's gonna have twenty seven thousand yards receiving.
Speaker 6 (41:37):
He'd have better numbers than Jerry Rice. He's number two
to Jerry Rice in virtually every category all time. And
he doesn't make the Quarter Century Team.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
Yeah, I don't know. I've got a little bit of
a problem with this quarter Century team. There's no doubt
about it. I do. And I think it starts with
Justin Jefferson. Again, a great wide receiver, a great he's
played five years in a league.
Speaker 6 (41:59):
Man, come on, yeah, yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you.
And look, Julio Jones played a lot of the same
years that Larry did. And Julio Jones is legit all pro.
He wasn't better than Larry Fitzgerald. I just read my
opinion on that, so okay, you know, but they need
to stir it up, right, They take out the big
soup spoon. They stir it up. They make sure there's
(42:20):
a little controversy. So what happens Guys like us are
talking about it. They get airtime, they get publicity across promotion.
I get it.
Speaker 1 (42:28):
You know what is interesting, though, Paully, Kaleis Campbell, and
Patrick Peterson, you were on the.
Speaker 6 (42:33):
List, yes, and deservedly so, I mean yes, you know
what we forget is Kaleis Campbell made the All Decade
Team in the twenty tens. Think about just how good
he was. He's in Europe team right now. So he's
a six time pro bowler, Kalaeis Campbell who has still
started every game of the last two years, and he's
(42:54):
aged thirty eight. And then Pat P Look Pat P
in his prime. Those all pro teams there or I mean,
other than Darrell Reeves, there really was no one better
in his era, and there aren't many corners in this
day and age. I don't know if there's a single
corner left in the NFL that will travel. We'll go
with one premiere wide receiver wherever he goes all over
(43:18):
the field, and that was Pat Pe.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Yeah, no, you're right, Pape. I just thinking of some
of the plays he made on some incredible throws, just
some of the plays he made. Pat Pe was one
of these guys who got a lot of passes defensed
as well for a corner. He was a guy that
could play in his own room very very well, but
also a guy that, as we know, could walk up
(43:41):
and play press man cover. But even when he played
press cover, and he played that a lot, pap Pe
was still so good in regard to playing press man
that he could still get his hands on a lot
of pigs and knock the ball away. That's a pass
defense and he did it very very well.
Speaker 6 (44:00):
And so as we come full circle on this ESPN
All quarter Century team that left Larry Fitzgerald off the team.
To your point, he had two long term, really good quarterbacks,
and Kurt Warner and Carson Palmer, and then in between man,
think of the turnover, Think of the different guys he
had to try and vibe with right to get chemistry with.
(44:20):
Think of the evolving door and the turnstile was of quarterbacks.
And yet Larry was productive every single season, regardless of
who threw him the football.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
Yes, so to me to leave him off of that
list outrageous.
Speaker 6 (44:34):
Yeah so.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
And by the way, even though we did go to pitt.
Speaker 6 (44:39):
By the way, he's up for a gold jacket. So
wolf get ready, get ready? Tis the year. This is
year five after he called it a career, Larry Fitzgerald
gonna be heading to Canton. I mean right, yeah, of
course it was up to ESPN All quarter century Team.
Maybe he wouldn't be going to Canadon as a first
ballot wide receiver. Hey, be part of the Red Sierra
(45:00):
on the Cardinals single game tickets on sale now. Tickets
available online by visiting Azycardinals dot com slash buy tickets Special.
Thanks Lorenzo Alexander for joining us for Ron Wolfley on
Paul Calvic Special. Thanks as always, Jim Almahundro, Cody Fincher,
Evan Reiser. This has been the Big Red Rage presented
by santan Ford in Gilbert.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
You've been listening to the Big Red Rage presented by
santan Ford and Gilbert right on the price, right on
the corner of the Santan two oh two Freeway and
Valvesta The Rage is brought to you by Arizona Cardinals Podcast.
Visit Azycardinals dot com slash podcast.
Speaker 1 (45:40):
We're gonna see a little, big red rage football right here.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
This has been an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals
Football Clock
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