May 14, 2025 • 51 mins
Ep. 884 - And now we know the when. The Arizona Cardinals schedule is out. It was released with much fanfare – more on that later. The who and the where have been known for months and on Wednesday, we got the when. Craig Grialou, Dani Sureck and Paul Calvisi dive into the 18-week, 17-game schedule. What do they like? What do they not like? How many primetime games did the Cardinals get? When is the bye week? And how many ‘revenge’ games are there? (Yes, Paul is keeping track.) Now, about the fanfare. “Rocketship,” aka inside linebacker Mack Wilson Sr., rapped the schedule. That’s right, rapped. To hear the song and to see the video, visit the Cardinals YouTube page or download the audio by searching Arizona Cardinals Music on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
It's now out, so what do we think? Welcome Bird Gang.
On today's show, Danny Surrek and Paul Calvc join me.
That's right, we go cover three to discuss the release
of the twenty twenty five NFL schedule. How many primetime games?
When is the bye week?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Let's get to it.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode eight eighty four, and it
starts now.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome to Cardinals Cover two?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Who to Baker?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
What Heart? What rent?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
This guy's unbelievable?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of
the Arizona Cardinals, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals
dot com slash podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
He's a the ten half of five. He's it again,
so more hurry magic.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Whow Here's Craigcrioler. So we all have in our hand
a copy of the Arizona Cardinals schedule. A reminder the
opponents NFC South, AFC South third place teams out of
the NFC North, NFC East, and AFC North now based
(01:11):
on last year's schedule, and the opponents fifth easiest schedule
on paper. Paul, the fifth easiest schedule, which means absolutely nothing.
But I just thought I'd throw it out here, Craig.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Let's just get it over with all right, When do
you going to Seattle? When do we have to stand
in front of the twelves? What about Cincinnati? You know,
on to Cincinnati? When exactly is that Tampa Friz factor
or no, we need to know that. Let's just get
the vitals out of the way right off the top here, Danny,
what pressing question did you have going into the schedule release.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
Well, players want to know when's the bye week. That's
the first thing they're looking for. So some of the
key takeaways right off the bat is Cardinals bye week
is October twenty sixth, which is week eight, right, So
you're gonna look for the bye week, You're gonna look
for the home opener, and then you're gonna look for
primetime games and weather games. And that's really how you
(02:07):
break it down when you're taking a first glance at
the schedule.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Well, since you asked two primetime games, the Cardinals are
going to be on Thursday night for the first time
in three seasons. They will host the Seattle Seahawks. Your
team there all on Thursday night football, and then they've
got a Monday night trip to the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Thank you for not saying my Dallas Cowboys. It can
be Paul, Seattle Seahawks, but just the Dallas Cowboys over here.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Definitely somebody else's twelves, and you know what, twelves, that's
what you get. You're gonna have to travel on a
weekday on a short week to get on the road
if you want to come see your Seahawks in the
az guess what. It's gonna require a midweek stay. And
we all know the record of road teams on Thursday nights,
so there's a lot to like about hosting Seattle on
the Thursday.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
May I just say that opening on the road at
New Orleans, the home opener is week two against the
Carolina Panthers. We'll go game by game or month by month,
but just on the surface you look at it, there's
not a three game road trip or a three week
road trip. The Cardinals do close with three out of
four on the road, which depending on where you are
(03:16):
and certainly having to travel to Houston. Oh, there's that
trip to see Cincinnati there Paul in late December, which
could be a little dicing and closing on the road
against the Rams, but how you start and how you finish.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Two of the.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
First three on the road, three of the last four
on the road.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, I'm looking at those last five really the last
six if you want to look at the final six
games to the season. Considering Tampa, they're really bullish on
what they're building, Todd Bowles and company, what they have going.
So you got to go on the road for that one,
although albeit it's gonna be decent weather right late November.
But then you have the Rams twice in the last
(03:54):
five games at Cincinnati. We know how the Bengals open seasons,
and we know how the Bengals close seasons. So if
you had your preference, you'd much rather play Cincinnati in
September instead of late December or in January. And then
you get the Rams twice once again. And Houston. You
know a CJ. Stroud and company. We know how good
they've been the last couple of years. So the last
(04:15):
six games of this schedule are daunting, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Well, we should probably start with the start of the season, though,
if there's one team in the entire league that you
would want to see Week one, it's harder to argue
anything other than the Saints, who just had their quarterback
retire less than a week ago, so there's a lot
of questions. You've got a first time head coach in
Kellen Moore out there in New Orleans, so there's the
(04:38):
advantage right now where things stand before players truly take
the field is heavily on the Cardinals. And then you
open up at home week two against Carolina. Those are
two games that again where things stand right now, which
sounds a little silly to say, as those should be
wins for the Cardinals. It's about as close to feeling
that way as you can.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
We are, yeah, smack dab in the middle of May.
The season doesn't begin until September. So let's go month
by month here. We can't really go quarter by quarter
because you got a seventeen game regular season as opposed
to sixteen, but let's just break it down by month.
In the month of September, Week one, September seventh on
the road at New Orleans. Third straight year the Cardinals
(05:20):
are opening on the road and Danny, as you mentioned,
the big question, and it's going to be a question
all off season, is who is QB one for New
Orleans With Derek Carr announcing his retirement. You do have
a couple of local high school standouts, though, competing for
that job in Spencer Ratler and Tyler Shuck, and a
first year head coach. I don't know if it's I
(05:40):
can look at it one of two ways, advantage and disadvantage.
The end of advantages, well, the Cardinals have all the experience.
The disadvantage is do you really know what you're gonna
see from the New Orleans That.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Is not a disadvantage, And I mean that in the
least disrespectful way. Are you really expecting Tyler Shock to
come out and absolutely blow you out of the water
Week one is such a disadvantage? No, he wasn't you know,
number one, number two overall pick as a quarterback.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
We're not talking about a cam Ward situation here, So no,
I understand that that argument from a larger picture, That
was something we had talked about last year, getting ready
to face Jade Daniels with Washington early on and not
having a lot of film there. I just don't I
don't see how that could be an advantage for New
Orleans given their personnel and what we know about them
(06:26):
at this time.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Maybe it's just a game planning advantage for New Orleans
and maybe just for the first what drive or quarter
or half a Nick Rolis sits there and goes, okay,
this I've figured it out. Here's how we defend New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Is it truly an advantage though? Of you might have
an idea, but you still got to go up against
the personnel. Look at how this Cardinals organization has beeped off,
beefed up their defensive line for example, Right like you
can know what the game plan is, doesn't mean you're
gonna be able to go out and physically be able
to dominate them.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Look Tyler Shook, local kid, we get it to typical
in a lot of ways, but if you look at
his analytics, his stats when facing pass rushes, under pressure,
throwing with men in his face not good. And combined
with the fact this will be his NFL debut. If
indeed he's the guy, he's gonna be given every single
(07:16):
chance to be their starting quarterback. With the Cardinals bolstered
and revamp pass rush, that'll be really interesting. That'll be
really interesting to see what the cause and effect there
is with a Cardinals defensive front against that particular rookie quarterback.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Here's a little nugget for you on pregame, Paul, the
Cardinals have not beaten the Saints in New Orleans since
nineteen ninety six. Really, really, that's just based off that
was the Lashawn Johnson two hundred and fifty yard game.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I was at that game in nineteen ninety six.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
So we're having Vignet's and bourbon for breakfast.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yeah, if Craig could especially just put it out there exactly.
You were just there for a wedding, Danny, so you
know where to go. I'll follow you on that one.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
So after the two of you survive Bourbon Street in
Week one, you come home.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
That's better, little better.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Week two at home against the Carolina Panthers, because it
wouldn't be a schedule without the Panthers showing up on
the Arizona Cardinals' schedule. Second straight year, six times in
the last seven years, the Cardinals will play the Panthers.
This time, though, Paul, it's at home, and that's a
little bit more of an advantage because the Cardinals don't
typically do well on the road against the Panthers.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
That is true, And you know what, that was probably
the most disappointing loss of last season in a lot
of ways, just the way the Cardinals got behind in
that first half and they ultimately fell in overtime. So
this is a payback game for what happened in Week
sixteen last year against Carolina. It's also a game against
a team that had the worst defense in the league
a year ago. They allowed a league worst thirty one
(08:50):
plus points per game. They allowed nearly one hundred eighty
yards rushing per game. They had just thirty two sacks,
third worst. They have spent and let's just put it
this way, Carolina's owner David Tepp, he can afford it
hedge fund money. They spent nearly two hundred and fifty
million dollars in free agency on their defense Carolina, so
they're trying. They're doing everything they can. Bryce Young had
(09:11):
a nice finish to the end of last season. But
once again, I think the Cardinals will be plenty motivated
because in Week two they'll certainly remember what happened at
the end of last season. Cardinals then on the road
for their first division game Week three at San Francisco.
Cardinals very good at Levi Stadium seven and four. So
(09:31):
the first time you'll see the forty nine ers and
it comes in Week three.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
This is a sneaky weather game. We talked about Cincinnati,
We've talked about Tampa Bay. San Francisco was brutal last year,
and that was.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Week four, but it was only eighty nine. That was
I don't know what the two we were talking about it.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yeah, that was cooking the books, that's what that was.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Spent two and a half hours in direct sunlight. When
you talk about the pregame radio show in the booth,
where I had to sit under a able for any
sort of relief, and then I was on the field
pregame for an hour and a half and I will
spare you guys the details, but I was sweating the
entire day. Even when I made it back to the
ice cold press box, I could not cool off. That
(10:14):
was when. That was when the equipment staff was having
to hold makeshift shades over the bench.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Oh yeah, no doubt. I mean that was way. There's
only one team that would have won that game last
year in those conditions, and it's the Arizona Cardinals, because
the Cardinals had practiced in similar type weather that week
leading up to that game, where photographers on the sideline
had pictures of the temperature the thermometers on the sideline
one to eleven. So now that was record ridiculous, freak
(10:43):
heat in that. You know, as a couple of guys
who grew up in the Bay Area, I mean, I've
never seen anything even close to that, So I'm not
expecting that. But is it trash talking NFC West style
if I mark this down as a home game because
the Cardinals pretty much own Levi Stadium over the years. Honestly,
I mark the Niners in Santa Clara downt as a
(11:04):
home game. I'm gonna do that right now.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
The seven wins the Cardinals have at Levi Stadium are
more than any other team has at that venue.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
That's a ding. And yeah, there's just something about going
in there, you know, the Niners and the Cardinals and
the rivalry, and after the Cardinals swept the Niners last
year and so much talk about forty nine ers rebounding
from the six wins season. Okay, we'll see. And brock
Perty has played pretty well against his hometown team once
upon a time, the Cardinals player of the year in
(11:32):
high school. We get it. There's all the great storylines,
but with Christian McCaffrey back, it's going to be a
different challenge presuming he's healthy and ready to go. And
yet another reason why you bolstered your defensive front to
stop because when the Niners have beaten the Cardinals, it's
almost certainly the last few years been when CMC has
had a big game.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
First true test. I think this schedule is this two
games right here, you're on the road at San Francisco
and then a short week a home game against the
Seahawks Thursday night football. By the way, Seattle is home
to the Saints prior to that, so again advantage Cardinals.
You're at home, the Seahawks have to travel, It's not
(12:12):
a quick flight from Seattle, and the Cardinals do get
the first of what are two scheduled primetime games and
the first time in a long time playing on a
short week on a Thursday.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Night, back to back division games. I made the league
wants to see the NFC West showdown early this season,
and I still feel, and we talked about this earlier
in the offseason when some of the moves are being made,
this is the Cardinals division to lose. When you're looking
at consistency from the coaching staff, from the players, specifically
on the offensive side of the ball, the defense of veterans,
(12:47):
the presence that has been brought into this organization. The
Cardinals have had a stellar offseason, and I think it's
going to be a very competitive division season amongst all
four teams. I really do think though the Cardinals have
a huge advantage when you're looking around the NFC West
at some of the changes the rest of those teams
have been experiencing. I am curious since the league announced
(13:11):
draft weekend those rivalry jerseys, and the NFC West was
one of the divisions that's going to be experiencing that.
I wonder if that's going to be what we're going
to see Thursday night against the Seahawks on.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
A national level, to debut those uniforms.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
That makes total sense. Just tell me, please, Seattle doesn't
come in wearing those neon green deals. You know where
the look like the highlighter pen. I mean, is Seattle
coming in wearing those? I don't know, nobody.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
I'm not private to that information.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Nobody's better for that, especially the national TV audience. But
you know what, the Cardinals and Seahawks have played some
epic primetime games over the years, the last ten to
fifteen years, and this could be yet another one of them.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Is my memory correct in that the last time the
Cardinals had a Thursday night game was against the Saints
when Marco Wilson had that epic somersault off the pick
six Andy Dalton, Zach.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yes, remember Dalton and the meme right of Dalton like
throwing his hands up walking off the field, and then
in the background is Mark Owoios with the full front flip.
Oh yeah, that was money. That was a rare.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Thursday night home win for the Cardinals. There are two
and six when they host teams on Thursday night.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
That's interesting. The other interesting thing about Seattle is in
the whole Jalen Milrow, dynamic third round quarterback who's making
a huge buzz up there in Seattle. Are they gonna
have a package of plays ready for him? Mike McDonald
has already pretty much said yes, So you're gonna have
to prepare for a quarterback who's darn near as athletic
(14:41):
as Kyler Murray. In fact, he's one of only three
quarterbacks along with Kyler Murray in the last ten years,
to get a Max ninety nine athleticism score. Coming out
of the combine. So it's gonna be there's gonna be
Sam Darnold, who's gonna be a statue behind that Yankee
Seattle offensive line. This is gonna be Jalen Milroe is
gonna be ridiculously athletic. I'm real curious to see how
they use those two guys.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
So you close September with a potential rookie quarterback, You
open October with what we presume will be a rookie
quarterback when you host the Titans on October fifth, in
Week five, number one overall pick cam Ward, So your
first five games potentially could have three rookie quarterbacks. Three
(15:23):
out of the first five games you are facing unknown
at least on the NFL level. Again, advantage disadvantage the disadvantages.
You don't have a lot of game film, although with
cam Ward you will have at least four weeks of
tape to look at to figure out what are you
doing with that Titans offense?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
And you presume it's going to be cam Ward. I mean,
Will Levis says he's not been good. Right, thirty third
overall pick twenty twenty three is going into his third season.
He's five and sixteen as a starter. He has more
interceptions and fumbels loss combined than touchdown passes. So they're
gonna take every opportunity they can to give the starting
(15:59):
job to cam Ward. And we'll see he's gonna wear
number one. He got the blessing of Warren Moon. He's
gonna come in. I quite frankly, I thought he should
have gone Will Johnson. He should have gone number zero
because he was a zero star recruit out of high
school and went to Incarnate Word and then Washington State
and they end up into Miami. But uh yeah, Brian Callahan,
the head coach, they have a new GM. They just
(16:22):
haven't been able to find a quarterback basically, you know,
his Warren Moon, Steve McNair and a lot of nothing.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Ever since the second regular season visit to State Farm
Stadium for the Tennessee Titans and then back on the road. Now,
this is interesting because the Cardinals only played at Lucas
Oil Stadium once before heading into this season. Yet for
a lot of US Stanny it's a yearly venture to
(16:48):
Lucas Oil Stadium.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Scot correct, because Cardinals played at Lucas Oil in the
preseason last year. I remember that game vividly.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
It's regular season records with this. So, yeah, the Cardinals
at the Colts in Week six, and again I guess
we had asked the question about the quarterback, is it
Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones. We've been told Danny it's
going to be an open competition, and I mean, you
look at the quarterbacks, just the Cardinals that will have
to face of the first six weeks, there's some unknown
(17:17):
as far as resumes.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
If you will, again not to be disrespectful, if it's
a competition, I mean, is one utterly spectacular right that
for the Cardinals defense to have to face. You don't
still really know what you have and Richardson after all
of these years, and you kind of know what you
have in Daniel Jones, which is inconsistent. So even if
there is a competition, you might not know who the
(17:39):
quarterback is going to be again when you're looking at
the skill level. I don't see that so much as
a true disadvantage for the Cardinals. I do think that
is going to be a fun matchup just for the
fact of the connections between the head coaches Jonathan Gannon
Shane Steichen. They were together Gannon spent three years as
a DB's coach in Indy earlier in his career, so
(18:01):
there's a lot of fun storylines there. And then of
course wide receiver Marvin Harrison Junior his dad in the
Hall of Fame with the Colts.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
That's right. Yeah, he got a lot of media attention
going back to those joint practices last year. So absolutely
that'll be a huge storyline, especially for the Indianapolis media.
Stike in against Jonathan Gannon to trash talking guys when
they were the coordinators in Philadelphia, an immense amount of
respect for each other. That's the reason why they had
the joint practice a year ago because of the connection
(18:27):
and the relationship between those two. Anthony Richardson completed less
than fifty percent of his passes last year. He's erratic
at best. He's been working on his mechanics with a
bunch of different QB coaches and like Tom House, who's
a former like pitching coach, so he's doing everything he can.
But they owed Daniel Jones one from Jonathan Gannon's first year,
remember that twenty eight to three lead Week three against
(18:49):
the Giants two years ago, and then that blown lead
in the second half and Daniel Jones helped lead the
Giants back. So once again, you know, I'm keeping track
of the whole payback thing. I got Daniel Jones down
payback for the Giants two years ago.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
This time around, we might not be able to attend
the Indiana State Fair with the timing, although Craig, we
can't take them to some of our favorite spots that
we go to for the combine every year.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
So the State Fair typically is not in mid October.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Is that what you're saying.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
No, it was during the time we were there for
a preseason last till August.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Yeah, okay, all right, that's unfortunate for you, Paul.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
I know you're a big I know you didn't get
any pickle pizza. Well it was gonna okay, that's what
was the crazy fair food. Pickled pizza.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
It was pretty good.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Yeah, okay, I'll take your word for it. Thankfully I
was not there to taste uts.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
So next we will all be together in Week seven,
when the Cardinals host the Packers, the NFL's second oldest
rivalry between the Cardinals, or second behind only the Cardinals
and the Bear second straight year in which the Cardinals
faced the Packers, so we'll get that Max Melton Bell
Melton match ups. That was a lot of fun last
year and a little bit at the different wrinkle. Pay attention, Paul.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Okay, we go. Have you check the Packers roster? Do
you remember who was on the Green Bay Packers? Okay,
I actually saw this, I do. I did see this. Danny,
are you aware of a certain former cardinal who's now
a member of the Packers.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
It is it is slipping my mind right now. You
guys know something I don't.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Isaiah Simmons, oh Wind late in the offseason, Isaiah Isaiah.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
The hybrid that wasn't the last two years with the
Giants never made it out of camp. First year with
Jonathan Gannon Amani asin Ford got traded for the seventh
round pick. He started one game a year ago. I
looked it up before he got on and yeah, he
only played one third of the special team snaps and
like sixteen percent of the defensive snaps.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Had that blocked? What field goal?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Block? Block?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Right block field goal?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
He did?
Speaker 4 (20:48):
I don't think I realized he was no longer with
New York and I don't think I saw that he
signed with Green Bay. Interesting revenge game, Ye.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, keeps up. There's another one. There's another revenge angle.
You're right, every single week we're gonna come up the
revenge angle. There's something there. So they think they're gonna
be able to use him in a multitude of roles.
We'll see how that works out for green Bay. But
in terms of you know, look, they took Matthew Golden,
who's a four to two nine guy. They took him
in the first round. First receiver they took in the
first round of more than twenty years. Of course, they
(21:17):
lost Christian Watson, their playmaking receiver, in the regular season
finale to the torn acl so we presume he won't
be available there. But you want a revenge game. Cardinals
went to green Bay and Matt Lafleur he had his
way with that play calling. Jordan Love looked really good
at Lambeau a year ago against the Cardinals, so don't
think they haven't forgotten about that.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Getting a win against green Bay going into the bye
week would certainly be nice the Cardinals with their earliest
bye week since twenty twenty. By the way, this is
a good reminder here Asycardinals dot com forward slash tickets,
Asycardinals dot Com forward slash tickets if you want to
be at State Farm Stadium not only in September and October,
but throughout the entire season. In the month of November, though,
(22:01):
this is the one that we all have circled on
the calendar, at least Danny has circled on the calendar.
November three at Dallas. It is a Monday Nights football appearance.
Cardinals at the Cowboys. Cardinals are three and oh all
time at at and T Stadium. Kyler Murray is nine
and oh all time at at and T Stadium. And
I believe Danny Sirek is two and oh against the
(22:24):
Dallas Cowboys since her since she joined the Arizona Cardinals.
So we got a lot of records on the line
here on this one.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Revenge game. Marked that down, Marked that down.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, if Danny goes in this column here, revenge game,
that's good.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
I was creeping my eye on this one. I had
my fingers crossed for Thanksgiving for selfish reasons. But I'll
take Monday night game. This is going to be exciting.
Kyler Murray has thrived at eight and T Stadium at
every point in his career, going back to high school football.
I think it's an exciting quarterback matchup with Murray and
Dak Prescott, and the Cowboys have added some weapons. They
(22:58):
brought in George Piggins to be op of Cede Lamb.
They've got a few offensive weapons as well, and then
Micah Parsons right, so the Cowboys have their fair share
of weapons. The question mark is new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Now he was with the staff prior, so that's going
to be a team that I think is exciting to
see at that point in the year of maybe they
would have found their flow and how the Cardinals can
(23:21):
combat that at.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Another revenge game. Clayton Adams Cardinals offensive line coach. Yes,
the new OCO, Brian Schottenheimer.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Sam yep. And that's the reason they hurt him is
because they wanted a running game. They were one of
the worst rushing teams in the NFL, and they looked
at the Cardinals offense the last couple of years, top five,
top ten in almost every single rushing category in two
years with Clayton Adams leading the offensive line, and so
boom he comes in. He's the offensive coordinator. Now in Dallas, they.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Drafted Tyler Booker, the offensive lineman yep.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
And you know the last time they took a guard
in the first round, Zach Martin, that worked out pretty well.
So if they're going to build from the inside out
and rebuild that offensive line, and it needed it needed
some additions. Think about Dallas is the league must know
something we don't because they put them in the season
opener NFL kickoff game at Philadelphia. They've given them a
bunch of other premiere and or primetime time slots right
(24:17):
there on the Christmas Day game on Netflix against Washington.
And I get it. There's a lot of really good
teams in that division, there's a lot of really good rivalries,
are a lot of big TV markets, but Dallas is
getting a lot of love this year.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I think from the schedule for a year, it's America's
team Paul.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
They haven't been in an NFC championship game in thirty years.
And so anyway, don't don't don't get me started on
this one. You know what, this is a revenge game
for you, not only Danny, but myself as well, first
time this year.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Just make sure you bring sunglasses and in case the curtains.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
That's right after a road trip to Dallas, Cardinals will
head to Seattle, so the first time this season back
to back road game. It comes in Week ten Cardinals
at the Seahawks. Cardinals again very good at Lumen Field,
and this wraps up your two games against the Seahawks
the following week. By the way, Week eleven is a
home game against the forty nine Ers. So by Week eleven,
(25:15):
you have finished facing two thirds or two of your
three NFC West opponents. You are done with the forty
nine Ers, you are done with the Seahawks by mid
November without even facing the Rams.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
Yet, We're gonna save the Rams because I know we're
working our way down the schedule. But I would say,
if there were one team you were to ask me
in the NFC West, I would prefer to not face
twice in the back half of the season, given how
they typically finish the regular season. My answer would have
been the Rams, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I completely agree with you on that one. San Francisco
typically at the end of the year, there's a real
good chance they're going to be really banged up and
really injured, in a shell of their former self. In
terms of the roster, it happens more often than not seemingly.
But yeah, you're gonna Seattle and San Francisco out of
the way by week ten. So that's interesting. Going to
Seattle at that point of the year. Could be torrential rain.
(26:08):
You could be spared. It's hard to tell at that point.
I will say this, at that point in the season,
I wonder how different Seattle's gonna look if Sam Darnold
is in. You know, they can't keep him upright and
keep him healthy. It could be the Jalen Milroe show
through luck time at that point. Who knows. I mean,
and from all accounts, you know, they fired their first
(26:29):
year offensive coordinator because he wasn't running the ball. So
Seattle wants to run the ball, and Zach Charbonay might
be the feature back this year instead of Kenneth Walker
based on some of the buzz coming out of Seattle
rookie camp and some of the off season stuff, just
because Zach Charbonay had a much better yards per carry
averaging Kenneth Walker. So I'm curious what they're gonna look like.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
So you think of the struggle that Cardinals had running
the ball against Seattle last year, I mean, you've got
to think that's going to be something that is going
to be a huge target preparing for Seattle this year, and.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
You've got to figure out an answer to Leonard Williams
number ninety nine. He wrecked both games, especially the game
at Seattle. You know, he played him twice in three
weeks in the middle of last year around the by
coming in and going out, and Leonard Williams was a
big time problem. You got to figure that out, just
like every other NFC West team has to figure out
Trey McBride, Cardinals have to figure out Big Cat Williams.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
So your first three games in November at Dallas, at Seattle,
home to the forty nine ers, and then you have
another home game, So back to back home games for
the second time this season in twenty twenty five weeks
eleven and twelve. Cardinals will host the Jaguars on November
twenty third, And this is the one that I'm looking
(27:39):
forward to because you get to see second overall pick
Travis Hunter two way player, and the Cardinals once upon
a time had their own two way player in Roy Green.
And I remember hearing you, I can't remember if it
was on Big Red Rage or Underground mentioning you would
like to see that meeting take place pre game. Roy
Green on the field with.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Travis That is a photo op waiting to happen jet
stream and Travis Hunter. You know what's interesting, and and
Roy was really insightful as you might imagine as to look,
it's just not feasible for him to play both sides
of the ball with any sort of entirety in a
game over the course of his season because by the
end of the season, you've played two seasons compared to
(28:21):
everyone else. And it's interesting Pro football focus. Last year
at Colorado, Hunter played one four hundred and sixty one snaps.
By comparison, Patrick sir Tan, your Defensive Player of the
Year cornerback for the Broncos in seventeen games, played nine
hundred and seventy eight snaps. So he played five hundred
more snaps as a receiver in a dB at Colorado
(28:42):
in a much shorter season than Patrick Sirtan did. And
right now the Jaguars are using him at receiver in
the rookie minting camp. It's receiver first, it's dB second.
And we know Brian Thomas Junior, their rookie receiver, ended
up in the Pro Bowl, So it's a nice one
to two punch for the Jaguars to come in with
a first year head coach, first year GM, first year
team president. It's going to be a whole new look
(29:04):
with the Jags.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
You were talking about how different Seattle could look from
earlier in the season to the middle of the season.
One of the most exciting position battles for the Cardinals
throughout training camp is going to be in the secondary,
that cornerbacks room. And we saw a bit of a
rotation opposite mostly of Sean Murphy bunting outside last year
with Starling Thomas and Max Meltin. I'm curious to see
how the Cardinals secondary is going to look at the
(29:26):
start of the season towards this part here in the
middle and where rookie Will Johnson is going to have
a role in this. If we're talking about seeing Hunter
mostly as a wide receiver, that's going to be an
exciting matchup whoever he's going to be lined up against.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Yeah, is it happening early in the season with Will
Johnson or does it take a little time Because it
did take time with Max Meltin last season.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
And by the time Jacksonville comes to Arizona, Travis Hunter
could be playing a vastly different game than he does
in the first half of the season. He might be
finding whether that is mentally or physically, he's not able
to be a quote unquote true two way player, right
he might be mostly playing on one side of the
ball by the time he comes to State Farm Stadium.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Because remember Deon Sanders of Colorado would give him several
days off to recuperate after every Buffs game. Well, he's
not gonna get that ability, that luxury in the NFL.
And by the way, Jacksonville a year ago went one
in eight on the road. So Cardinals welcome Jacksonville two.
State Farm Stadium for its twentieth season.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
The month of November ends with a trip to Tampa Bay.
This is one of two trips outside of the NFC
West in which Paul keeps an eye on.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Roof no roof.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
This has a no roof component to it. But you
get Tampa Bay at the end of November as opposed
to maybe in September. Is this good bad? You prefer
Tampa Bay on the schedule right now here, Paul could.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Be torrential rain. But it shouldn't. You shouldn't you know,
visitors sideline you're gonna get the direct sun, so it
shouldn't Obviously, it'll be ideal in terms of the temperature
in Tampa that time a year. You can't go there
without thinking of Super Bowl forty three and standing on
the sideline and then envisioning Larry Fitzgerald making free for
what you thought might be a Super Bowl winning touchdown.
(31:03):
And so all the flashbacks will be there on the sideline.
But again, you know a lot of respect for Todd Bowles,
and that's going to be a great matchup Kyler Murray
and the Cardinals offense against Todd Bowles and that defense.
And every time Kyler and Baker Mayfield hook up, I
mean it's the game within the game that those two
guys are competitive to the ninety ninth percentile, but when
(31:24):
they play each other, it is off the hook.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Yeah, the fact that Tampa Bay is not in September
is great news for us that will be traveling and
spending time outside on the field, and that's right after Thanksgiving.
That's that's where we are in the calendar right now.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
By the way, Kyler three to zero against Baker Mayfield
in the NFL, Oh, that's right.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
So if you want to put that in another game,
then there's a revenge game too. You're right, absolutely, Okay,
we just keep going.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
We head to December, and now on December seventh, Week fourteen,
the Rams finally show up on the schedule. Cardinals face
the Rams in Week two last season. They have to
wait until week fourteen to see them this season, and
that this just might be a quirk. But again to
your point, Danny, it's this is when Sean McVay Matthew
(32:12):
Stafford are at their best late in the season, those
final month month.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
And a half.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
You don't have majority of a season for Devontae Adams
to get comfortable with McVeigh and with Stafford. And I
don't love that idea. Now, DeVante Adams was not the
same receiver we saw him in Green Bay last year
with the Jets, and there was so much going on there,
So that's understandable. So it's a big question mark of
which Devonte Adams is LA going to get. I don't
(32:39):
love the fact that the first time you are seeing
LA is so late in the season, just because of
the chemistry that they will have by that point and
the momentum they always seem to find that late in
the season. But the Cardinals are gonna have to step up.
And there were times, i mean at home week two
last season, Arizona crushed them. And there were moments when
they ended last season on the road in La that
(33:01):
Arizona looked good and was competitive and up until that
final play had the game within their hands. So I'm
expecting that to be a competitive game between the Cardinals
and the Rams.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Yeah, that's facts right there. I mean, think about that
last game Week seventeen at the La Rams. He had
a fourth and one early second quarter and the Cardinals
got stuffed behind a decimated offensive line. They were so
injured and James Connor couldn't pick it up. They were
inside the twenty. That was a gamble and then all
of a sudden, the Rams responded. So that was a
big turn in the game. Then, obviously the deflection off
(33:31):
the helmet of Trey McBride and the critical interception in
the end zone. That's how close the Cardinals were to
sweeping the Rams a year ago, a Rams team that
took the Eagles all the way down in the snow
on the road in the playoffs, to the final few
minutes of that postseason game, I think the Rams probably
petitioned the league and said, we don't want to play
the Cardinals in September any longer, because there were There
have also been times when Cardinals had gone to so
(33:53):
fine September and Jack stopped the Rams as well. So
here's the other thing, though, less Need is all of
a sudden a believer in dry picks again. And I
think I think that's why the Rams in part have
been so good towards the end of the last two seasons,
is because Loo's young players have matured. Now are rookies
going to be as big a factor on their depth
(34:14):
chart as a year's pass. So maybe, just maybe they
don't peak towards the end of the season like they
have in years pass because they don't have all these
young guys coming into their own like Jared Versu and
Braden Fisted a year ago.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
So after a home game against the Rams, your final
four games, the stretch where you have three of four
on the road, Week fifteen, the Cardinals will be at Houston.
Cardinals have never won on the road against the texanszer
and three. It's a kind of a odd little quirk
because you don't play the Texans a lot but again,
what are you getting with CJ. Stroud? It's your three?
(34:47):
Are you getting the rookie CJ. Stroud or are you
getting these sophomore slump CJ.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
Strout?
Speaker 4 (34:51):
Another game, the Cardinals were competitive up until the end.
It was an interception that sealed the game for Houston.
That was when kaisier white toward his bicep. I will
say as a doubt the name of not many positives
I can say about the city of Houston that that stadium,
though energy, did surprise me with one of my favorite
press box spreads. I am looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Wow, not expecting that that was a good one.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
There's no revenge or payback game for that one.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
A second, I mean, we all liked.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Him when he played here. Christian Kirk is on the
Houston tex.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Local.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
He has not faced his former team yet. This will
be the first time.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
That is true. And him and Kyler, they they were tight.
And but the respect I had for c J. Strouder
after watching him that rookie campaign. I mean, guys, I've
told you you can count on one hand how many
times Cardinals players have come off the bench and walked
up to the white stripe to watch another player in person.
Speaker 4 (35:50):
C J.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Stroud was that guy two years ago. A lot of
Cardinals players wanted to see the rookie quarterback and literally
they walked up, they'd watch a series, they nod their
head to say, yep, legit, and sure enough he led
Houston to that big playoff win his rookie season. Now
they sort of flatten out a year ago and look,
their offensive line was not good a year ago, and
a lot of people drew a connection, a correlation between
(36:13):
his play and how often he was getting hit and harassed.
So that was a difference in that game. If you
go back a couple of years ago, if the Cardinals
can go in with the revamp pass rush and they
can bring some heat and effects c J. Stroud, I
don't think he'll be nearly as effective as he was
two years ago.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Moving to Week sixteen, the final home game of the
regular season, Cardinals hosts the Falcons on December twenty first,
And this is just looking at some of the notes
and going back to history, this has been always been
a sneaky close matchup. Say what you want about the
Falcons and what they do and who might be quarterbacking
that team. Kirk Cousins still on the roster last I checked,
so not expecting him to be quarterback at that point
(36:50):
in late December. But the last three meetings between these
two teams all decided by two points or fewer, and
for the most part, it's taken a last second field
goal for the game to be decided. So even though
it's Atlanta, they just whatever it is them and the Cardinals,
it's always close.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
The home team has won thirteen straight seventeen of the
last eighteen meetings between these two clubs.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Wow, that is crazy. And you know what, Atlanta finished
with the exact same record as the Cardinals a year ago,
eight wins. Here's the thing. Though Atlanta hasn't made the
playoffs since twenty seventeen, they've had seven straight losing records.
They've tried to fix the pass rush. They for some reason,
gave the Rams a first round pick to trade back
into round one. To understand, James Pierce Junior to move
(37:36):
up like the Rams only had to move down like
twenty spots and they get a Round one pick next
year out of it. I certainly didn't like that in
terms of the NFC West, but they also signed Leonard
Floyd so they knew it. They finished second to last
in sacks a year ago. They had to Raheem Morris
said it, we have to get to the quarterbacks. So
they went all out trying to prove the pass rush.
But to me, if you stop their run game, Bjeon Robinson,
(37:58):
Tyler Algier used to off the Falcons. I mean they
want to come out, they want to rune. I know
they have weapons. I get it, they have Kyle Pitts
and Drake London. But if they can run the ball,
that's where the Cardinals have had issues stopping the Falcons
in the past.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Is this the year we see Kyle Pitts do something.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Worthy of his draft position?
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Right?
Speaker 2 (38:17):
That's fair?
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Yeah, top ten and yeah, it just hasn't lived up
to the hype, not even close. Speaking of hype, how
about Week seventeen on the road at Cincinnati. This is
either going to be a Saturday or a Sunday game.
But you have the first ever matchup between former Heisman
Trophy winners and number one overall picks in Kyler Murray
and Joe Burrow. You've got the hometown return of Paris Johnson.
(38:39):
Junior Bengals draft picks Joanah Williams and a Keem Davis
Gate there face their former teams for the first time.
But we are all concerned and wonder what the weather
is going to be like for you, Paul, because I
did look it up and if you just google average
temperature in December in Cincinnati, I got arranged from thirty
two to forty one degrees.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
That's not bad, Okay, that's the average. That's the average.
But like the last three years, hasn't there been like
a crazy range in the temperatures? Right if you take
a look at it. In fact, if I can call
it up right here, here we go. So the last
three week seventeen games hosted by Cincinnati last year was
sixty degrees. In twenty one it was thirty three degrees,
(39:22):
and then in nineteen it was sixty four degrees, sixty
thirty three, and sixty four.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
So we're thinking more towards the thirty range then, right,
if we're going pattern.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
I don't want to speak for you, Paul, but I
think when you're looking at weather games the last two years,
we really have luckdown You're down there mostly during the game,
and I'm down there pregames, So I am right there
with you, not as long, but I feel your pain.
But when you look at the last two years on
the road of open stadiums Philadelphia, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo,
(39:57):
Green Bay, Miami, we really have looked out with the
weather god, So I think, do I think? And if
it's one game somewhere like Cincinnati, we can handle it.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
So it's a we're due be stifling he griping and
grousing about the last couple of years because we've had
a pretty good and I would agree with that, and
I would say the bigger problem for the Cardinals going
to play the Bengals would be Joe Burrow in December
and January has been really good. So to me, Cardinals,
if they're in a position right here to make a
playoff push and they're challenging for that playoff spot a
(40:32):
road win at Cincinnati against Joe Burrow in week seventeen,
that would be big time to me. That's going to
be a real test as to whether the Cardinals are
playoff worthy.
Speaker 4 (40:40):
Is Trey Hendrickson a Cincinnati Bengal who knows he.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Playing after he diss Zach Taylor the other day? Maybe not?
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Yeah, that's that's gonna be fun to follow from Afar
and another.
Speaker 4 (40:52):
Really exciting position battle when you're talking about Cardinals secondary
and the Bengals wide receivers room, I mean, some of
the best in the league. So that'll be exciting to watch.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
And two years ago Jamar Chase at a month in
one game against the Cardinals c is really good and
that yeah, to Danny's point, you're right, I mean Joe Burrow, yes,
but you know Jamar Chase, the combination of those two.
You let those two get rolling and game over.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Season ends in Los Angeles week eighteen January, third or
fourth again, second time in five weeks, facing the Rams,
and you're closing with back to back road games for
the first time since twenty twenty three of four on
the road. So yeah, if you if you have put
yourself in position, if you're the Cardinals and you have
put yourself in position to be a playoff team, three
(41:39):
of four on the road is a true test whether
you make the postseason or sit home and watch the postseason.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
And this could be exciting if if the Cardinals are
able to be competitive at that point, you could possibly
be playing for first place in the division, right like
you could be playing for essentially a home game against
the Rams at that point, so I would expect a
lot to be writing on that game if the Cardinals
are still making a push for the playoffs at that point.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
I think this matchup is telling I think the league
is telling us what they think of the NFC West.
I really do in years past, the Week eighteen matchup
in the NFC West has a lot of times been
the Rams and forty nine Ers because the league expects
those two to be a top or back when Coach
Double Rainbow had the Seahawks really rolling, and it's a
(42:27):
lot of times it was the Seahawks and Niners in
the Week eighteen matchup. The fact that the Cardinals and
Rams are in this matchup, and it doesn't happen very often,
as you just mentioned, just the fifth time since becoming
the NFC West rivals, they've met in the final game
of the season. I think this says something about what
the league thinks about how the NFC West is going
to stack up.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Cardinals last season closed with a home game against the
forty nine Ers. To your point, Paul, what does the
league think of the NFC West. Who are those last
two teams battling for first place, maybe a wild card spot.
You look at that last week of the red season,
division games, rivalry games, but who do you match up against?
(43:06):
Maybe Signals? Hey, we think the NFC West could come
down to the Cardinals and Rams.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
And if you look at it, three of the last
four games are on the road, So and what for
the last six games are on the road for the
Arizona Cardinals, that's going to be a challenge. Remember the
Cardinals reclaimed home field advantage a year ago. They won
five of the last six games at home, went six
and three at State Farm Stadium. So four your last
six are going to be on the road, including a
(43:34):
trip to the Eastern time zone in Tampa and then
going to Houston playing CJ. Stroud as we detailed, So
it's tough. I mean, you're gonna have to fatten up
early in the year on New Orleans in Carolina and
Tennessee and the Colts, because towards the end of the year,
the degree of difficulty definitely rams up.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
And I am totally jumping the gun with this, And
it's possible that a coaching staff or players even can
only do so much for preparation. Think about the Cardinals
season turned out last year after the bye week. So
now if you're looking at post by week this year
and having what was at four of your last six
games on the road, you are going to have to
(44:11):
be mentally tough as nails. You're going to have to
be able. If you can't figure it out that first game,
you were going to have to quickly turn the page
and get things rolling, because that was an issue last
year for this team.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
By the way, you also have the preseason, not the
dates and time specifically, but we know the opponents. The
Cardinals will have two preseason games home to the Chiefs,
then on the road at Denver, and then home to
the Raiders, so you and Double Rainbow can get reacquainted
on the sideline we.
Speaker 4 (44:41):
Play every preseason.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Craig, NFC West meets the AFC West.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
I don't know much about the preseason, but I know
two things. One, Pete Carroll will warm up his arm,
his throwing arm for a good twenty five to thirty
minutes before the game. It's just all you can watch him.
He'll throw all the routes. And then number two, the
Chiefs will come in and probably play their starters for
like three quarters, because that's what Andy Reid does in
the preseason. He plays Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelcey. I mean,
(45:07):
he won't play those guys. So if you're looking to
see a preseason game and see the Kansas City Chiefs,
odds are you will see their premier players for probably
the first half.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
At least actually that game.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
And let's hope at least personally, that Kyler Murray Marvin
Harrison Junior are on that ball field in preseason game
number one. I think that again we're talking about May.
But if you learn from last season, you want to
avoid a slow start, You want some more reps and
especially competition. Maybe spots aren't quite solidified when you get preseason,
(45:37):
but we see some of those starters.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
If it works for.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Andy Reid should work for a lot of other teams
as well.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
And look, this staff is always evolving, always improving, and
I would agree with that. I think after last season,
you take the whole season as a whole and you say,
you know what, maybe we do approve approach the preseason
games a little differently, get the rookies some more snaps.
And then number two, all right, what happened out of
the bye Jonathan Gannon said that in his final press
conference at the end of the twenty four season, said,
(46:05):
you know what, we do need to go back and
look at all, right, what can we do better coming
out of the by now this year is totally different.
It's week eight, it's not late in the season. You know,
you had seven games to go last year and maybe
the buye had something to do with it, maybe it didn't,
who knows, But I am curious to see if Jonathan
Gannon came to any conclusions in the offseason and as
to whether he's going to implement any changes in those
(46:27):
two areas.
Speaker 4 (46:28):
It changed last year though with the preseason Cardinals had
twelve draft picks. They have seven this year, and they've
gone a little more veteran heavy when you're looking at
the free agency acquisition. So how does that play a
role in who you want or feel like you still
need to see in preseason games compared to what the
decision was last year.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
You want a crazy stat So the Cardinals Cardinals had
thirteen players out at rookie mini camp I saw where
the Atlanta Falcons had forty one forty one. So it
just shows you how differently teams will approach rookie mini
camp these days.
Speaker 1 (47:03):
By the way, since we've been recording here on this
edition of Cardinals Cover two, it's a yearly thing. It's
a yearly competition. I guess you can say amongst teams,
their social media departments, their content teams. As far as
how you release a schedule Bird Gang. If you haven't
seen it already, I strongly encourage you to go to
the Arizona Cardinals YouTube channel. And we all know Mac
(47:23):
Wilson Senior, but did you know he's a rapper as
a hobby.
Speaker 4 (47:28):
He likes to rat actually did with that because he
had Third and Go the music group with former teammates
Jesse Lucetta and Zach Pascal last year.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
See And I did not know that because usually I'm
the last to know stuff like that around here, so
it makes sense. We followed our scout reports, Dandy and
myself on that one. But I did see the video
and I couldn't be more impressed. Honestly, I'm not sure
what my expectations were, but it absolutely blew any at
all expectations out of the water. That was really well
done on all levels.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
A very impressive music video that Mac Wilson's senior cardinalsbacker,
who goes by rocket Ship is his stage name. He wrote,
he produced, he performed in the music video. It was
the Cardinals content department with some outside help that they
filmed it right here in the facility. Some of his
teammates were extras. It's it's a very impressive performance and
(48:17):
video that's been put out. And I know that you
can download the song on Spotify and Apple and then
there's going to be maybe word on the street is
more than one version of the song, so something else
Paul doesn't know. So keep that in mind. There's a
whole bunch of things that you can find out or
listen to or maybe win, So check out not only
(48:39):
the official YouTube channel, but or social channels as well
to stay up to date on that.
Speaker 2 (48:43):
I did ask how can a guy like me, maybe
a pilfer his way into a a T shirt, a
concert t shirt, or maybe one of the Vinyl albums,
you know, and they pretty much told me to keep walking.
They're going to give those away to the Red Sea
and Bird Gang. So okay, there you go. I'm not eligible,
So anybody listening, take your shot at it.
Speaker 1 (48:59):
The airs on a Cardinals official YouTube channel, and then
on Apple Music and Spotify search eighteen Bars or Arizona
Cardinals music because, as Danny hinted, it might not be
the only song that has been released as of yet
here on this Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
It just untill me. It opens the door for you, Paul.
I mean, I just I'm always amazed, like, how talented
can you be? I mean, you're already the point one
percent of football players on the planet, and now to
do something like that while you also at a charity
basketball game, and then you're on the side you're actually
recording that, I mean, it's really well done. I'm just
beyond impressed at the multi talented Macwilson's there's also.
Speaker 4 (49:40):
A pretty impressive article to that, Darren Urban wrote on
acycardinals dot Com. So pretty much, however, you want to
consume eighteen bars in the Cardinals' schedule release, you can.
Speaker 2 (49:50):
And the last thing I'll say in mac Wilson said
this to Darren at his charity basketball game. He said,
you know what, a team that really gets along together
typically is a really good team, or at least it's
a hallmark of a good team, you know, And so
I've seen a lot of that I don't know about you, guys.
Maybe it's the fact you've had twenty eight plus rookies
come in at least draft picks, more undrafted guys that
(50:12):
made the team. You know, they've really changed out the
locker room. Obviously in three years. They have put an
emphasis on guys who are deadly serious about the game.
So most of the players in there share that DNA trade.
And you know, the rosters a lot younger than it
was three years ago. And these guys are hanging out
and getting along. And if we think back, you know,
(50:33):
you get zoom out on Cardinals history some of those
teams that got along really well and had that camaraderie
where some of the best teams in Cardinals history. Yeah.
Well said.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
By the way, if you want to see Mac Wilson
Senior and company out on that football field at State
Farm Stadium, Azycardinals dot Com Forward slash tickets, that's Azycardinals
dot Com, Forward Slash tickets and all the news and
information on the schedule on Azcardinals dot com. And on
that note, we'll put a lit on this edition Cardinals
Cover two presented by Hyundai Probud partner of the Arizona
(51:03):
Cardinals as always, Special thanks to our executive producer Jill
Mama Hundre, our associate producer Coddy Fincher. Special thanks to
Alex Greenberg, Danny Surret, Paul Calvic.
Speaker 2 (51:11):
I'm Craig Real Louis. Will talk to you next time
here on Cardinals cover too. Time to start game planning
for the Saints.
It's now out, so what do we think? Welcome Bird Gang.
On today's show, Danny Surrek and Paul Calvc join me.
That's right, we go cover three to discuss the release
of the twenty twenty five NFL schedule. How many primetime games?
When is the bye week?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Let's get to it.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
It's Cardinals Cover two, Episode eight eighty four, and it
starts now.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome to Cardinals Cover two?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Who to Baker?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
What Heart? What rent?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
This guy's unbelievable?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Cardinals Cover two is presented by Hyundai, proud partner of
the Arizona Cardinals, and by Arizona Cardinals Podcast. Visit Azycardinals
dot com slash podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
He's a the ten half of five. He's it again,
so more hurry magic.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Whow Here's Craigcrioler. So we all have in our hand
a copy of the Arizona Cardinals schedule. A reminder the
opponents NFC South, AFC South third place teams out of
the NFC North, NFC East, and AFC North now based
(01:11):
on last year's schedule, and the opponents fifth easiest schedule
on paper. Paul, the fifth easiest schedule, which means absolutely nothing.
But I just thought I'd throw it out here, Craig.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Let's just get it over with all right, When do
you going to Seattle? When do we have to stand
in front of the twelves? What about Cincinnati? You know,
on to Cincinnati? When exactly is that Tampa Friz factor
or no, we need to know that. Let's just get
the vitals out of the way right off the top here, Danny,
what pressing question did you have going into the schedule release.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
Well, players want to know when's the bye week. That's
the first thing they're looking for. So some of the
key takeaways right off the bat is Cardinals bye week
is October twenty sixth, which is week eight, right, So
you're gonna look for the bye week, You're gonna look
for the home opener, and then you're gonna look for
primetime games and weather games. And that's really how you
(02:07):
break it down when you're taking a first glance at
the schedule.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Well, since you asked two primetime games, the Cardinals are
going to be on Thursday night for the first time
in three seasons. They will host the Seattle Seahawks. Your
team there all on Thursday night football, and then they've
got a Monday night trip to the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Thank you for not saying my Dallas Cowboys. It can
be Paul, Seattle Seahawks, but just the Dallas Cowboys over here.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Definitely somebody else's twelves, and you know what, twelves, that's
what you get. You're gonna have to travel on a
weekday on a short week to get on the road
if you want to come see your Seahawks in the
az guess what. It's gonna require a midweek stay. And
we all know the record of road teams on Thursday nights,
so there's a lot to like about hosting Seattle on
the Thursday.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
May I just say that opening on the road at
New Orleans, the home opener is week two against the
Carolina Panthers. We'll go game by game or month by month,
but just on the surface you look at it, there's
not a three game road trip or a three week
road trip. The Cardinals do close with three out of
four on the road, which depending on where you are
(03:16):
and certainly having to travel to Houston. Oh, there's that
trip to see Cincinnati there Paul in late December, which
could be a little dicing and closing on the road
against the Rams, but how you start and how you finish.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Two of the.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
First three on the road, three of the last four
on the road.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, I'm looking at those last five really the last
six if you want to look at the final six
games to the season. Considering Tampa, they're really bullish on
what they're building, Todd Bowles and company, what they have going.
So you got to go on the road for that one,
although albeit it's gonna be decent weather right late November.
But then you have the Rams twice in the last
(03:54):
five games at Cincinnati. We know how the Bengals open seasons,
and we know how the Bengals close seasons. So if
you had your preference, you'd much rather play Cincinnati in
September instead of late December or in January. And then
you get the Rams twice once again. And Houston. You
know a CJ. Stroud and company. We know how good
they've been the last couple of years. So the last
(04:15):
six games of this schedule are daunting, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
Well, we should probably start with the start of the season, though,
if there's one team in the entire league that you
would want to see Week one, it's harder to argue
anything other than the Saints, who just had their quarterback
retire less than a week ago, so there's a lot
of questions. You've got a first time head coach in
Kellen Moore out there in New Orleans, so there's the
(04:38):
advantage right now where things stand before players truly take
the field is heavily on the Cardinals. And then you
open up at home week two against Carolina. Those are
two games that again where things stand right now, which
sounds a little silly to say, as those should be
wins for the Cardinals. It's about as close to feeling
that way as you can.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
We are, yeah, smack dab in the middle of May.
The season doesn't begin until September. So let's go month
by month here. We can't really go quarter by quarter
because you got a seventeen game regular season as opposed
to sixteen, but let's just break it down by month.
In the month of September, Week one, September seventh on
the road at New Orleans. Third straight year the Cardinals
(05:20):
are opening on the road and Danny, as you mentioned,
the big question, and it's going to be a question
all off season, is who is QB one for New
Orleans With Derek Carr announcing his retirement. You do have
a couple of local high school standouts, though, competing for
that job in Spencer Ratler and Tyler Shuck, and a
first year head coach. I don't know if it's I
(05:40):
can look at it one of two ways, advantage and disadvantage.
The end of advantages, well, the Cardinals have all the experience.
The disadvantage is do you really know what you're gonna
see from the New Orleans That.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Is not a disadvantage, And I mean that in the
least disrespectful way. Are you really expecting Tyler Shock to
come out and absolutely blow you out of the water
Week one is such a disadvantage? No, he wasn't you know,
number one, number two overall pick as a quarterback.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
We're not talking about a cam Ward situation here, So no,
I understand that that argument from a larger picture, That
was something we had talked about last year, getting ready
to face Jade Daniels with Washington early on and not
having a lot of film there. I just don't I
don't see how that could be an advantage for New
Orleans given their personnel and what we know about them
(06:26):
at this time.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Maybe it's just a game planning advantage for New Orleans
and maybe just for the first what drive or quarter
or half a Nick Rolis sits there and goes, okay,
this I've figured it out. Here's how we defend New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Is it truly an advantage though? Of you might have
an idea, but you still got to go up against
the personnel. Look at how this Cardinals organization has beeped off,
beefed up their defensive line for example, Right like you
can know what the game plan is, doesn't mean you're
gonna be able to go out and physically be able
to dominate them.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Look Tyler Shook, local kid, we get it to typical
in a lot of ways, but if you look at
his analytics, his stats when facing pass rushes, under pressure,
throwing with men in his face not good. And combined
with the fact this will be his NFL debut. If
indeed he's the guy, he's gonna be given every single
(07:16):
chance to be their starting quarterback. With the Cardinals bolstered
and revamp pass rush, that'll be really interesting. That'll be
really interesting to see what the cause and effect there
is with a Cardinals defensive front against that particular rookie quarterback.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Here's a little nugget for you on pregame, Paul, the
Cardinals have not beaten the Saints in New Orleans since
nineteen ninety six. Really, really, that's just based off that
was the Lashawn Johnson two hundred and fifty yard game.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I was at that game in nineteen ninety six.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
So we're having Vignet's and bourbon for breakfast.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Yeah, if Craig could especially just put it out there exactly.
You were just there for a wedding, Danny, so you
know where to go. I'll follow you on that one.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
So after the two of you survive Bourbon Street in
Week one, you come home.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
That's better, little better.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Week two at home against the Carolina Panthers, because it
wouldn't be a schedule without the Panthers showing up on
the Arizona Cardinals' schedule. Second straight year, six times in
the last seven years, the Cardinals will play the Panthers.
This time, though, Paul, it's at home, and that's a
little bit more of an advantage because the Cardinals don't
typically do well on the road against the Panthers.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
That is true, And you know what, that was probably
the most disappointing loss of last season in a lot
of ways, just the way the Cardinals got behind in
that first half and they ultimately fell in overtime. So
this is a payback game for what happened in Week
sixteen last year against Carolina. It's also a game against
a team that had the worst defense in the league
a year ago. They allowed a league worst thirty one
(08:50):
plus points per game. They allowed nearly one hundred eighty
yards rushing per game. They had just thirty two sacks,
third worst. They have spent and let's just put it
this way, Carolina's owner David Tepp, he can afford it
hedge fund money. They spent nearly two hundred and fifty
million dollars in free agency on their defense Carolina, so
they're trying. They're doing everything they can. Bryce Young had
(09:11):
a nice finish to the end of last season. But
once again, I think the Cardinals will be plenty motivated
because in Week two they'll certainly remember what happened at
the end of last season. Cardinals then on the road
for their first division game Week three at San Francisco.
Cardinals very good at Levi Stadium seven and four. So
(09:31):
the first time you'll see the forty nine ers and
it comes in Week three.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
This is a sneaky weather game. We talked about Cincinnati,
We've talked about Tampa Bay. San Francisco was brutal last year,
and that was.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Week four, but it was only eighty nine. That was
I don't know what the two we were talking about it.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Yeah, that was cooking the books, that's what that was.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Spent two and a half hours in direct sunlight. When
you talk about the pregame radio show in the booth,
where I had to sit under a able for any
sort of relief, and then I was on the field
pregame for an hour and a half and I will
spare you guys the details, but I was sweating the
entire day. Even when I made it back to the
ice cold press box, I could not cool off. That
(10:14):
was when. That was when the equipment staff was having
to hold makeshift shades over the bench.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Oh yeah, no doubt. I mean that was way. There's
only one team that would have won that game last
year in those conditions, and it's the Arizona Cardinals, because
the Cardinals had practiced in similar type weather that week
leading up to that game, where photographers on the sideline
had pictures of the temperature the thermometers on the sideline
one to eleven. So now that was record ridiculous, freak
(10:43):
heat in that. You know, as a couple of guys
who grew up in the Bay Area, I mean, I've
never seen anything even close to that, So I'm not
expecting that. But is it trash talking NFC West style
if I mark this down as a home game because
the Cardinals pretty much own Levi Stadium over the years. Honestly,
I mark the Niners in Santa Clara downt as a
(11:04):
home game. I'm gonna do that right now.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
The seven wins the Cardinals have at Levi Stadium are
more than any other team has at that venue.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
That's a ding. And yeah, there's just something about going
in there, you know, the Niners and the Cardinals and
the rivalry, and after the Cardinals swept the Niners last
year and so much talk about forty nine ers rebounding
from the six wins season. Okay, we'll see. And brock
Perty has played pretty well against his hometown team once
upon a time, the Cardinals player of the year in
(11:32):
high school. We get it. There's all the great storylines,
but with Christian McCaffrey back, it's going to be a
different challenge presuming he's healthy and ready to go. And
yet another reason why you bolstered your defensive front to
stop because when the Niners have beaten the Cardinals, it's
almost certainly the last few years been when CMC has
had a big game.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
First true test. I think this schedule is this two
games right here, you're on the road at San Francisco
and then a short week a home game against the
Seahawks Thursday night football. By the way, Seattle is home
to the Saints prior to that, so again advantage Cardinals.
You're at home, the Seahawks have to travel, It's not
(12:12):
a quick flight from Seattle, and the Cardinals do get
the first of what are two scheduled primetime games and
the first time in a long time playing on a
short week on a Thursday.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Night, back to back division games. I made the league
wants to see the NFC West showdown early this season,
and I still feel, and we talked about this earlier
in the offseason when some of the moves are being made,
this is the Cardinals division to lose. When you're looking
at consistency from the coaching staff, from the players, specifically
on the offensive side of the ball, the defense of veterans,
(12:47):
the presence that has been brought into this organization. The
Cardinals have had a stellar offseason, and I think it's
going to be a very competitive division season amongst all
four teams. I really do think though the Cardinals have
a huge advantage when you're looking around the NFC West
at some of the changes the rest of those teams
have been experiencing. I am curious since the league announced
(13:11):
draft weekend those rivalry jerseys, and the NFC West was
one of the divisions that's going to be experiencing that.
I wonder if that's going to be what we're going
to see Thursday night against the Seahawks on.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
A national level, to debut those uniforms.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
That makes total sense. Just tell me, please, Seattle doesn't
come in wearing those neon green deals. You know where
the look like the highlighter pen. I mean, is Seattle
coming in wearing those? I don't know, nobody.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
I'm not private to that information.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Nobody's better for that, especially the national TV audience. But
you know what, the Cardinals and Seahawks have played some
epic primetime games over the years, the last ten to
fifteen years, and this could be yet another one of them.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Is my memory correct in that the last time the
Cardinals had a Thursday night game was against the Saints
when Marco Wilson had that epic somersault off the pick
six Andy Dalton, Zach.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yes, remember Dalton and the meme right of Dalton like
throwing his hands up walking off the field, and then
in the background is Mark Owoios with the full front flip.
Oh yeah, that was money. That was a rare.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Thursday night home win for the Cardinals. There are two
and six when they host teams on Thursday night.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
That's interesting. The other interesting thing about Seattle is in
the whole Jalen Milrow, dynamic third round quarterback who's making
a huge buzz up there in Seattle. Are they gonna
have a package of plays ready for him? Mike McDonald
has already pretty much said yes, So you're gonna have
to prepare for a quarterback who's darn near as athletic
(14:41):
as Kyler Murray. In fact, he's one of only three
quarterbacks along with Kyler Murray in the last ten years,
to get a Max ninety nine athleticism score. Coming out
of the combine. So it's gonna be there's gonna be
Sam Darnold, who's gonna be a statue behind that Yankee
Seattle offensive line. This is gonna be Jalen Milroe is
gonna be ridiculously athletic. I'm real curious to see how
they use those two guys.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
So you close September with a potential rookie quarterback, You
open October with what we presume will be a rookie
quarterback when you host the Titans on October fifth, in
Week five, number one overall pick cam Ward, So your
first five games potentially could have three rookie quarterbacks. Three
(15:23):
out of the first five games you are facing unknown
at least on the NFL level. Again, advantage disadvantage the disadvantages.
You don't have a lot of game film, although with
cam Ward you will have at least four weeks of
tape to look at to figure out what are you
doing with that Titans offense?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
And you presume it's going to be cam Ward. I mean,
Will Levis says he's not been good. Right, thirty third
overall pick twenty twenty three is going into his third season.
He's five and sixteen as a starter. He has more
interceptions and fumbels loss combined than touchdown passes. So they're
gonna take every opportunity they can to give the starting
(15:59):
job to cam Ward. And we'll see he's gonna wear
number one. He got the blessing of Warren Moon. He's
gonna come in. I quite frankly, I thought he should
have gone Will Johnson. He should have gone number zero
because he was a zero star recruit out of high
school and went to Incarnate Word and then Washington State
and they end up into Miami. But uh yeah, Brian Callahan,
the head coach, they have a new GM. They just
(16:22):
haven't been able to find a quarterback basically, you know,
his Warren Moon, Steve McNair and a lot of nothing.
Speaker 1 (16:27):
Ever since the second regular season visit to State Farm
Stadium for the Tennessee Titans and then back on the road. Now,
this is interesting because the Cardinals only played at Lucas
Oil Stadium once before heading into this season. Yet for
a lot of US Stanny it's a yearly venture to
(16:48):
Lucas Oil Stadium.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Scot correct, because Cardinals played at Lucas Oil in the
preseason last year. I remember that game vividly.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
It's regular season records with this. So, yeah, the Cardinals
at the Colts in Week six, and again I guess
we had asked the question about the quarterback, is it
Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones. We've been told Danny it's
going to be an open competition, and I mean, you
look at the quarterbacks, just the Cardinals that will have
to face of the first six weeks, there's some unknown
(17:17):
as far as resumes.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
If you will, again not to be disrespectful, if it's
a competition, I mean, is one utterly spectacular right that
for the Cardinals defense to have to face. You don't
still really know what you have and Richardson after all
of these years, and you kind of know what you
have in Daniel Jones, which is inconsistent. So even if
there is a competition, you might not know who the
(17:39):
quarterback is going to be again when you're looking at
the skill level. I don't see that so much as
a true disadvantage for the Cardinals. I do think that
is going to be a fun matchup just for the
fact of the connections between the head coaches Jonathan Gannon
Shane Steichen. They were together Gannon spent three years as
a DB's coach in Indy earlier in his career, so
(18:01):
there's a lot of fun storylines there. And then of
course wide receiver Marvin Harrison Junior his dad in the
Hall of Fame with the Colts.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
That's right. Yeah, he got a lot of media attention
going back to those joint practices last year. So absolutely
that'll be a huge storyline, especially for the Indianapolis media.
Stike in against Jonathan Gannon to trash talking guys when
they were the coordinators in Philadelphia, an immense amount of
respect for each other. That's the reason why they had
the joint practice a year ago because of the connection
(18:27):
and the relationship between those two. Anthony Richardson completed less
than fifty percent of his passes last year. He's erratic
at best. He's been working on his mechanics with a
bunch of different QB coaches and like Tom House, who's
a former like pitching coach, so he's doing everything he can.
But they owed Daniel Jones one from Jonathan Gannon's first year,
remember that twenty eight to three lead Week three against
(18:49):
the Giants two years ago, and then that blown lead
in the second half and Daniel Jones helped lead the
Giants back. So once again, you know, I'm keeping track
of the whole payback thing. I got Daniel Jones down
payback for the Giants two years ago.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
This time around, we might not be able to attend
the Indiana State Fair with the timing, although Craig, we
can't take them to some of our favorite spots that
we go to for the combine every year.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
So the State Fair typically is not in mid October.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Is that what you're saying.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
No, it was during the time we were there for
a preseason last till August.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
Yeah, okay, all right, that's unfortunate for you, Paul.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
I know you're a big I know you didn't get
any pickle pizza. Well it was gonna okay, that's what
was the crazy fair food. Pickled pizza.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
It was pretty good.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Yeah, okay, I'll take your word for it. Thankfully I
was not there to taste uts.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
So next we will all be together in Week seven,
when the Cardinals host the Packers, the NFL's second oldest
rivalry between the Cardinals, or second behind only the Cardinals
and the Bear second straight year in which the Cardinals
faced the Packers, so we'll get that Max Melton Bell
Melton match ups. That was a lot of fun last
year and a little bit at the different wrinkle. Pay attention, Paul.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Okay, we go. Have you check the Packers roster? Do
you remember who was on the Green Bay Packers? Okay,
I actually saw this, I do. I did see this. Danny,
are you aware of a certain former cardinal who's now
a member of the Packers.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
It is it is slipping my mind right now. You
guys know something I don't.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Isaiah Simmons, oh Wind late in the offseason, Isaiah Isaiah.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
The hybrid that wasn't the last two years with the
Giants never made it out of camp. First year with
Jonathan Gannon Amani asin Ford got traded for the seventh
round pick. He started one game a year ago. I
looked it up before he got on and yeah, he
only played one third of the special team snaps and
like sixteen percent of the defensive snaps.
Speaker 4 (20:44):
Had that blocked? What field goal?
Speaker 1 (20:45):
Block? Block?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Right block field goal?
Speaker 1 (20:47):
He did?
Speaker 4 (20:48):
I don't think I realized he was no longer with
New York and I don't think I saw that he
signed with Green Bay. Interesting revenge game, Ye.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, keeps up. There's another one. There's another revenge angle.
You're right, every single week we're gonna come up the
revenge angle. There's something there. So they think they're gonna
be able to use him in a multitude of roles.
We'll see how that works out for green Bay. But
in terms of you know, look, they took Matthew Golden,
who's a four to two nine guy. They took him
in the first round. First receiver they took in the
first round of more than twenty years. Of course, they
(21:17):
lost Christian Watson, their playmaking receiver, in the regular season
finale to the torn acl so we presume he won't
be available there. But you want a revenge game. Cardinals
went to green Bay and Matt Lafleur he had his
way with that play calling. Jordan Love looked really good
at Lambeau a year ago against the Cardinals, so don't
think they haven't forgotten about that.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Getting a win against green Bay going into the bye
week would certainly be nice the Cardinals with their earliest
bye week since twenty twenty. By the way, this is
a good reminder here Asycardinals dot com forward slash tickets,
Asycardinals dot Com forward slash tickets if you want to
be at State Farm Stadium not only in September and October,
but throughout the entire season. In the month of November, though,
(22:01):
this is the one that we all have circled on
the calendar, at least Danny has circled on the calendar.
November three at Dallas. It is a Monday Nights football appearance.
Cardinals at the Cowboys. Cardinals are three and oh all
time at at and T Stadium. Kyler Murray is nine
and oh all time at at and T Stadium. And
I believe Danny Sirek is two and oh against the
(22:24):
Dallas Cowboys since her since she joined the Arizona Cardinals.
So we got a lot of records on the line
here on this one.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Revenge game. Marked that down, Marked that down.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, if Danny goes in this column here, revenge game,
that's good.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
I was creeping my eye on this one. I had
my fingers crossed for Thanksgiving for selfish reasons. But I'll
take Monday night game. This is going to be exciting.
Kyler Murray has thrived at eight and T Stadium at
every point in his career, going back to high school football.
I think it's an exciting quarterback matchup with Murray and
Dak Prescott, and the Cowboys have added some weapons. They
(22:58):
brought in George Piggins to be op of Cede Lamb.
They've got a few offensive weapons as well, and then
Micah Parsons right, so the Cowboys have their fair share
of weapons. The question mark is new head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Now he was with the staff prior, so that's going
to be a team that I think is exciting to
see at that point in the year of maybe they
would have found their flow and how the Cardinals can
(23:21):
combat that at.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
Another revenge game. Clayton Adams Cardinals offensive line coach. Yes,
the new OCO, Brian Schottenheimer.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Sam yep. And that's the reason they hurt him is
because they wanted a running game. They were one of
the worst rushing teams in the NFL, and they looked
at the Cardinals offense the last couple of years, top five,
top ten in almost every single rushing category in two
years with Clayton Adams leading the offensive line, and so
boom he comes in. He's the offensive coordinator. Now in Dallas, they.
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Drafted Tyler Booker, the offensive lineman yep.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
And you know the last time they took a guard
in the first round, Zach Martin, that worked out pretty well.
So if they're going to build from the inside out
and rebuild that offensive line, and it needed it needed
some additions. Think about Dallas is the league must know
something we don't because they put them in the season
opener NFL kickoff game at Philadelphia. They've given them a
bunch of other premiere and or primetime time slots right
(24:17):
there on the Christmas Day game on Netflix against Washington.
And I get it. There's a lot of really good
teams in that division, there's a lot of really good rivalries,
are a lot of big TV markets, but Dallas is
getting a lot of love this year.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
I think from the schedule for a year, it's America's
team Paul.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
They haven't been in an NFC championship game in thirty years.
And so anyway, don't don't don't get me started on
this one. You know what, this is a revenge game
for you, not only Danny, but myself as well, first
time this year.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Just make sure you bring sunglasses and in case the curtains.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
That's right after a road trip to Dallas, Cardinals will
head to Seattle, so the first time this season back
to back road game. It comes in Week ten Cardinals
at the Seahawks. Cardinals again very good at Lumen Field,
and this wraps up your two games against the Seahawks
the following week. By the way, Week eleven is a
home game against the forty nine Ers. So by Week eleven,
(25:15):
you have finished facing two thirds or two of your
three NFC West opponents. You are done with the forty
nine Ers, you are done with the Seahawks by mid
November without even facing the Rams.
Speaker 4 (25:27):
Yet, We're gonna save the Rams because I know we're
working our way down the schedule. But I would say,
if there were one team you were to ask me
in the NFC West, I would prefer to not face
twice in the back half of the season, given how
they typically finish the regular season. My answer would have
been the Rams, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I completely agree with you on that one. San Francisco
typically at the end of the year, there's a real
good chance they're going to be really banged up and
really injured, in a shell of their former self. In
terms of the roster, it happens more often than not seemingly.
But yeah, you're gonna Seattle and San Francisco out of
the way by week ten. So that's interesting. Going to
Seattle at that point of the year. Could be torrential rain.
(26:08):
You could be spared. It's hard to tell at that point.
I will say this, at that point in the season,
I wonder how different Seattle's gonna look if Sam Darnold
is in. You know, they can't keep him upright and
keep him healthy. It could be the Jalen Milroe show
through luck time at that point. Who knows. I mean,
and from all accounts, you know, they fired their first
(26:29):
year offensive coordinator because he wasn't running the ball. So
Seattle wants to run the ball, and Zach Charbonay might
be the feature back this year instead of Kenneth Walker
based on some of the buzz coming out of Seattle
rookie camp and some of the off season stuff, just
because Zach Charbonay had a much better yards per carry
averaging Kenneth Walker. So I'm curious what they're gonna look like.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
So you think of the struggle that Cardinals had running
the ball against Seattle last year, I mean, you've got
to think that's going to be something that is going
to be a huge target preparing for Seattle this year, and.
Speaker 2 (26:58):
You've got to figure out an answer to Leonard Williams
number ninety nine. He wrecked both games, especially the game
at Seattle. You know, he played him twice in three
weeks in the middle of last year around the by
coming in and going out, and Leonard Williams was a
big time problem. You got to figure that out, just
like every other NFC West team has to figure out
Trey McBride, Cardinals have to figure out Big Cat Williams.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
So your first three games in November at Dallas, at Seattle,
home to the forty nine ers, and then you have
another home game, So back to back home games for
the second time this season in twenty twenty five weeks
eleven and twelve. Cardinals will host the Jaguars on November
twenty third, And this is the one that I'm looking
(27:39):
forward to because you get to see second overall pick
Travis Hunter two way player, and the Cardinals once upon
a time had their own two way player in Roy Green.
And I remember hearing you, I can't remember if it
was on Big Red Rage or Underground mentioning you would
like to see that meeting take place pre game. Roy
Green on the field with.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Travis That is a photo op waiting to happen jet
stream and Travis Hunter. You know what's interesting, and and
Roy was really insightful as you might imagine as to look,
it's just not feasible for him to play both sides
of the ball with any sort of entirety in a
game over the course of his season because by the
end of the season, you've played two seasons compared to
(28:21):
everyone else. And it's interesting Pro football focus. Last year
at Colorado, Hunter played one four hundred and sixty one snaps.
By comparison, Patrick sir Tan, your Defensive Player of the
Year cornerback for the Broncos in seventeen games, played nine
hundred and seventy eight snaps. So he played five hundred
more snaps as a receiver in a dB at Colorado
(28:42):
in a much shorter season than Patrick Sirtan did. And
right now the Jaguars are using him at receiver in
the rookie minting camp. It's receiver first, it's dB second.
And we know Brian Thomas Junior, their rookie receiver, ended
up in the Pro Bowl, So it's a nice one
to two punch for the Jaguars to come in with
a first year head coach, first year GM, first year
team president. It's going to be a whole new look
(29:04):
with the Jags.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
You were talking about how different Seattle could look from
earlier in the season to the middle of the season.
One of the most exciting position battles for the Cardinals
throughout training camp is going to be in the secondary,
that cornerbacks room. And we saw a bit of a
rotation opposite mostly of Sean Murphy bunting outside last year
with Starling Thomas and Max Meltin. I'm curious to see
how the Cardinals secondary is going to look at the
(29:26):
start of the season towards this part here in the
middle and where rookie Will Johnson is going to have
a role in this. If we're talking about seeing Hunter
mostly as a wide receiver, that's going to be an
exciting matchup whoever he's going to be lined up against.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Yeah, is it happening early in the season with Will
Johnson or does it take a little time Because it
did take time with Max Meltin last season.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
And by the time Jacksonville comes to Arizona, Travis Hunter
could be playing a vastly different game than he does
in the first half of the season. He might be
finding whether that is mentally or physically, he's not able
to be a quote unquote true two way player, right
he might be mostly playing on one side of the
ball by the time he comes to State Farm Stadium.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Because remember Deon Sanders of Colorado would give him several
days off to recuperate after every Buffs game. Well, he's
not gonna get that ability, that luxury in the NFL.
And by the way, Jacksonville a year ago went one
in eight on the road. So Cardinals welcome Jacksonville two.
State Farm Stadium for its twentieth season.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
The month of November ends with a trip to Tampa Bay.
This is one of two trips outside of the NFC
West in which Paul keeps an eye on.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Roof no roof.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
This has a no roof component to it. But you
get Tampa Bay at the end of November as opposed
to maybe in September. Is this good bad? You prefer
Tampa Bay on the schedule right now here, Paul could.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Be torrential rain. But it shouldn't. You shouldn't you know,
visitors sideline you're gonna get the direct sun, so it
shouldn't Obviously, it'll be ideal in terms of the temperature
in Tampa that time a year. You can't go there
without thinking of Super Bowl forty three and standing on
the sideline and then envisioning Larry Fitzgerald making free for
what you thought might be a Super Bowl winning touchdown.
(31:03):
And so all the flashbacks will be there on the sideline.
But again, you know a lot of respect for Todd Bowles,
and that's going to be a great matchup Kyler Murray
and the Cardinals offense against Todd Bowles and that defense.
And every time Kyler and Baker Mayfield hook up, I
mean it's the game within the game that those two
guys are competitive to the ninety ninth percentile, but when
(31:24):
they play each other, it is off the hook.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Yeah, the fact that Tampa Bay is not in September
is great news for us that will be traveling and
spending time outside on the field, and that's right after Thanksgiving.
That's that's where we are in the calendar right now.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
By the way, Kyler three to zero against Baker Mayfield
in the NFL, Oh, that's right.
Speaker 4 (31:42):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
So if you want to put that in another game,
then there's a revenge game too. You're right, absolutely, Okay,
we just keep going.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
We head to December, and now on December seventh, Week fourteen,
the Rams finally show up on the schedule. Cardinals face
the Rams in Week two last season. They have to
wait until week fourteen to see them this season, and
that this just might be a quirk. But again to
your point, Danny, it's this is when Sean McVay Matthew
(32:12):
Stafford are at their best late in the season, those
final month month.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
And a half.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
You don't have majority of a season for Devontae Adams
to get comfortable with McVeigh and with Stafford. And I
don't love that idea. Now, DeVante Adams was not the
same receiver we saw him in Green Bay last year
with the Jets, and there was so much going on there,
So that's understandable. So it's a big question mark of
which Devonte Adams is LA going to get. I don't
(32:39):
love the fact that the first time you are seeing
LA is so late in the season, just because of
the chemistry that they will have by that point and
the momentum they always seem to find that late in
the season. But the Cardinals are gonna have to step up.
And there were times, i mean at home week two
last season, Arizona crushed them. And there were moments when
they ended last season on the road in La that
(33:01):
Arizona looked good and was competitive and up until that
final play had the game within their hands. So I'm
expecting that to be a competitive game between the Cardinals
and the Rams.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Yeah, that's facts right there. I mean, think about that
last game Week seventeen at the La Rams. He had
a fourth and one early second quarter and the Cardinals
got stuffed behind a decimated offensive line. They were so
injured and James Connor couldn't pick it up. They were
inside the twenty. That was a gamble and then all
of a sudden, the Rams responded. So that was a
big turn in the game. Then, obviously the deflection off
(33:31):
the helmet of Trey McBride and the critical interception in
the end zone. That's how close the Cardinals were to
sweeping the Rams a year ago, a Rams team that
took the Eagles all the way down in the snow
on the road in the playoffs, to the final few
minutes of that postseason game, I think the Rams probably
petitioned the league and said, we don't want to play
the Cardinals in September any longer, because there were There
have also been times when Cardinals had gone to so
(33:53):
fine September and Jack stopped the Rams as well. So
here's the other thing, though, less Need is all of
a sudden a believer in dry picks again. And I
think I think that's why the Rams in part have
been so good towards the end of the last two seasons,
is because Loo's young players have matured. Now are rookies
going to be as big a factor on their depth
(34:14):
chart as a year's pass. So maybe, just maybe they
don't peak towards the end of the season like they
have in years pass because they don't have all these
young guys coming into their own like Jared Versu and
Braden Fisted a year ago.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
So after a home game against the Rams, your final
four games, the stretch where you have three of four
on the road, Week fifteen, the Cardinals will be at Houston.
Cardinals have never won on the road against the texanszer
and three. It's a kind of a odd little quirk
because you don't play the Texans a lot but again,
what are you getting with CJ. Stroud? It's your three?
(34:47):
Are you getting the rookie CJ. Stroud or are you
getting these sophomore slump CJ.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
Strout?
Speaker 4 (34:51):
Another game, the Cardinals were competitive up until the end.
It was an interception that sealed the game for Houston.
That was when kaisier white toward his bicep. I will
say as a doubt the name of not many positives
I can say about the city of Houston that that stadium,
though energy, did surprise me with one of my favorite
press box spreads. I am looking forward to that.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Wow, not expecting that that was a good one.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
There's no revenge or payback game for that one.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
A second, I mean, we all liked.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Him when he played here. Christian Kirk is on the
Houston tex.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Local.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
He has not faced his former team yet. This will
be the first time.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
That is true. And him and Kyler, they they were tight.
And but the respect I had for c J. Strouder
after watching him that rookie campaign. I mean, guys, I've
told you you can count on one hand how many
times Cardinals players have come off the bench and walked
up to the white stripe to watch another player in person.
Speaker 4 (35:50):
C J.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Stroud was that guy two years ago. A lot of
Cardinals players wanted to see the rookie quarterback and literally
they walked up, they'd watch a series, they nod their
head to say, yep, legit, and sure enough he led
Houston to that big playoff win his rookie season. Now
they sort of flatten out a year ago and look,
their offensive line was not good a year ago, and
a lot of people drew a connection, a correlation between
(36:13):
his play and how often he was getting hit and harassed.
So that was a difference in that game. If you
go back a couple of years ago, if the Cardinals
can go in with the revamp pass rush and they
can bring some heat and effects c J. Stroud, I
don't think he'll be nearly as effective as he was
two years ago.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Moving to Week sixteen, the final home game of the
regular season, Cardinals hosts the Falcons on December twenty first,
And this is just looking at some of the notes
and going back to history, this has been always been
a sneaky close matchup. Say what you want about the
Falcons and what they do and who might be quarterbacking
that team. Kirk Cousins still on the roster last I checked,
so not expecting him to be quarterback at that point
(36:50):
in late December. But the last three meetings between these
two teams all decided by two points or fewer, and
for the most part, it's taken a last second field
goal for the game to be decided. So even though
it's Atlanta, they just whatever it is them and the Cardinals,
it's always close.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
The home team has won thirteen straight seventeen of the
last eighteen meetings between these two clubs.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Wow, that is crazy. And you know what, Atlanta finished
with the exact same record as the Cardinals a year ago,
eight wins. Here's the thing. Though Atlanta hasn't made the
playoffs since twenty seventeen, they've had seven straight losing records.
They've tried to fix the pass rush. They for some reason,
gave the Rams a first round pick to trade back
into round one. To understand, James Pierce Junior to move
(37:36):
up like the Rams only had to move down like
twenty spots and they get a Round one pick next
year out of it. I certainly didn't like that in
terms of the NFC West, but they also signed Leonard
Floyd so they knew it. They finished second to last
in sacks a year ago. They had to Raheem Morris
said it, we have to get to the quarterbacks. So
they went all out trying to prove the pass rush.
But to me, if you stop their run game, Bjeon Robinson,
(37:58):
Tyler Algier used to off the Falcons. I mean they
want to come out, they want to rune. I know
they have weapons. I get it, they have Kyle Pitts
and Drake London. But if they can run the ball,
that's where the Cardinals have had issues stopping the Falcons
in the past.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Is this the year we see Kyle Pitts do something.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Worthy of his draft position?
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Right?
Speaker 2 (38:17):
That's fair?
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Yeah, top ten and yeah, it just hasn't lived up
to the hype, not even close. Speaking of hype, how
about Week seventeen on the road at Cincinnati. This is
either going to be a Saturday or a Sunday game.
But you have the first ever matchup between former Heisman
Trophy winners and number one overall picks in Kyler Murray
and Joe Burrow. You've got the hometown return of Paris Johnson.
(38:39):
Junior Bengals draft picks Joanah Williams and a Keem Davis
Gate there face their former teams for the first time.
But we are all concerned and wonder what the weather
is going to be like for you, Paul, because I
did look it up and if you just google average
temperature in December in Cincinnati, I got arranged from thirty
two to forty one degrees.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
That's not bad, Okay, that's the average. That's the average.
But like the last three years, hasn't there been like
a crazy range in the temperatures? Right if you take
a look at it. In fact, if I can call
it up right here, here we go. So the last
three week seventeen games hosted by Cincinnati last year was
sixty degrees. In twenty one it was thirty three degrees,
(39:22):
and then in nineteen it was sixty four degrees, sixty
thirty three, and sixty four.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
So we're thinking more towards the thirty range then, right,
if we're going pattern.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
I don't want to speak for you, Paul, but I
think when you're looking at weather games the last two years,
we really have luckdown You're down there mostly during the game,
and I'm down there pregames, So I am right there
with you, not as long, but I feel your pain.
But when you look at the last two years on
the road of open stadiums Philadelphia, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo,
(39:57):
Green Bay, Miami, we really have looked out with the
weather god, So I think, do I think? And if
it's one game somewhere like Cincinnati, we can handle it.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
So it's a we're due be stifling he griping and
grousing about the last couple of years because we've had
a pretty good and I would agree with that, and
I would say the bigger problem for the Cardinals going
to play the Bengals would be Joe Burrow in December
and January has been really good. So to me, Cardinals,
if they're in a position right here to make a
playoff push and they're challenging for that playoff spot a
(40:32):
road win at Cincinnati against Joe Burrow in week seventeen,
that would be big time to me. That's going to
be a real test as to whether the Cardinals are
playoff worthy.
Speaker 4 (40:40):
Is Trey Hendrickson a Cincinnati Bengal who knows he.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Playing after he diss Zach Taylor the other day? Maybe not?
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Yeah, that's that's gonna be fun to follow from Afar
and another.
Speaker 4 (40:52):
Really exciting position battle when you're talking about Cardinals secondary
and the Bengals wide receivers room, I mean, some of
the best in the league. So that'll be exciting to watch.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
And two years ago Jamar Chase at a month in
one game against the Cardinals c is really good and
that yeah, to Danny's point, you're right, I mean Joe Burrow, yes,
but you know Jamar Chase, the combination of those two.
You let those two get rolling and game over.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Season ends in Los Angeles week eighteen January, third or
fourth again, second time in five weeks, facing the Rams,
and you're closing with back to back road games for
the first time since twenty twenty three of four on
the road. So yeah, if you if you have put
yourself in position, if you're the Cardinals and you have
put yourself in position to be a playoff team, three
(41:39):
of four on the road is a true test whether
you make the postseason or sit home and watch the postseason.
Speaker 4 (41:46):
And this could be exciting if if the Cardinals are
able to be competitive at that point, you could possibly
be playing for first place in the division, right like
you could be playing for essentially a home game against
the Rams at that point, so I would expect a
lot to be writing on that game if the Cardinals
are still making a push for the playoffs at that point.
Speaker 2 (42:07):
I think this matchup is telling I think the league
is telling us what they think of the NFC West.
I really do in years past, the Week eighteen matchup
in the NFC West has a lot of times been
the Rams and forty nine Ers because the league expects
those two to be a top or back when Coach
Double Rainbow had the Seahawks really rolling, and it's a
(42:27):
lot of times it was the Seahawks and Niners in
the Week eighteen matchup. The fact that the Cardinals and
Rams are in this matchup, and it doesn't happen very often,
as you just mentioned, just the fifth time since becoming
the NFC West rivals, they've met in the final game
of the season. I think this says something about what
the league thinks about how the NFC West is going
to stack up.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Cardinals last season closed with a home game against the
forty nine Ers. To your point, Paul, what does the
league think of the NFC West. Who are those last
two teams battling for first place, maybe a wild card spot.
You look at that last week of the red season,
division games, rivalry games, but who do you match up against?
(43:06):
Maybe Signals? Hey, we think the NFC West could come
down to the Cardinals and Rams.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
And if you look at it, three of the last
four games are on the road, So and what for
the last six games are on the road for the
Arizona Cardinals, that's going to be a challenge. Remember the
Cardinals reclaimed home field advantage a year ago. They won
five of the last six games at home, went six
and three at State Farm Stadium. So four your last
six are going to be on the road, including a
(43:34):
trip to the Eastern time zone in Tampa and then
going to Houston playing CJ. Stroud as we detailed, So
it's tough. I mean, you're gonna have to fatten up
early in the year on New Orleans in Carolina and
Tennessee and the Colts, because towards the end of the year,
the degree of difficulty definitely rams up.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
And I am totally jumping the gun with this, And
it's possible that a coaching staff or players even can
only do so much for preparation. Think about the Cardinals
season turned out last year after the bye week. So
now if you're looking at post by week this year
and having what was at four of your last six
games on the road, you are going to have to
(44:11):
be mentally tough as nails. You're going to have to
be able. If you can't figure it out that first game,
you were going to have to quickly turn the page
and get things rolling, because that was an issue last
year for this team.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
By the way, you also have the preseason, not the
dates and time specifically, but we know the opponents. The
Cardinals will have two preseason games home to the Chiefs,
then on the road at Denver, and then home to
the Raiders, so you and Double Rainbow can get reacquainted
on the sideline we.
Speaker 4 (44:41):
Play every preseason.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Craig, NFC West meets the AFC West.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
I don't know much about the preseason, but I know
two things. One, Pete Carroll will warm up his arm,
his throwing arm for a good twenty five to thirty
minutes before the game. It's just all you can watch him.
He'll throw all the routes. And then number two, the
Chiefs will come in and probably play their starters for
like three quarters, because that's what Andy Reid does in
the preseason. He plays Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelcey. I mean,
(45:07):
he won't play those guys. So if you're looking to
see a preseason game and see the Kansas City Chiefs,
odds are you will see their premier players for probably
the first half.
Speaker 4 (45:15):
At least actually that game.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
And let's hope at least personally, that Kyler Murray Marvin
Harrison Junior are on that ball field in preseason game
number one. I think that again we're talking about May.
But if you learn from last season, you want to
avoid a slow start, You want some more reps and
especially competition. Maybe spots aren't quite solidified when you get preseason,
(45:37):
but we see some of those starters.
Speaker 2 (45:39):
If it works for.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
Andy Reid should work for a lot of other teams
as well.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
And look, this staff is always evolving, always improving, and
I would agree with that. I think after last season,
you take the whole season as a whole and you say,
you know what, maybe we do approve approach the preseason
games a little differently, get the rookies some more snaps.
And then number two, all right, what happened out of
the bye Jonathan Gannon said that in his final press
conference at the end of the twenty four season, said,
(46:05):
you know what, we do need to go back and
look at all, right, what can we do better coming
out of the by now this year is totally different.
It's week eight, it's not late in the season. You know,
you had seven games to go last year and maybe
the buye had something to do with it, maybe it didn't,
who knows, But I am curious to see if Jonathan
Gannon came to any conclusions in the offseason and as
to whether he's going to implement any changes in those
(46:27):
two areas.
Speaker 4 (46:28):
It changed last year though with the preseason Cardinals had
twelve draft picks. They have seven this year, and they've
gone a little more veteran heavy when you're looking at
the free agency acquisition. So how does that play a
role in who you want or feel like you still
need to see in preseason games compared to what the
decision was last year.
Speaker 2 (46:46):
You want a crazy stat So the Cardinals Cardinals had
thirteen players out at rookie mini camp I saw where
the Atlanta Falcons had forty one forty one. So it
just shows you how differently teams will approach rookie mini
camp these days.
Speaker 1 (47:03):
By the way, since we've been recording here on this
edition of Cardinals Cover two, it's a yearly thing. It's
a yearly competition. I guess you can say amongst teams,
their social media departments, their content teams. As far as
how you release a schedule Bird Gang. If you haven't
seen it already, I strongly encourage you to go to
the Arizona Cardinals YouTube channel. And we all know Mac
(47:23):
Wilson Senior, but did you know he's a rapper as
a hobby.
Speaker 4 (47:28):
He likes to rat actually did with that because he
had Third and Go the music group with former teammates
Jesse Lucetta and Zach Pascal last year.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
See And I did not know that because usually I'm
the last to know stuff like that around here, so
it makes sense. We followed our scout reports, Dandy and
myself on that one. But I did see the video
and I couldn't be more impressed. Honestly, I'm not sure
what my expectations were, but it absolutely blew any at
all expectations out of the water. That was really well
done on all levels.
Speaker 4 (47:56):
A very impressive music video that Mac Wilson's senior cardinalsbacker,
who goes by rocket Ship is his stage name. He wrote,
he produced, he performed in the music video. It was
the Cardinals content department with some outside help that they
filmed it right here in the facility. Some of his
teammates were extras. It's it's a very impressive performance and
(48:17):
video that's been put out. And I know that you
can download the song on Spotify and Apple and then
there's going to be maybe word on the street is
more than one version of the song, so something else
Paul doesn't know. So keep that in mind. There's a
whole bunch of things that you can find out or
listen to or maybe win, So check out not only
(48:39):
the official YouTube channel, but or social channels as well
to stay up to date on that.
Speaker 2 (48:43):
I did ask how can a guy like me, maybe
a pilfer his way into a a T shirt, a
concert t shirt, or maybe one of the Vinyl albums,
you know, and they pretty much told me to keep walking.
They're going to give those away to the Red Sea
and Bird Gang. So okay, there you go. I'm not eligible,
So anybody listening, take your shot at it.
Speaker 1 (48:59):
The airs on a Cardinals official YouTube channel, and then
on Apple Music and Spotify search eighteen Bars or Arizona
Cardinals music because, as Danny hinted, it might not be
the only song that has been released as of yet
here on this Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (49:16):
It just untill me. It opens the door for you, Paul.
I mean, I just I'm always amazed, like, how talented
can you be? I mean, you're already the point one
percent of football players on the planet, and now to
do something like that while you also at a charity
basketball game, and then you're on the side you're actually
recording that, I mean, it's really well done. I'm just
beyond impressed at the multi talented Macwilson's there's also.
Speaker 4 (49:40):
A pretty impressive article to that, Darren Urban wrote on
acycardinals dot Com. So pretty much, however, you want to
consume eighteen bars in the Cardinals' schedule release, you can.
Speaker 2 (49:50):
And the last thing I'll say in mac Wilson said
this to Darren at his charity basketball game. He said,
you know what, a team that really gets along together
typically is a really good team, or at least it's
a hallmark of a good team, you know, And so
I've seen a lot of that I don't know about you, guys.
Maybe it's the fact you've had twenty eight plus rookies
come in at least draft picks, more undrafted guys that
(50:12):
made the team. You know, they've really changed out the
locker room. Obviously in three years. They have put an
emphasis on guys who are deadly serious about the game.
So most of the players in there share that DNA trade.
And you know, the rosters a lot younger than it
was three years ago. And these guys are hanging out
and getting along. And if we think back, you know,
(50:33):
you get zoom out on Cardinals history some of those
teams that got along really well and had that camaraderie
where some of the best teams in Cardinals history. Yeah.
Well said.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
By the way, if you want to see Mac Wilson
Senior and company out on that football field at State
Farm Stadium, Azycardinals dot Com Forward slash tickets, that's Azycardinals
dot Com, Forward Slash tickets and all the news and
information on the schedule on Azcardinals dot com. And on
that note, we'll put a lit on this edition Cardinals
Cover two presented by Hyundai Probud partner of the Arizona
(51:03):
Cardinals as always, Special thanks to our executive producer Jill
Mama Hundre, our associate producer Coddy Fincher. Special thanks to
Alex Greenberg, Danny Surret, Paul Calvic.
Speaker 2 (51:11):
I'm Craig Real Louis. Will talk to you next time
here on Cardinals cover too. Time to start game planning
for the Saints.
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