2011 Arizona Cardinals Predictions

Written by Jack Jones - Google +

The Arizona Cardinals headed into the offseason needing as big of a makeover as any team in the league. Arizona went 5-11 last season, finishing 31st in total offense and 29th in total defense. They didn’t realize how much they would miss Kurt Warner after he led the Cardinals to back-to-back division titles before retiring.

You have to give Arizona credit for not drafting a quarterback, selecting can’t-miss CB Patrick Peterson instead with their fifth overall pick. They traded away their top corner in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for Philly QB Kevin Kolb, snagging what was thought to be the best free agent quarterback available. They had to go through four different starting QB’s last year, so it was a must-move.

The Cardinals enter the 2011 season in a lot better shape than they were a year ago, and could seriously compete for the NFC West title. They will need Kolb to live up to expectations, and to somehow find a running game to help him out. The defense also must improve, and it should. Here is a look at my predictions on Arizona for the upcoming season.

Offense

Arizona’s offense was second-worst in the league only to the Carolina Panthers. They averaged 18.1 points and 269.3 total yards/game. The Cardinals were dead last in rushing (86.6), which certainly didn’t help their ugly quarterback play. While Kolb will have to learn a new system, Arizona has clearly upgraded their QB position.

The Cardinals suffered a big blow when second-round pick Ryan Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury in their first preseason game. They had already traded away Tim Hightower to the Washington Redskins, and Williams was supposed to fill his role. Beanie Wells has had a hard time staying healthy, but he’ll take on an even bigger role this season. Wells rushed for 397 yards and two touchdowns last season, averaging just 3.4/carry. Backing him up will be the electric LaRod Stephens-Howling and Alfonso Smith.

This team boasts one of the top playmakers in the game at wide receiver in Larry Fitzgerald. He did have his fewest receptions (90) and touchdowns (six) since 2006 last season, but that was understandable given the QB situation. Arizona has signed Fitzgerald long-term to an eight year deal worth an estimated $120 million this offseason. They let No. 2 WR Steve Breaston go in free agency, and now it’s time for a few youngsters to step up. The Cardinals are banking on Early Doucette (26 receptions, 291 yards, one TD) and Andre Roberts (24 catches, 307 yards, two TD) to step up and fill the No. 2 and No. 3 roles.

The offensive line is a big concern going forward after their poor play last season. The Cardinals surrendered the second most sacks (50) and the fifth-most QB hits (93) in 2010. They did manage to re-sign three free agents in RG Deuce Lutui, RT Brandon Keith and C Lyle Senlein, but LG Alan Faneca retired in May. Arizona went out and got LG Daryn College from the Green Bay Packers in free agency, shoring up the vacancy left by Faneca. LT Levi Brown is a solid blind side protector for Kolb.

Defense

A big reason for Arizona’s struggles defensively last year was the fact that their stop unit was on the field way too much. The Cardinals ranked 29th in total defense, allowing 27.1 points and 373.6 total yards/game. They were particularly poor against the run, yielding 145.2 yards/game on the ground.

This is a team that likes to get pressure on the quarterback from their 3-4 scheme, but they managed just 33 sacks last year, which was 10 less than in 2009. DT Darnell Dockett was signed to a big contract last offseason, but didn’t live up to it. DE Calais Campbell also failed to meet expectations. They need each to rebound, and for NT Dan Williams to build off of his productive 2010 campaign.

Arizona is pleased with last year’s efforts from their inside linebackers. Paris Lenon led the team with 127 tackles, finishing 11th in the league. Rookie Daryl Washington chipped in 77 tackles and appears to have been a solid pick. Veteran OLB’s Joey Porter and Clark Haggans seemed a step slower, and these two combined for just 100 tackles and 10 sacks a year ago. Look for rookies Sam Acho and Quan Sturdivant to get a crack at playing time, as will O’Brien Schofield.

The secondary yielded 228.4 passing yards/game last season, and helped contribute to a combined 17 interceptions as a team. While they lost Rodgers-Cromartie in the Kolb trade, they definitely upgraded the CB position by drafting Patrick Peterson. This kid has a chance to be special and will make as big of an impact as any rookie this year. Their safety tandem of Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes is one of the best in the league, though Wilson could miss the start of the season with a biceps injury. Gary Toler (90 tackles, two INT in 2010) proved he is a worthy starter opposite Peterson.

NFC West Prediction: 3rd Place, 6-10 Overall – While Arizona had one of the better offseasons of any team in the league, the Cardinals still have too many question marks for me to pick them higher. I can see improvement on both sides of the ball, but the offense still worries me quite a bit. Kolb is unproven as a starter despite his praise, Wells cannot seem to stay healthy, and the offensive line remains suspect. The Cardinals still don’t have a proven playmaker at WR to take attention away from Fitzgerald, either. Arizona will improve their win total from last season, but not by more than one or two games.

Individual Team NFL Season Predictions

AFC
AFC West	AFC North	AFC South	AFC East
Kansas City Chiefs	Pittsburgh Steelers	Indianapolis Colts	New England Patriots
San Diego Chargers	Baltimore Ravens	Jacksonville Jaguars	New York Jets
Oakland Raiders	Cleveland Browns	Houston Texans	Miami Dolphins
Denver Broncos	Cincinnati Bengals	Tennessee Titans	Buffalo Bills
NFC
NFC West	NFC North	NFC South	NFC East
Seattle Seahawks	Chicago Bears	Atlanta Falcons	Philadelphia Eagles
St. Louis Rams	Green Bay Packers	New Orleans Saints	New York Giants
San Francisco 49ers	Detroit Lions	Tampa Bay Bucs	Dallas Cowboys
Arizona Cardinals Predictions	Minnesota Vikings	Carolina Panthers	Washington Redskins

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