Blinkscout Game 13 analysis ... Cardinals

Signature win and best performance of the year, during primetime, on the road, as an afterthought given the adversity they faced.

I thought we might wind up catching them with their pants down, but I was really happy with no0t only the effort, but the ability to rally after the Cards started to come back.

Now all we have to do is beat the 9ers and my season will be complete.


The Great

1) Sony Michel on 3rd and one, beating Golden in the backfield and then without leverage, carrying two Cards defenders over the line to gain. I know there were other great plays, but "Hey, I'm gonna give you the ball on 3rd and one, and you're going to have to evade a tackler immediately, then get hit by two more after getting to the LOS, and with no help you have to push them over the line ... cool?" That kind of individual effort wins games.

2) Not having to put Stafford's erratic throwing in the bad column again, as he cleaned it up. Hit Van in stride hit Coop in a shoebox hit Beckham twice in the neck in tight coverage.

3) AD. Have yourself a game big guy.

4) First game, they shut down cooper, so what do we do game two? Is it find other WRs? NO it's simply create better matchups for him and get him another 13 receptions.

5) Darious' tip in the end zone was so fast twitch. Just really special.

6) Beckham looking more like Beckham than he has in like 5 years.

7) The 4th down stop of Connor. I said to the fam "Kliff is making a mistake here" ...

8) Losing 5 players the day of a game, including Ramsey, and rallying around Kareem Orr and playing good defense.


The Good

9) Noteboom at ORT against Chandler Jones doing fine. Also doing fine in the run game.

10) Shelton fine at OC.

11) Ernest Jones showing why they grabbed him in the 3rd.

12) Powell as KOR.

13) Blanton getting some confidence catching the football.

14) I am saying this again, Van Jefferson is still accelerating as he's catching the deep ball. Where he gets his top mph is when most guys are slowing down to find the ball.

15) Gaines getting Murray from behind.

16) Beckham testing positive today rather than yesterday.

17) Von Miller is looking faster finally. Ankle clearing up?


The Bad

18) Hekker's punting? What's the deal?

19) Hopkins not getting open ... what a bummer pick.

20) Floyd losing Murray twice outside.

21) Not seeing more Burgess.

22) David Long's dropped INT. Gotta have that big guy.

23) Not being able to stop Connor in the passing game. He was acting more like a TE.

24) The play before our 3rd field goal ... I really thought they'd have better design on that one.

25) Leaving them 38 seconds in the first half.

26) Giving up the big play to Kirk. I get you figure they're just trying to get the first down, but they're fighting the clock more than anything else ...


The Ugly

27) How poorly the Cards are playing at home ... wow. Doesn't bode well for hosting a playoff game there.


College

28) I get why they're moving on from coach O, but LSU may have the best defensive backfield I've ever seen, they're like 10 players deep. I mean I guess that's why, super talented and 6 wins.

29) Don't sleep in Cinci vs. Bama. They can cover, and they can match up with any front. And I think Metchie just tore his ACL ... it's not a gimme. At all.

30) The second tier teams are all really good. So the games around the first should all be closely contested and heavy hitting with lots of fireworks.

31) Unlike most years, I tried to stay as even as possible on who I watched. There are only a few teams I'm unfamiliar with in the FBS. Usually I need the bowl games to get some teams, but this year I think I got all of them ...


Questions and comments welcome...

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