The offense eventually came alive, the defense couldn't get their stop. Close for the Cardinals against the 49ers, and now comes a game the Cards need to (and maybe should) win in New York. We'll go with the mailbag today. Don't forget to send a question for a future mailbag with at least a first name and last initial.
From Andrew Miller:
"Hi Darren. Penalties, so they say, are a killer. My question is a rules interpretation. On the penultimate play of the first quarter against SF, Jack Gibbens was flagged for pass interference on a pass over the middle. It was not noted by the television analysts, but on replay, it sure looked to these old eyes that the pass glanced off the the helmet of a lineman. I always thought that any kind of interference of the path of a pass would be construed as a tipped pass, obviating early contact by a defender on a receiver. Assuming for argument the pass did glance off a helmet, would that have been the right interpretation in this instance?"
If the pass had glanced off a helmet or been touched in any way, you are correct, pass interference becomes moot. That said, I went back at looked at the replay, and with all due respect to your eyes, aging or no, I didn't think there was any way that ball was touched.
From Jason B:
"I believe in this team, and know we should be 3-0 at the moment. These losses to SF and Seattle shouldn't have happened. I have a few of questions, if you could please help me understand.
- LeFleur and Hackett are supposed to be top offensive-minded coaches and our offense has been the issue. We are not disciplined, we struggle keeping the chains moving and Brissett is very inconsistent. We have a ton of talent on the offensive side and we are not getting creative. What needs to happen to fix these issues?
- We are struggling getting pressure, and it is putting a lot on the DBs/LBs to keep up with RBs/TEs/WRs. Why don't we trade for a linemen who can get pressure? Even with Nolen getting doubled or tripled team, no one gets home.
- To me our losses are due to inconsistent play on both sides of the ball, why can't this team play four quarters of football? We get one or two good quarters and then we fall apart or we start slow and pick up the pace."
I'm from the Bill Parcells school, Jason. You are what your record says you are. The last two losses had moments, but in a full NFL game, in those games, the better team won.
But I'll see what I can do for your comprehension level on these topics.
- Well I'm going to disagree from the standpoint that I think the defense has more issues than the offense, which loss or not, scored 30 points Sunday for the first time since 2024 and that was with a bunch of wounds to the feet. They can't have the penalties, and LaFleur knows there have to be more explosive plays. This is not yet a well-oiled machine. They know what they need, and a big part is getting out of their own way.
- (*Trying reallyreallyreally hard to tamp down sarcasm*) I get it Jason. It would be ideal if the Cardinals could get T.J. Watt or that kid from Buffalo who is on fire to start the season. But teams aren't trading those guys. They aren't even trading the guys that might be those guys. Every team wants more pass rush. The time to make those acquisitions are the offseason and definitely the draft.
- It's a fair assessment, but for a team that isn't winning consistently, that's what it looks like. I'd argue it's true for a lot of teams in the NFL -- look at the Broncos and Rams on Sunday night. Neither team played four good quarters. It happened that each took a half so it was close. Consistency is important however, and what the Cardinals are chasing.
From Ben D:
"A few thoughts from the Niners game.
The X factor of the season so far has been the lack of pass rush. It's to the point now where Mike/Rallis/Monti just need to be asked point blank what the heck are we going to do? Broken plays on defense feels like a growing problem. We have seen far too many missed assignment blown plays in the last three games, and that's on the coaches. Budda, love him, looks slow. I can't remember the last time he made an impact play, thinking all the way back to last season."
Well, with the pass rush, I'm not sure there is much to do where we are right now. Chandler Jones is not walking through that door. (Foreshadowing, kind of!) Once the draft passed without an edge guy coming to Arizona, it was going to be about the guys here. Because as I noted before, teams aren't giving up guys who can rush the passer.
From Rob B:
"Been away awhile. Just got to my limit when Jonathan Gannon went goofy over that drop at the end zone. Couple of things, team looked good until that fluky fumble and return, that was really tough. Question on Sweat. He didn't seem to put a lot of effort on some plays. I wasn't at game so I don't know all that may have happened. It's good to be back, but man I hate Seahawk fans and I have a nephew that's one. I don't hate him though. Great kid."
Well, good on ya for not hating your nephew. That's a plus in my book.
As for Sweat, the coaches keep saying he is working back and it looks that way on the field, whatever his issue (which remains undisclosed) might be. I didn't watch Sweat specifically so I can't comment on the effort, but I would see that less of a factor than not being quite 100 percent. He did play only 44 percent of the snaps, so it seems like the Cardinals are being judicious with his playing time.
From Dane Guthrie:
"Why not put in Carson Beck?"
Why put in Carson Beck?
From Owen R:
"I know it is beyond early for this chatter and we haven't gotten (and probably won't for a bit) get a look at Beck to see what he can be. But I feel like with the cap space we have next year and the young pieces we have, I view having high draft capital/pick as the key to us actually having legitimate hope as a fanbase. Get those blue chip guys (and hopefully your bonafide franchise QB, whether it being Beck or a draftee) and build up. BEYOND Sold on LaFleur!"
I feel you are making a subliminal message about tanking, yes? That's not gonna happen. You are correct, it is much too early to talk Beck for playing time. The Cardinals do not want to play Beck if they can help it, but that will likely be determined by wins and losses. Of course, in a vacuum, the highest draft pick possible is the best. But teams don't operate in a vacuum. They want wins and success. Especially the players in the locker room.
From RT2:
"Here's the uncomfortable question Cardinals fans have been asking for years: How does ownership remain satisfied with a franchise that has so rarely sustained success? A few good seasons here and there have given us hope, only for the team to fall back into prolonged struggles."
Ownership isn't satisfied. I feel confident in saying that. Getting to the point where the Cardinals sustain success has been elusive, obviously. But the idea Michael Bidwill is OK with struggles on the field just isn't true.
From Chris Mann:
"Darren, I can't tell you how excited I was reading your mailbag this week and you mentioned how you were planning to ask about Darius Robinson being moved to outside pass rusher. I FEEL HEARD! We may as well start trying everything. Looking forward to hearing coaches comments, thanks!"
I asked the question about using Robinson on the edge. Here is what DC Nick Rallis said:
"He's been playing on the edge since he has been here," Rallis said. "That's something we can still deploy out there. We have a handful of guys in that D-line room that have that athleticism. It's a matter of, is it up in the plan and how much do I call it."
Robinson has played 721 snaps since coming into the NFL. He has been in a true edge rusher spot (9 technique) on 51 of those snaps, although it's possible the Cardinals see "edge" as more than just the 9-technique look.
From Scott Chu:
"Hey Urbz, I guess by next week's mailbag (editor's note: that's this week's mailbag) we may have more clarity, but I think its going to be a tense week for Marvin."
From Justin Boyle:
!"Hi Darren, I'm sure you've seen the clips going around this week of TJ Houshmandzadeh (Michael Wilson's mentor and former Pro Bowl WR) discussing Marvin, and all the trade rumors that have popped up this week. What are your thoughts on the game film and where this relationship is headed."
From Brett Johnson:
"I understand 'stick to my process' is the standard answer for all professional athletes facing performance criticism, but if Marvin's process has resulted in the results we've seen, he needs to change his process."
All these questions came in last week, after the mailbag but before the 49ers game. So there is that clarification.
It was indeed a tense week for MHJ, and I am guessing one that wasn't his favorite. He answered the questions he was asked, and I appreciate the self-awareness when he noted that his draft status was always going to carry heavy expectations. He had a bad game against the Seahawks. Most of the offense did. His production doesn't feel like it's going to consistently spike at, say, a 6-82-1 line every week. Trey McBride and Michael Wilson will likely be above him in the pecking order.
As for his process, I have a question for you: If your process a) was something helped created from your Hall of Fame wide receiver father and b) was good enough to get you to get drafted at No. 4 overall, I am not sure I'd be all that anxious to change it up.
From J Cam:
"Just for the record, I also miss reading the snap counts, you posted last year. I doubt it's just me and the person who wrote in last week. Maybe it's too labor intensive to do, but I hope you will reconsider."
OK, OK. I will have a version of that on Mondays.
From Brandon Bird:
"Hey Darren, total left field comment but I was watching a Kurt Warner interview today and he was talking about Marvin and systems and the topic of Fitz/Q/Breaston came up, and how they accomplished the rare 1K yards WR trio. That sent me to Wikipedia to view stats and relive some glory days and I saw something that made my jaw drop. I've been a Cardinals fan for 22 years, and I just now learned ... Anquan Boldin was 5-foot-8 (per his combine measurables)? I am by no means calling him small, he was a tank. But 5'8 by NFL standards is a very short WR. "
Uhhhhhh, wut?
Anquan is most certainly not 5-8, and never was. I just hosted a QnA with Anquan just a couple weeks ago, and that just reaffirmed he was definitely not 5-8; I'd notice at 6-3. He is listed at 6-1 and that sounds about right.
That's what you get for looking at these often worthless AI summaries out there.
But yes, he was a tank.
From Ken D:
"What's the status on the return of Tip Reiman?"
Still wait-and-see. He is eligible to have his practice window open after the Giants game. Whether that happens is TBD. I don't get the sense that is imminent. But with what Reiman gives the run game, I think he's a player LaFleur is praying can be back sooner rather than later.
From Kevin Tobey:
"Wonder if it's to late to bring in Chandler Jones out of retirement? Just joking of course. One of the best moves the Cardinals ever did."
As I said, Chandler Jones is not walking through that door.
But yes, a great move. Trading for a guy who averaged 14 sacks in the five Arizona seasons he wasn't injured tends to be pretty great.
