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The last few years has seen the Cards gather some talented players on the O, but one thing has held them back throughout, their much maligned O line.
According to the following article, James believes this season could be a turning point.
What are your opinions? Will the O line be up to the job or is this once more going to be the Cards downfall?
O-line must be money unit
Kent Somers
To running back Edgerrin James, rushing yards are currency. Bank enough of them in a season, and the folks that own NFL teams will pay you plenty of the real stuff.
What you don't want is someone making unauthorized withdrawals.
"One thing I always chart is negative plays," said James, who signed a four-year, $30 million contract with the Cardinals this off-season. "I don't like to get hit in the backfield. You don't want to lose money, and I look at yards as money"
The Cardinals went bankrupt last season, finished last in the NFL in rushing and averaged just 3.2 yards a carry, also worst in the league.
Just getting to the line of scrimmage was a chore for running backs. The Cardinals lost yardage on about 13 percent of their running plays. Another 12 percent went for no gain, meaning they failed to gain a yard on about 25 percent of their runs.
Fingers were pointed at the offensive linemen, and some of them have taken offense. Continuing a policy that started last year, most of the linemen refuse to be interviewed.
The offensive line has been a constant source of consternation for coach Dennis Green during his two seasons in Arizona.
He's on his third offensive line coach, Steve Loney, and he knows that the key to improving last year's 5-11 record begins up front.
Loney replaced Everett Lindsay, who was fired after the season. Loney is not interested in dwelling upon last season's troubles.
"I kind of tore the rearview mirrors off the car," he said.
"When you're constantly looking back, too many people try to protect their territory. You talk to a lineman, he's pointing the finger here. You talk to a coach and they're pointing a finger. So I really haven't tried to analyze the past."
The Cardinals have tried to upgrade the unit this off-season. They signed free-agent guard Milford Brown from Houston, and he'll start on the right side. They drafted Southern California guard Deuce Lutui, who will challenge for a starting job. If he's successful, left guard Reggie Wells could move to center.
Green didn't address the tackle positions this off-season, but he said he thinks Leonard Davis on the left side and Oliver Ross on the right can play better than they did last season.
The first goal is to get James to the line of scrimmage. Too often last year, runners and quarterbacks were getting hit in the backfield because of various reasons: mental errors, poor technique or bad coaching.
Injury problems forced some players to play out of position, and the inexperience showed.
"I don't think they ever built the continuity and the confidence in themselves," quarterback Kurt Warner said.
No one expects this group to blow the defensive line off the ball on every play.
With James running and Warner throwing, it's more important to just not whiff a block.
"Just get on the right guy," Warner said. "You don't have to maul him. You don't have to push him 3 yards down the field. Just don't give him a free shot."
When James was deciding to come to Arizona, he did some research on the Cardinals line and watched tape of every game. As an unrestricted free agent, money was important in making his decision, but so was the opportunity to continue the success he enjoyed in Indianapolis.
"I watched everything," he said, "all 16 games. They (the offensive linemen) have a lot of upside.
"Yeah, there were a lot of mental errors, but when you have injuries, not everybody is on the same page. You can't get in sync."
This year, all fingers will be pointed at the offensive line. The club has sold out its new stadium. The additions of James and rookie quarterback Matt Leinart have created an unprecedented amount of excitement around the Cardinals.
The offensive line is the "yeah, but" of the 2006 season as in: "Yeah, but what about that offensive line?"
"Nobody wants people to say ,'OK the only reason we can't do anything is because of this person and that person,' " James said. "You want to get that weight up off you.
"That's the way we're going around this building, saying: 'Don't let it be your fault. Just do your job.' And if everybody is doing their job and everybody can be held accountable, we're going to do some great things."
(from the Arizona Republic)
According to the following article, James believes this season could be a turning point.
What are your opinions? Will the O line be up to the job or is this once more going to be the Cards downfall?
O-line must be money unit
Kent Somers
To running back Edgerrin James, rushing yards are currency. Bank enough of them in a season, and the folks that own NFL teams will pay you plenty of the real stuff.
What you don't want is someone making unauthorized withdrawals.
"One thing I always chart is negative plays," said James, who signed a four-year, $30 million contract with the Cardinals this off-season. "I don't like to get hit in the backfield. You don't want to lose money, and I look at yards as money"
The Cardinals went bankrupt last season, finished last in the NFL in rushing and averaged just 3.2 yards a carry, also worst in the league.
Just getting to the line of scrimmage was a chore for running backs. The Cardinals lost yardage on about 13 percent of their running plays. Another 12 percent went for no gain, meaning they failed to gain a yard on about 25 percent of their runs.
Fingers were pointed at the offensive linemen, and some of them have taken offense. Continuing a policy that started last year, most of the linemen refuse to be interviewed.
The offensive line has been a constant source of consternation for coach Dennis Green during his two seasons in Arizona.
He's on his third offensive line coach, Steve Loney, and he knows that the key to improving last year's 5-11 record begins up front.
Loney replaced Everett Lindsay, who was fired after the season. Loney is not interested in dwelling upon last season's troubles.
"I kind of tore the rearview mirrors off the car," he said.
"When you're constantly looking back, too many people try to protect their territory. You talk to a lineman, he's pointing the finger here. You talk to a coach and they're pointing a finger. So I really haven't tried to analyze the past."
The Cardinals have tried to upgrade the unit this off-season. They signed free-agent guard Milford Brown from Houston, and he'll start on the right side. They drafted Southern California guard Deuce Lutui, who will challenge for a starting job. If he's successful, left guard Reggie Wells could move to center.
Green didn't address the tackle positions this off-season, but he said he thinks Leonard Davis on the left side and Oliver Ross on the right can play better than they did last season.
The first goal is to get James to the line of scrimmage. Too often last year, runners and quarterbacks were getting hit in the backfield because of various reasons: mental errors, poor technique or bad coaching.
Injury problems forced some players to play out of position, and the inexperience showed.
"I don't think they ever built the continuity and the confidence in themselves," quarterback Kurt Warner said.
No one expects this group to blow the defensive line off the ball on every play.
With James running and Warner throwing, it's more important to just not whiff a block.
"Just get on the right guy," Warner said. "You don't have to maul him. You don't have to push him 3 yards down the field. Just don't give him a free shot."
When James was deciding to come to Arizona, he did some research on the Cardinals line and watched tape of every game. As an unrestricted free agent, money was important in making his decision, but so was the opportunity to continue the success he enjoyed in Indianapolis.
"I watched everything," he said, "all 16 games. They (the offensive linemen) have a lot of upside.
"Yeah, there were a lot of mental errors, but when you have injuries, not everybody is on the same page. You can't get in sync."
This year, all fingers will be pointed at the offensive line. The club has sold out its new stadium. The additions of James and rookie quarterback Matt Leinart have created an unprecedented amount of excitement around the Cardinals.
The offensive line is the "yeah, but" of the 2006 season as in: "Yeah, but what about that offensive line?"
"Nobody wants people to say ,'OK the only reason we can't do anything is because of this person and that person,' " James said. "You want to get that weight up off you.
"That's the way we're going around this building, saying: 'Don't let it be your fault. Just do your job.' And if everybody is doing their job and everybody can be held accountable, we're going to do some great things."
(from the Arizona Republic)
That's what I was thinking. I'll give Arizona the benefit of the doubt though since they did acquire Lienert and now have a top RB. They may take second place behind the Seahawks or maybe even first, who knows......as long as Boldin and Fitz stay healthy.
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