Arizona Cardinals special teams disappoints again
By Jim Koch
Now that the Arizona Cardinals special teams unit has blown two games this season the time has come for a coaching change
The head coach of the Arizona Cardinals needs to do his team and it’s fans a favor. Bruce Arians needs to put loyalty aside and fire special teams coach Amos Jones.
As we all know, one play doesn’t lose a football game. Heard it a thousand times. But when the outcome of games are at stake and the unit can’t do its job, changes must be made.
It started on opening night. A botched snap on a game-winning field goal try cost the Cards a victory. Nevertheless, long snapper Kameron Canaday was given another chance and repaid Arizona by doing it again a couple weeks later.
He was replaced following his second screw-up, but the damage had already been done. The opening game could’ve been a win if he had done his one and only task correctly.
The Cardinals’ brutally frustrating tie with the Seattle Seahawks also could’ve been a triumph. It’s true that the offense shot itself in the foot many times. But the fact is that three negative special teams plays actually lost the club the game.
Without a doubt, the first of the three plays was extremely controversial. Bobby Wagner was flagged for leaping to block a Chandler Catanzaro field goal attempt. After a discussion, the flag was picked up and it most likely cost Arizona three game-winning points.\
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The second blunder came when Jones allowed Kerwynn Williams block the edge on a critical fourth-quarter punt. Granted, Jaron Brown would’ve covered that spot if not for his injury. It resulted in disaster, Seattle blocking the punt and subsequently kicking a game-tying field goal.
The most damaging failure was the 24-yard missed field goal by Catanzaro that would’ve won the contest. Obviously, there’s nothing Jones can do about a kicker who clearly choked at the worst possible time. But when you’re the head honcho of a group that’s struggling mightily, maybe you should bear at least some blame.
On a whole, the special teams hasn’t been great since Arians arrived and brought Jones with him. When it fails to do its job in at least two out of seven games, that’s a problem. Someone needs to be accountable.
That someone is the special teams coordinator. It’s time for Arians to facilitate the change that needs to be made. It should be done before it costs his team more than it already has.