Sometimes Less Is More: Gadget Plays Not Necessary

Here’s my two cents on the issue: gadget plays are for teams that lack the talent to compete in a head to head matchup, so they use trickery in order to compensate for whatever qualities they lack (i.e. – poor speed, lack of depth, etc.) and hope to win the game on luck. THAT’S NOT THE PROBLEM FOR THIS TEAM!

One thing the Arizona Cardinals are no longer lacking in is talent. They are quite simply loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. But their offense has an insane amount of talent. Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Edgerrin James, Kurt Warner (and yes, I still include sidelined QB Matt Leinart in this list)………I mean these are some big time names on the roster. With guys like this, you don’t need trickery, you need to design plays that get the ball into their hands doing the things they do best. Yes, I agree wholeheartedly with Coach Ken Whisenhunt that putting the ball into Q’s hands gives the team a good chance to win, but he is one of the top receivers in this league, so let him be a receiver!

The game is what it is, we lost and now we’re in the bye week. But I didn’t agree with Whiz’s call on Sunday, I just didn’t get it. I know I’m not a coach or really anybody, I’m just another armchair QB who has an opinion that I’m able to put up online for others to read, but that still doesn’t mean that I’m wrong. Think about this:

– Your offense has racked up 364 total yards mainly on the arm of Kurt Warner and the legs of Edgerrin James.

– You have thrown three TD passes with your QBs and two of them have gone to Anquan Boldin

– So instead of running a pass play designed to throw the 2 point conversion attempt to Anquan, you decide to run a play that has Anquan throwing the ball to Fitz

Does that sound off to you too? If you want to put the ball into Fitz’s hands I’m okay with that too, the guy has unbelievable hands. But Kurt should have been the guy throwing the rock. He is the one you have to have in there, busted up elbow and all. Kurt throwing to Anquan or Fitz is what gives you the best chance for success.

An isolation fade route to Fitz in the endzone is always a money play, just let him go up and get it – that’s what he does best. But anyway, we all could second guess all we want, and as fans that is our right. I’m a fan of good old fashioned, smash mouth football. Just give Edge the ball and let him go to work. Sometimes less is more!

Mike Duggan
AZCardsfan4life