Arizona Cardinals Mistakes are Manageable

Sep 8, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford (8) runs in for a two point conversion against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at Edward Jones Dome. St. Louis defeated Arizona 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Last season when the Arizona Cardinals lost, you could point out a ton of areas that needed help.  Some were manageable, some could only be corrected by changes on and off the field in the off-season.  Those changes, despite the loss yesterday to the St. Louis Rams, mean the Cards have mistakes that can be corrected now and not later.

Finding the right solution at tackle to protect quarterback Carson Palmer better.  Sure, easier said than done.  Maybe Bobby Massie can come in and help?  It wouldn’t hurt.  Levi Brown looked like he was a statute at times.

Elevate the passes.  Palmer had several balls batted down.  The Rams defensive front have long arms but the Cards had to have known that.  Elevate and know your arm strength.  Palmer’s pick at the start of the third quarter was headed in the right direction however he didn’t elevate the ball.  It almost looked as if he didn’t have the strength to get the ball to his receiver.  We know he has a strong arm so it could be he didn’t step into his arm motion enough.

Keep your balance.  The Cards ran 70 plays, 40 passing, 30 rushing.  It was about what I expected and it wasn’t too far off from an equal balance but something to keep in mind in a close game.

Passing defense.  The defense played too soft on the pass.  They gave the Rams receivers too much room to run.

You can find positives and negatives with virtually every aspect of the game.  The fact is, the Cards have an offense again that can move the ball and put points on the board.  Something to build on.