Suggestion of how to adjust these plays for next time
The Cardinals only gave up 2 TDs to the Seahawks. Here is an analysis of each play and what potential adjustments the coaches and players can make to clean up their mistakes.
1st TD: Q2 1:17, 3-0 ARI, 3rd and goal from the 3-yard line.
Amazing to think that the Cardinals’ defense might have kept yet another opponent out of the end zone all game, had they not made this blunder in pass coverage. Seeing as Starling Thomas V plays DK Metcalf man-to-man all the way on his corner route, this was a man-to-man coverage… https://t.co/9PuNu1hcj4
— Walter B J Mitchell (@WBJMItch) November 25, 2024
Amazing to think that the Cardinals’ defense might have kept yet another opponent out of the end zone all game, had they not made this blunder in pass coverage.
Seeing as Starling Thomas V plays DK Metcalf man-to-man all the way on his corner route, this was a man-to-man coverage call by Nick Rallis.
The problem is — there is no way Rallis should ask OLB Jesse Luketa to guard JSN man-to-man at any time, let alone in the Red Zone. It’s very difficult to understand the matchup assignment. Plus, Luketa does the incorrect thing by standing in cement with no one near him.
Budda Baker was supposed to be the safety, and you can tell by his reaction that he was expecting Luketa to cover JSN. Dang. (More play analyses on Red Rain Podcast tomorrow morning).
The Cardinals still have one timeout left with 1:17 in the half. Better to use it here on 3rd and goal knowing they have the wrong personnel/coverage package to defend the play.
2nd TD: Q3, 7:24, SEA 7 ARI 3, 4th and 1.
I was hoping the Cardinals would run James Conner on a power dive to the B gap away from Leonard Williams. Looks like it would have worked. That said, Drew Petzing’s play call here of a run/pass option is a good one, but the execution is flawed. Notice how wide Kyler’s sprint out… https://t.co/9i28zJShaA
— Walter B J Mitchell (@WBJMItch) November 25, 2024
I was hoping the Cardinals would run James Conner on a power dive to the B gap away from Leonard Williams. Looks like it would have worked.
That said, Drew Petzing’s play call here of a run/pass option is a good one, but the execution is flawed. Notice how wide Kyler’s sprint out is — which means, if he could not beat Witherspoon around the edge, he wanted to give himself time and space to make a throw to Michael Wilson.
The Seahawks played it to near perfection by having Witherspoon on Kyler face to face and Knight in the direct passing lane to Wilson.
Four adjustments for next time:
(1) Wilson needs to disengage from his block sooner to get open faster;
(2) McBride needs to run a deep corner route so as to take his man with him so as to attract S Coby Bryant’s attention and to be a 2nd option;
(3) If Knight is in the direct passing lane, as he is here, Wilson can stop the route halfway between the hashmarks and the sidelines to create and sit in a clear passing lane. Wilson decided to fade off the route, but Kyler still does not have a clear enough passing lane or enough space to make an accurate lob with proper touch under pressure.
(4) Another adjustment is for Michael Wilson to perform a better hook block on Witherspoon and then release into the flat. Even if Witherspoon charges the gap underneath Wilson, Wilson should be wide open in the flat that early on.
The irony is that earlier in the game, Kyler had bought time to his right in nifty fashion and hit M-Willy for a TD that would have made the score 7-0 Cardinals. But it was called back for a holding penalty. Dang.