ProFootballCentral.com

By PFC Cardinals Writer Kelley Smelser

Cards second round pick Alan Branch was a rookie nose tackle and he played with an arm and a club last year for the Cardinals. The Branch did move people and drew an occasional double team in limited action in 2007.  Mr Branch gets moved to defensive end by the coaches time to to time. I don’t expect to many players to move him unless he want’s to move in 08. When Gabe Watson and Branch are in there together in game situations. The Cards can play 5 linebackers and an effective 2-5 formation. Gabe Watson, Branch and Darnell Dockett bring a full load in the 3-4 and Clancy can afford to take risks with Adrian Wilson , Karlos Dansby, Dockett and Antrell Rolle in 08. These player could do the superstar plays all over the field in 07 because the most underrated player in the NFL- linebacker Gerald Hayes was smart, tough, disciplined and accountable.

Hayes was cleaning up the running game garbage most of the time but found time to hit and split pro former pro bowlers Matt Hasselbeck and Sean Alexander to beat the NFCW winning Seahawks in a true heroic fashion.  Gabe, Branch or Dockett can demand a double team on any given play and if 2 out of 3 need a double team the Cards defense attacks from the outside in with versatile rotation of DE/LB hybrids. When Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry are healthy we will be a versatile defensive lined football team. Free Agent Travis Laboy adds young experienced depth in the line up and freshness to the rotation.

 Developing Campbell Calais will upgrade depth with youth. Kenny Iwebema is an experiment that could energize the unit in a big way. Or not? The loss of Calvin Pace seems huge to the Jets but the Cards survived losing 2 first round picks this offseason, yet kept the better players on their team and on the field in 08.  I think WR Bryant Johnson grades higher in talent at his position than LB Calvin Pace. The Jets wooshed on Johnson while looking for a receiver. I expect BJ to be ranked a lot higher at WR than pace will be at LB in 08 and beyond. Most disagree with me but time will tell.   Clancy Pendergast defense must play better this year, brilliant one play and sloppy the next is trashing us. He’s had a lot of years to get it right in AZ and he has not. I believe the inconsistency is by scheme, he has the players to compete in a solid base defense but Fancy Clancy out smarts himself at times and his players end up out of position and confused.

The short pass defense was ripped apart by QB’s worth their salt, made Vinny look quite able. We had some incredible run defense against great running teams last year. the Cards do not meet the volume of quality running offenses in 08 that we seen in 07. The Cards meet top 5 fantasy backs Gore and Jackson twice in our division. But we aint scared! There are 2 types of animals in this world? There is predator and there is prey. predators never give warning.  SMUSHDOWN CARDINALS