Tale of the Tape: Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears

Yes! Finally! A game full of balance. There is now no doubt in my mind that this team’s key is to run the ball at least 40% of the time. Winning, losing, losing big…doesn’t matter. If the Cardinals want to be a top-flight team in this league, they have to run and run consistently. I want to restate once again that I don’t think they even have to run effectively.

Though I think they CAN run effectively with Hightower and Wells sharing carries, I also think they can win games with a dedication to a run game that isn’t working, and here’s why: the Cardinals can get 10 yards at any time and everyone knows it. Two runs that go for one yard each? No problem. Fitz goes long, Breaston comes over the middle, Hightower blocks and comes out of the backfield short, and Patrick or Becht finds a hole. Warner hits one of them and starts all over again. But what makes the balance dangerous is when that one Wells or Hightower run goes for 8 or 15 yards on first down. It then makes that next play VERY tricky for opposing defenses.

2nd and 2 or a new 1st and 10 is like Warner’s candy corn on Halloween. He will absolutely tear teams apart given that scenario time and time again. Against the Bears, it was ever so evident. Third downs were picked up when necessary and enough runs worked that the Bears defense looked totally lost. If the Cardinals can continue to use this offensive theorem, there is nobody in the league that can stop them.

Drive # - # of Plays - Result

1st Drive - 8 Plays - Touchdown (Warner to Fitzgerald)
Run - 3
Screen - 0
Pass - 5

Warner threw two quick incompletions and then didn’t miss again until their fourth drive. The Cardinals have become arguably the best team in the NFL on their first drive of the game and this was once again picture perfect. A coach’s gameplan can sometimes be measured by the first drive of games and this is just another indicator that Whisenhunt knows what he is doing.

2nd Drive - 9 Plays - Touchdown (Warner to Patrick)
Run - 3
Screen - 2
Pass - 4

After these first two drives, I was SURE Whisenhunt had read my piece from last week. I was smiling from ear to ear as they mixed things up and ran, screened, and passed their way to two straight touchdowns. It was also very nice to see Early Doucet get a couple of grabs. With Anquan Boldin’s whining games, the Cardinals will need more and more production from him and Urban.

3rd Drive - 6 Plays - Touchdown (Warner to Fitzgerald)
Run - 3
Screen - 0
Pass - 3

Ahhh…Perfect balance. It was so beautiful to watch. Wells and Hightower both had some great runs and Fitzgerald was money as usual. At this point, the Cardinals were playing some of their best offensive football of the year. Three cheers for the hog-mollies up front - they played outstanding.

4th Drive - 10 Plays - Touchdown (Warner to Becht)
Run - 4
Screen - 1
Pass - 5

The second different tight end to catch a touchdown pass? Is this the Arizona Cardinals? Unfortunately, Warner threw an incompletion on this drive, so we’ll want to make sure he cleans that up next game. Just like the Chicago Bears defense at this point, that was a joke.

5th Drive - 2 plays - Field Goal (Rackers)
Run - 0
Screen - 0
Pass - 2

The only drive there was a high uneven run to pass ratio and it was simply out of necessity. The best defense the Bears had all half was the clock, as it stopped the Cardinals from getting a touchdown - something the Bears couldn’t do.

Half Time
Cardinals 31 - Bears 7

6th Drive - 10 Plays - Field Goal (Rackers)
Run - 5
Screen - 1
Pass - 4

Two things to note on the drive coming out of half time: first, the balance remained and was very effective yet again. Second, though the drive ended in a field goal, any 10-play drive with a 24 point lead is a good one. Well done, coaching staff. Well done.

7th Drive - 3 Plays - Punt
Run - 1
Screen - 0
Pass - 2

At this point, I think I went and made a sandwich.

8th Drive - 3 Plays - Punt
Run - 3
Screen - 0
Pass - 0

I finished my sandwich and was still hungry, so I went and got chips and made some dip. They ran three times with a 27 point lead - exactly what they should be doing.

9th Drive - 4 Plays - Interception (Leinart attempt to Fitzgerald)
Run - 2
Screen - 0
Pass - 2

I started to do my laundry until Leinart threw that pick. Leinart didn’t look comfortable and that is a little worrisome for the future. If you can’t come in confident with a 20 point lead, when will you ever be confident?

10th Drive - 4 Plays - Punt
Run - 0
Screen - 0
Pass - 4

Passing was stupid in this case. And after this drive, you will see only one pass the rest of the game because the coaches knew it. That said, the first pass (that went for a first down) was brought back because of a penalty or they may not have thrown the rest of the game. At 1st and 20, it’s hard not to pass, and then once you get sacked, almost lose a fumble, and give yourself 2nd and a mile, it’s even harder not to pass. Throw this drive out.

11th Drive - 4 Plays - Touchdown (Warner to Breaston)
Run - 3
Screen - 0
Pass - 1

What? The run set up the pass? Could this really be happening? Yes. Yes it is. Hopefully, this is a sign of more to come.

12th Drive - 3 Plays - Punt
Run - 3
Screen - 0
Pass - 0

Again, three runs with a lead late in the game. Perfect.

END GAME
Game Total - 12 Drives
Run - 30 - 46.2%
Screen - 4 - 6.1%
Pass - 31 - 47.7%

And THAT is how we do! An almost even split of run to pass and the Cardinals run away with a game against a solid opponent in a not-so-fun place to play. What’s even more is that though there was incredible balance, Warner was still able to throw five touchdown passes. What that means to me is that balance makes Warner that much more effective, especially in the Red Zone.

If the Cardinals can continue to run the ball more than 40% of the time and actually get some production out of those snaps, they will win the NFC West in easy fashion and could truly be looking at back-to-back Super Bowl trips.

As a side note, for all you fantasy folks out there who have been sitting on Beanie Wells all season, now is the time. The Seahawks at home and the Rams and Titans on the road - it is a perfect storm for this young back to go crazy. I expect Beanie Wells to have a killer next three games and should start to get a major look as rookie of the year.

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