2009 Record: 10-6, Division Champions
2009 Playoff Record: 1-1
Key Losses: Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, Karlos Dansby, Antrel Rolle
Key Additions: Joey Porter, Kerry Rhodes, Dan Williams, Alan Faneca
The Cards have been the team to beat in the West since the glory days of Mike Holmgren ended after the 07 season. Normally a team that went to the Superbowl two years ago and the Division Championship Game last season would be considered a heavy favorite to win their division again, but the recent resurgence of the Cardinals has also coincided with the recent resurgence of the now retired Kurt Warner. Despite the recent success of this team, one has to wonder if Ken Whisenhunt can succeed despite the lack of a suitable replacement for Warner at QB. Furthermore, there have been losses on the defensive side that could hamper the Cardinals' quest to return to the big game, and with Seattle and St. Louis both taking steps towards building better clubs it's not a particularly good time to be slipping. Still, they should at least have enough left in the tank to finish second in the division, although their chances of unseating the explosive looking Niners or getting a Wild Card berth seem slim at this point.
We'll start out on offense, last season everyone knew that this club was capable of winning on any given week because of their high-powered passing attack led by Kurt Warner. They finished the season ranked fourteenth in total offense, posting an average of 344 yards per game and 23 points per game, despite the running game producing less than 100 yards per game and a sub-par 4.1 YPC average. Word is that Whisenhunt will be running a more traditional offense, running the ball to set up the pass. This is probably mostly out of necessity, seeing as how he doesn't have Kurt Warner in the pocket anymore. We'll see how this works out with the young tandem of Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower in the backfield. Both have showed flashes at times, but will have to perform consistently if they are to fulfill their role in the Cardinals' new offense. Also key to the running game will be the performance of the offensive line. Pro-Bowler Alan Faneca was a great pickup who should be a big factor in this regard, but the rest of the line is a question mark. Furthermore, one of the biggest factors in a line's performance is typically the center, and there's a question of if Faneca will be a difference-maker on the line without a commanding center leading it.
Also among the offensive concerns are the departures of receivers Anquan Boldin and Jerheme Urban. One thing that always helps a struggling QB is having good receivers to pass to. Not that the Cards don't have good receivers; Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston are still extremely good starters, and Early Doucet should still be able to fill in nicely as the third receiver. Steve Breaston, though, is just no Anquan Boldin. Having Boldin and Fitzgerald on the field at once gave the Cards a dangerous starting duo, and Breaston, Doucet, and Urban filled in at other receiving positions nicely. With Breaston now taking on starting duties and Doucet being the only other accomplished receiver one has to wonder if the passing game won't be hampered further.
Their secondary is a bit of a question, they were ranked seventh in the league in interceptions last year, but sixteenth in touchdowns allowed. They lost safety Antrel Rolle, but gained Kerry Rhodes, essentially a wash, and their strong safety, Adrian Wilson, should still be phenomenal at the position. Cornerback, however, is still a patchwork, maybe even more so after the departure of Bryant McFadden. The corner position now rests solely on the shoulders of Dominique Rodgers-Cromarite, who will have to continue to produce at the position alongside whoever wins the second starting job from the free agents they've picked up.
Their rushing defense is another story, however, as they ranked 28th in the league at the end of 2009. They spent their first and second round picks on a defensive tackle and lineman, and those young players will have heavy pressure to perform well right out of the gate. They also could be looking at an almost entirely new linebacking corps this season, as Karlos Dansby is now gone and Chike Okeafor has yet to re-sign. They added Joey Porter, but he's getting on in years as is their projected starter at nose tackle, Bryan Robinson. This defense front could figure to see no improvement from last year, which would put a major hole in their chances at a post-season.
They still have a decent core of players on both sides of the ball. Kerry Rhodes, Adrian Wilson, and Darnell Dockett are among the players who should figure to keep them competitive on defense, but there are still some major areas of importance where players will have to step up. On offense, every single area is in need of improvement except for receiver, and the pressure will be on a corps that has lost its second star to pick up some of the slack. The talent is there in most areas on offense, if Wells, Hightower, Faneca, and the backup receivers perform to their highest level of talent they should be in good shape. However, slips in any of those areas could put pressure on either Derek Anderson or Matt Leinart, and neither has proven they have what it takes to lead a team the way Kurt Warner did. They'll have their work cut out for them playing 2009 playoff teams like Minnesota and Dallas who haven't had the roster changes that Arizona has had, in addition to some dangerous teams in the NFC South and a resurgent AFC West. They could also run into mismatches within their division, and the 49ers are in a decent position to sweep the Cards for the second season in a row. Arizona is in a tough position, and they will have to fire on all cylinders if they want to have any hopes of making the playoffs.
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