Dockett doesn’t want to forget dismal 2010 season
Sep 6, 2011, 2:19 PM | Updated: 2:26 pm
Usually athletes stand in front of their lockers at the start of a new season and focus on the future not on the past.
Not Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett. Several times already during training camp he’s recounted what he felt during their 5-11 record during the 2010 season.
“Like I said, I’m just excited to go out every day and try to get better,” Dockett said. “You know everybody across the league got high expectations. Our expectations are no higher than other people’s expectations but it’s all about what you do on the field to get better.
“The whole attitude has changed on our team. We’re not complaining, guys are staying after. And we just know what 5-11 feels like. At the end of the day, that’s a feeling that none of us are trying to experience right now.”
All the players ran sprints at the end of training camp every day in Flagstaff and that extra work has continued down in Tempe with the season opener just around the corner.
Dockett has one simple answer for why the defense is going to be better this season.
“Cause we know what 5-11 feels like. You look at the game film from last year and you see how much we didn’t play together and how many mistakes we made and things like that…it sucks. But to have the opportunity to go out and redeem yourself again, a lot of games to us is personal.”
Dockett’s ready for a real game that counts on Sunday against Carolina.
“I’m just excited to play live football. Just being able to be healthy. That’s one thing I can say about my team is we got players. Our main focus right now every day we step on the field is to get better. Just remember what 5-11 felt like.”
