Jaworski on Cardinals: ‘It’s either poor coaching or dumb players’
Oct 27, 2011, 7:07 PM | Updated: 7:14 pm
When an NFL team starts a season 1-5, there’s plenty of
blame to be spread around.
Fans have mostly sprinkled that blame among the
quarterback, the offensive line, the coaching, the lack of
pass rush and the play of the secondary.
ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski breaks it
down in an even more elementary manner.
“It’s either poor coaching or dumb players, I can’t make
it simpler than that,” Jaworski said while chatting with
Burns and Gambo on Arizona Sports 620 on Thursday.
Jaws pointed to the Cardinals’ fourth play from scrimmage
in last Sunday’s 32-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers,
when quarterback Kevin Kolb was hurried and threw a pass
off of tight end Rob Housler’s helmet that was intercepted
by Pittsburgh safety Ryan Clark.
“I know this Cardinals team has a bunch of former Steeler
coaches on their staff,” Jaworski said. “Do they know the
Steelers blitz? Do they know that they’re going to bring
pressure?
“The first interception is absolutely mind-boggling, when
Lawrence Timmons on a four-man rush comes in unblocked
with an empty backfield.”
The Steelers turned Clark’s interception into a touchdown
five plays later when Ben Roethlisberger found an
uncovered Heath Miller on a 12-yard scoring pass.
Later in the game, Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb was
called for intentional grounding in the end zone,
resulting in a safety. Kolb was heavily pressured by
LaMarr Woodley, who again was unblocked on a blitz. That
play extended the Steelers’ lead to 26-14.
