Carson Chats: The Cardinals’ prep for Falcons has regular-season feel
Carson Palmer talked about the Arizona Cardinals' preseason prep for the Atlanta Falcons and touched on the future of his team.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) tosses hit cap to fans after a preseason NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. The Bears won 24-23. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Quarterback Carson Palmer, now in his fifth year with the Arizona Cardinals, meets the media several times during training camp.
Here, in this space, we’ll highlight many of the key topics and personnel conversations he has with reporters following the morning walk-through:
What would you like to get out of this fourth preseason game?
“A lot of things. You’d like to go down and score every possession, just get in a really good rhythm, build confidence, build more continuity playing together in a game atmosphere and situation. It’s a great test. It’s a very good defense, very good offense, obviously. There’s going to be a lot of energy. I think this is the first game there, I assume, right? So, yeah, a lot of energy. Kind of a regular season feel because of the excitement with the new stadium and all that. Just really looking forward to getting out and playing and continuing to grow as a group and as a team.”
What can you tell about this offense so far even though it’s been pretty vanilla?
“Yeah, very vanilla. We’ve got a lot of stuff we’ve been working that’s just not time to show. We’ve spent different segments of camp working on different things, different schemes, different plays. We’ve gone through camp and seen a ton of different looks for a couple of days, sometimes one day, sometimes three practices with different fronts and different protections, issues that come up with those fronts. It’s been a great camp. We’ve seen a ton, we’ve seen a ton from our defense, and I think we’re in a good place.”
What does the Falcons defense do as far as a test for the offensive line?
“Very fast defense, very good defense. Every guy upfront with their ones and a couple of their twos — (Courtney) Upshaw seems like a two on film when he’s playing but he plays like a one. Vic Beasley is a great pass rusher. You go across the board, there’s really good players. Looking back at the film from the previous year, the situation (John) Wetzel was put in — he was starting at right guard, then he started at left tackle and then he started at right tackle, I believe. It’s hard. It’s as hard as that position can get going from one side of the line in one position to the other side at a completely different position and then back to the other side of the line. It’s just tough when you don’t have that continuity, and then you go into a loud stadium like that and play against a pass rush like that, it’s really, really hard to get a good rhythm and get comfortable playing next to a guy when you don’t do it week after week. I like the position we’re in right now. Guys have been playing the same spots all of the camp. We’ve been healthy. It’s a great test upfront.”
What do you think of Kerwynn Williams and what he’s had to do to remain on the roster?
“I love Kerwynn. The first thing that jumps out at you is just his attitude and his joy and passion to play the game. He’s a great teammate and a great guy in the locker room. He’s one of those guys that’s always keeping the mood light but very, very serious about his job. When it’s time to practice he works his butt off. When it’s time to play it seems like every time he touches the ball he’s getting five, six, seven, eight yards. He’s explosive. He’s hard to find behind the line of scrimmage because he is small. He’s got a very quick burst and breakaway speed and he can catch the ball. I love everything about him and love seeing a guy that’s not a first or second round pick make a team through the special teams, work his way up. He’s just one of those guys you want to get carries but it’s tough to take carries away from Dave (Johnson) and get him in the game, but when he’s gotten his opportunities he’s done great.”
And now he’s handling punt returns?
“I can’t wait. I asked him why haven’t you been doing this since you got here. But he got here late, he was a midseason signing, I think, two years ago, maybe, and we already had the returning situation kind of ironed out, but I can’t wait to see what he does when he gets back there.”
Because you’re game-planning for the Falcons does this week feel any different or does it still feel like training camp?
“Totally. Just the way we prepare for this game is different. Every other week you’re going against your own defense. This week we’re starting to see looks that are Falcon looks. We’re watching film on them. It’s not a complete game plan week but it’s as close as you can get to a game plan week.”
How has your game-planning with the head coach changed or developed since you got here?
“It’s consistent. He puts stuff in and takes stuff out as he sees fit. He gives you reasonings. There’s a couple of reasons we have a couple of plays in this week but it’s very consistent.”
What have you noticed about Blaine Gabbert just from watching him every day?
“I had worked out with him a handful of times a couple of years ago in the offseason. Very aware of his skill-set. He’s as talented as it gets throwing the football and moving around the pocket and on the run, so I haven’t been surprised. I had a chance to work with him three years ago and for three years known the ability he has.”
Why do you think he wasn’t as successful is some of his other stops?
“To be honest, I don’t know those situations, those offensive schemes, the players. I know a little bit about San Francisco just being in the same division but really don’t know much about the offense that they were running.”
From the outside it looks like he’s done a nice job. Do you see the same thing?
“He’s done a great job. He’s had a great camp. He got there late, probably midway through OTAs, I want to say, but he’s picked it up extremely quick. He’s very bright, and like I said, he’s as talented as they come throwing the ball.”
Kind of a big picture question: As you look forward, where is this franchise once you, Larry Fitzgerald and Bruce Arians decide to step away?
“I just think of the two young guys that we drafted in the first and second round this year. Pat’s (Peterson) a young player, Ty’s (Mathieu) a young player, (Robert) Nkemdiche is a young player. There’s a lot of youth on this team and a lot of high picks that are still in their first handful of years. You go across the board, there’s some great vets, guys like Karlos (Dansby), guys like Larry, Jared Veldheer. You got Dave Johnson going into year three, I want to say. There’s a really good mix of veteran leadership that has, and will continue, to help develop along with the coaches these young guys. I mean, the future is as bright as it can be. Those picks, those are hits. D.J. (Humphries) is just kind of coming into his own. He’s in his second, no, third year. There’s a lot of high picks that were great picks that are young players that are continuing to improve, so I think the future is very bright.”
How much more fun is it to game plan and challenge yourself mentally than just knocking off the rust off?
“It’s just the monotony of training camp and the monotony of Pat over there and Ty over there. Just seeing different players, going to a different stadium in a different environment, going on the road where it’s loud and it’s fun to go into those environments. It’s great. We’ve been champing at the bit to play again and we have an opportunity — it still seems very far away but in reality, right around the corner.”
Will you have time to check out the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium?
“Yeah. I can’t wait to see it. We went to Minnesota last year and got a chance to see it, beautiful stadium. I’ve heard a lot of good things. I’m looking forward to seeing it.”
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Comments
1 Comments
I am not putting to much stock into a pre-season game, especially w/ multiple key critical players who will not be available, but this will be a very good test for the Cardinals this Saturday to kind of knock the rust off & get into regular season mode from this week on.
I will be paying a lot of attention to ARI's defense, the Cardinals defense match's up extremely well with what the Falcons do. ARI's defensive front should be able to really get after QB Matt Ryan this weekend especially if Bettcher dials up a few stunts & brings pressure. It sucks AZ will be w/ out DE Robert Nkimdiche for this weekend (all that matters is getting him healthy for week 1 n e way) but AZ will still have an excellent very good Defensive-Line up front. The Falcons OT's aren't all that good, LT Jake Matthews is an average at best LT, Arizona outside pass rushers Chandler Jones and Markus Golden should be able to get a lot of pressure on Ryan, especially if they also use ILB/OLB Hasson Reddick as an outside pass rusher or as an extra pass rusher in their different speed packages. Having a healthy ILB Karlos Dansby on the field will be a big time upgrade up front as well ensuring everyone is lined up right and will also massively help out ILB Hasson Reddick & the run game overall.
Where ARI match's up exceptionally well against the Falcons is on the back-end, the Cardinals have the DB talent to take away what ATL does best & that's spread you out and throw the ball. Elite All-Pro CB Patrick Peterson has proven he can take Julio out of the game, excellent #2CB Justin Bethel matchs up very well with very solid #2WR Sanu. Having Elite All-Pro FS/CB Tyrann Mathieu fully healthy & back to form is a massive upgrade on the back-end & he can take away the Falcons top slot threat & is not only elite pass covering DB as one of the best ball hawking safeties in the league but Is just as good versus the run. 5"10/200pd S/CB Budda Baker is a big time upgrade to the Defense excelling in all 3 phases w/ the talent to be just as good as Mathieu & is already playing at a very high level on the backend & the Cardinals will also be rotating both 5"11/209pd Pro-Bowl SS Antoine Bethea in TJs old role & 6"1/210pd SS/FS Tyvon Branch. With Mathieu back on the field healthy AZ also gives up on average 3PTs less per game on AVG compared to w/out him creating more forced tunerover as well.
The Falcons defensively have an average defense, McKinley still looks very green so ATL doesn't have much of a pass rush threat outside of Vic Beasley who is an elite pass rusher as well as below average pass rusher Brooks Reed who had 2 sacks n 16, along the D-Line the Falcons do not have any above-avg to elite interior pass rushers but have multiple decent DT's in guys like Grady Jarrett & Ra'Shede Hagemen, DL Jack Crawford who all had 2.0 sacks a piece last year Upshaw is more of a run defender and a very good one at that though they do like blitzing MLB Deion Jones much like SEA does w/ Bobby Wagner though nowhere as good of a rusher as Wagner is. On the back-end the Falcon's have a very solid above average #1 corner in D. Trufant who while very good is no Patrick Peterson, their #2CB 5"10 Robert Alford overall is average, he is a feast or famine corner either very good or he gets beat very badly. In their Nickel D Alford will slide inside to the slot playing Jalen Collin's on the outside, Alford is a bad mismatch against the 6"3 Larry Fitzgerald & on the outside Jalen Collins running a 4.50 40 will match-up poorly against the speed AZ has in players like John Brown. The Falcons overall have good CBs but they have young safeties who tend to struggle in coverage that can be had as well.
As long as Carson Palmer is protected which AZ shouldn't have any problem doing against this front, the Cardinals should be able to really move the ball against this front, especially running the ball as the Falcons have a soft run defense AVG 4.5 YPC on avg per rush attempt & your average team doesn't have RB David Johnson, AZ has some run blocking maulers on the O-Line so they should get a lot of push up front.
David Johnson likely will only play a few series but I expect Arizona will get the run game going & start taking shot's off play action, all the speed on the outside should really open up the underneath passing game for guys like Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson, TE's J. Gresham/T. Niklas and at times Jaron Brown, Palmer shouldn't have an issue getting Johnson the ball on short-intermediate passes as ATL doesn't have anyone who can cover the guy. I want to see the offensive line give Palmer time up front long enough to get the intermediate (11-20YDs) & deep passing game (21+YDs) game going. If ARI can hit John Brown, JJ Nelson, Jaron Brown or even possibly Chad Williams on those intermediate-deep passes that will build a lot of confidence going into the year. I want to see both John Brown & Jaron Brown catch a couple passes each in this game. Palmer's arm looks as live/strong as ever in training camp throwing w/ a ton of serious velocity behind passes and his deep ball's have looked as accurate as ever and on point, as long as Palmer is protected this season I have no doubt AZ's explosive intermediate-deep passing game will be back. I'd like to see Arians mix up last years short passing game with 2015 explosive intermediate-deep passing game giving AZ the best of both worlds with a nice balance & will also help dramatically in keeping Palmer upright & not getting hit, which is vital this year.
Overall I really care who wins this game the only thing I care about is both the starting defense & starting offense (though both units will be missing a handful of critical key players, & RB David Johnson likely will be re-wrapped in bubble wrap & shelved after 1 series, 2 at the most) look good out there. Offensively I am not to worried, I just want to see Palmer protected, get the run game going & want to see hit on the short to 11-20yd intermediate pass routes that sets up atleast 1-2 successful deep passes. I want to see John Brown catch a few passes n look good out there, same with Jaron Brown and JJ Nelson. I am not to worried about anyone else. If the starters play the Half I'd like to see AZ score atleast TDs in both quarters, scoring 14-17 in the Half. Defensively I want to see AZ contain the run game & see our pass rushers get after Matt Ryan, esp Jones/Golden. ATL's interior line has serious issues at OG, its a shame Nkimdiche will miss this one. The Falcons have two HORRIBLE RG's competing to start, 6"5/300pd Ben Garland who is leading right now graded out w/ a 49.1 overall grade last week & the younger 6"5/300pd Wes Schweitzer was even worse w/ a 47.7 overall grade. On the other side 6"2/310pd LG Andy Levitre was very good but is starting to age at 32 and is known to give up sacks undersized at 6"2/310, Arizona's D-Line can give them a ton of issues. I want to see them stop/contain the run getting pressure on Ryan forcing him to throw.
Forcing Ryan to throw benefits the Cardinals with the caliber of pass defense they posses on the backend. I want to see All-Pro FS/CB Tyrann Mathieu who is back to All-Pro form to continue at the Elite caliber All-Pro level he always play at healthy, would love to see him get his hands on some throws. Peterson/Mathieu take away two of Ryans best receivers and his top 2 deep threats. 6"1/200 CB Justin Bethel has looked excellent playing at a very high level all camp long he just needs to keep that level of play up keeping everything in front of him. 5"10/200pd S/CB Budda Baker who can play FS/SS & Slot CB has played at an extremely high level for a rookie & has been a consistent play maker, I just want to see him continue growing n take another step forward.The addition of Baker paired with Mathieu makes AZ extremely versatile/fast on the back-end. 5"11/209pd SS former Pro-Bowler Antoine Bethea looks excellent in TJ's old role and 6"1/210pd SS/FS Tyvon Branch possessing elite-speed/athleticism is good vs the run but excels in pass-protection and looks exceptional in his 2nd year w/ AZ now that he understands his role in this defense. The talent AZ has on the back-end will make it very hard for the Falcons or anyone to throw on this defense this year. Come Saturday I want to see the Defense play at a very high level and not give up no more than 7pts, 10pts at the most & thats assuming both teams starters play the entire half. At the end of two quarters I want AZ to have looked good both offensively/defensively play mistake penalty free football, showing they can protect Palmer giving up no more than 7-10pts to ATL over an entire half, 2 quarters of football. I'd love to see Arizona put up 14-17pts holding ATL to 7-10pts over 2qts come SAT.