All-Access with Bruce Arians: Means more to face Seattle in season finale

TEMPE, Ariz. – Head coach Bruce Arians, now in his fifth year with the Arizona Cardinals, meets the media several times leading up to gameday.

Here, in this space, with help from the Cardinals’ media relations staff, we’ll highlight many of the key topics and personnel conversations he has with reporters following practice.

Opening statement:

“Not practicing today: John Brown with his toe, Josh Bynes, Karlos (Dansby) was OK, Larry (Fitzgerald) was OK, Troy Niklas, Patrick Peterson with an ankle, Frostee’s (Rucker) OK and Earl Watford. A good start to the week. I think everybody enjoyed Christmas a little too much, and it was a slow start to practice, which is usual for that time of year and having a couple days off.”

It’s a good start to the week. We know how big the week is for us to get to 8-8, and that’s the only thing we’re focused on.”

On the attention his comments regarding the Cardinals success at CenturyLink Field has received:

“Things that you say to your team in your locker room are supposed to be in your locker room. But, it got out, and I said it. So, we have won three (out of four) up there.”

On if he likes the idea of having the Seahawks playoff aspirations at stake this Sunday:

“No, I’d rather it be us in the playoffs a hell of a lot more than this, but it’s fun. It adds something to the game.”

On the Cardinals and Seahawks having success at each other’s stadiums:

“Yeah, just how physical the games usually, are and a play usually turns it here or there. Russell’s (Wilson) play down here was, obviously, an unbelievable play, and it changed the game. We’ve had some plays up there – J.J.’s (Nelson) catch last year and some other things. Big plays make the difference in the game normally.”

On if his players are incentivized to knock the Seahawks out of the playoffs:

“I think it means a whole lot more to be playing them than somebody else, yes.”

On how he knew that S Budda Baker was a “football junkie” when scouting him:

“You just talk to the coaches, and then when you talk to him, he starts spitting out information, ‘I can play corner. I can do this. I studied this guy.’ You know that this is a guy that loves the game.”

You didn’t have to be around him very long to know it, but Coach (Chris) Petersen’s outstanding and that program he’s running up there. Everybody gave him raving reviews.”

On how far back into a player’s history the Cardinals research while scouting him:

“Our guys go all the way back. They check out everything, especially if they’re someone who knows the family. You want to know everything there is to know about a player before you sign him or draft him.”

On how he would describe WR Larry Fitzgerald’s 2017 season:

“Pretty much the norm. He comes in great shape, he catches a hundred passes and gains a thousand yards. I just wish he had a few more touchdowns this year, but that’s been kind of the norm ever since we’ve known him.”

On how Fitzgerald has thrived within the role he has been placed:

“Yeah, it was a decision for him to leave playing what he had played and was very comfortable doing and just trusting that, ‘Hey, it’s going to work out, and you’re going to catch a whole lot more balls this way.’”

On if he has told Fitzgerald, “I told you so:”

“No. Never.”

On how he would sum up QB Carson Palmer’s time with him over the last five seasons:

“Oh gosh, it’s been fantastic, some of the best of his career, some of the best of my career – his numbers and the wins, his leadership. It’s just a shame he had the knee and now the arm, or I think he’d have done wondrous things in his time here.”

On working with Palmer late in his career compared to younger quarterbacks:

“It was totally different. You’ve got a guy with three kids and older, set in ways a little bit, that you have to change how they read things, how they see things, how they communicate. But, it’s always fun. Quarterbacks, they just have a great camaraderie in that room on how to learn.”

Every guy learns different. A young guy, you can brainwash him. A veteran guy, you say, ‘You’ve got to forget some of that. We don’t do it that way. That’s going to get you in trouble,’ and they’ll ask you, ‘Why?’ And you’ve got to have the reasons why.”

On if he sees Palmer as a 38-year-old quarterback after his birthday today:

“No, he’s a youngster to me. He’s in fantastic shape, so yeah.”

On if he likes how the defensive line has come together this season:

“Oh gosh, they’re playing extremely well. It’s a shame, each week it’s been one guy (down), maybe for a couple of weeks. Corey (Peters) was down. Xavier (Williams) was down. Robert (Nkemdiche) was down.”

The next guy jumps in and plays extremely well. ‘O.P.’ (Olsen Pierre) has missed a little time, but he’s had a heck of a year. Rodney’s (Gunter) has gotten better and better. The whole group, they feed off each other.”

On the seriousness of CB Patrick Peterson’s ankle injury:

“Not very. I would hope to see him back out there tomorrow.”

On what it would mean to him to become the franchise’s all-time winningest head coach:

“It means we’d be 8-8, and that’s about it. The rest of that stuff, I don’t put much stock in. It’s nice to be 8-8 because we’re 7-8, but it isn’t what we wanted when we started this journey this year.”

On if there are any takeaways for QB Drew Stanton from Palmer’s three wins in Seattle:

“Yeah, Drew’s had some success himself at times. It’s just completing those balls. There are going to be four or five opportunities for big plays, and you’ve got to hit them. You can’t miss them.”

On if he has any New Year’s resolutions:

“Not yet. Same one as last year – lose 30 pounds. (Haven’t) had much luck this year.”

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