All season long Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt has
said with a new defensive scheme installed, the unit needs
more time before passing judgment.

Since Week 9 the Cardinals have won four out of their last
five games, mainly due to the improved defensive play.

“I think everybody is so quick to forget that we didn’t
have an offseason, that we had a whole bunch of new guys,
that we’re in a new scheme,” Whisenhunt told Arizona
Sports 620’s Doug and Wolf. “When the bullets are flying
and you’re trying to play your scheme and you’re making
mistakes, teams make you pay for those mistakes.”

The Cardinals defense has given up an average of 17.2
points a game the past five weeks.

“We’re still making some mistakes but we’re able to
recover from those because our guys are making enough
plays because they are in the right spots,” Whisenhunt
said.

Since digging themselves into a deep hole with a 1-6
record, the Cardinals have played their way into the
playoff conversation.

If Whisenhunt is right about the lack of time being a big
issue for this team, then you have to wonder how the first
seven games would have gone if the team had a regular
offseason.

“As it gets better you can see out guys starting to play
faster, play with more confidence,” Whisenhunt said, “and
you know, it’s really a neat thing to see the way those
guys are growing together.”

Follow @AZSports