Cardinals’ GM Keim: Arians ‘turns up the heat’ on the offensive line

Dec 16, 2013, 11:06 PM | Updated: Dec 17, 2013, 6:27 pm

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LISTEN: Steve Keim, AZ Cardinals GM

Perhaps the premier point of emphasis for general manager Steve Keim and the Arizona Cardinals heading into the 2013 season was the offensive line.

From the drafting of now-injured guard Jonathan Cooper in the first round of the draft to the trading away of slumping tackle Levi Brown, Keim and company clearly valued the importance of a trustworthy offensive line for new quarterback Carson Palmer.

On Monday, the day after his team ensured their first winning season in years with a win over the Tennessee Titans, Keim spoke about the improvements on the offensive front while a guest on The Doug and Wolf Show.

“I think they’re playing in unison better,” Keim told the hosts. “I think they’re playing better as a group, whether it’s working together on combination, passing off stunts — those sorts of things that it takes as a group to get better.”

According to FootballOutsiders.com, the Cardinals front has jumped ten spots from last year to this year in pass protection rankings, standing as the 16th-best line in the league — just above league average — and eighth in the NFC.

“Harold Goodwin, Larry Zierlein have done a great job with those guys,” Keim went on, talking about the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator and assistant offensive line coach and their work with the unit.

“Just from a technique standpoint, I think those guys have really improved.”

With two games left on the schedule, the line has seen Palmer sacked 36 times thus far — a major improvement over the 58 times Cardinals quarterbacks were sacked last season.

“And quite frankly,” Keim began, “Bruce really turns up the heat on those guys.

“These guys want to play hard for him and they love him.”

Despite the improvements, though, Arians has had to work around the weaknesses of a still-flawed line, which Keim went on to point out to the show.

“Bruce just understands the schematical limitations (of the offensive line) knowing where we need to chip or where we need help,” the first year GM said.

Lately, Arians has been using two-tight end packages in order to help his line.

“It’s not a pride thing; he’s not going to leave the left tackle out there on an island the whole game.”

Tampa Rays pitcher David Price is introduced as the Tennessee Titans 12th Man before an NFL football game between the Titans and the Arizona Cardinals Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. Price played baseball for Vanderbilt University in Nashville. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Arizona Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall (28) pushes past Tennessee Titans defensive end Ropati Pitoitua (92) as Mendenhall scores a touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) Arizona Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall (28) celebrates with Kory Sperry (83) and Daryn Colledge (71) after Mendenhall scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run against the Tennessee Titans in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) passes as guard Paul Fanaika (74) blocks Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (99) in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) gets past Arizona Cardinals defenders Karlos Dansby (56) and Rashad Johnson (26) as Chris Johnson scores a touchdown on a 25-yard pass play in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on a 25-yard pass play in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) is congratulated by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (4) after scoring a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on a 25-yard pass play in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) Arizona Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall (28) gets away from Tennessee Titans linebacker Moise Fokou (53) in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (4) passes under pressure from Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker John Abraham (55) in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (99) celebrates after sacking Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) for a 9-yard loss in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (99) is congratulated by defensive end Kamerion Wimbley (95) after Casey sacked Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer for a 9-yard loss in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) is sacked for a 7-yard loss by Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey (99) and Derrick Morgan (91) in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) can't hang onto a pass as he is defended by Tennessee Titans cornerback Jason McCourty (30) and safety Bernard Pollard (31) in the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (4) head to the sideline after Johnson scored a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on a 25-yard pass play in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) 
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antoine Cason (20) is congratulated by Rashad Johnson (26) after Cason intercepted a pass and ran it back 20 yards for a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington (58) breaks up a pass intended for Tennessee Titans fullback Quinn Johnson (45) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Arizona Cardinals running back Rashard Mendenhall (28) celebrates as he lies on top of Paul Fanaika (74) after Mendenhall scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run against the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Tennessee Titans wide receiver Michael Preston (14) catches a 10-yard pass for a touchdown as he is defended by Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antoine Cason (20) in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne) Tennessee Titans wide receiver Michael Preston (14) scores a touchdown on an 8-yard pass play as he is defended by Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. The extra point tied the game to send it into overtime. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Michael Preston (14) scores a touchdown on an 8-yard pass play as he is defended by Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. The extra point tied the game to send it into overtime. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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