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NFC West preview: Arizona Cardinals coaching changes
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Whiz and Grimm / Photo by Krag Klages
From now through Friday, the NFC West Examiners will be answering some questions about their respective teams, bridging the gap between now and the much anticipated beginning of the season. Today's topic: coaching staffs.
The Cardinals made some major staff changes this off-season. How have these changes affected the Cardinals and what might it mean for the coming season?
The two biggest changes on the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff came after they lost the Super Bowl last year in the last two minutes of the game. They lost offensive coordinator Todd Haley to the Kansas City Chiefs and fired defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast (who was subsequently hired by the aforementioned Haley). To replace both coordinators in the same season is almost unheard of, especially after a Super Bowl run, but the transitions on both sides of the ball should be smooth.
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt will be sharing the offensive coordinator duties with offensive line coach Russ Grimm (an odd way to replace an offensive coordinator, to say the least) with Whisenhunt calling the plays. Since Todd Haley was given the play-calling duties by Whisenhunt, there definitely won't be a dropoff in coaching ability. In fact, coach Whiz may be better at it than Haley and Grimm has been with Whisenhunt long enough that should coach Whiz want to pass the reins to Grimm (like he did with Haley), the transition should be fairly easy. Expect to see more of the same this year with the Cardinals offense, with the goal being balance and some savvy play-calling at times that will test the limits of trickeration. If everyone stays healthy, there will be fireworks.
On the other side of the ball, the former linebackers coach, Billy Davis, will be moving to replace Pendergast at the defensive coordinator position. Because Clancy's defense got the Cardinals to the Super Bowl last year (and played well in the postseason), some questioned this move, blaming it on a reactionary move to the final two minutes of the Super Bowl. Looking closer at the numbers, however, shows that this move goes far beyond any one game. Most specifically, the lack of any pass defense would alone warrant a firing. That said, the question remains to be seen whether or not Davis can bring any toughness or discipline to a struggling D.
So far, the preseason has seen some ups and downs on the defensive side, but if you're a Cardinals fan, you have to like what you're seeing. Davis' schemes should create some major confusion for opposing quarterbacks and if his new found discipline starts to set in, there's enough talent here to make some noise. The key word in this case is "potential." If Bill Davis can unlock this defense's potential, the Cardinals may not need to score 30 points a game...and that would be a good thing.
Check out Samuel Lam's take on the San Francisco 49ers coaching situation
Here's Tim Klutsarits' take on the St. Louis Rams coaching staff
And lastly, don't miss Mike Baldwin's take on the Seattle Seahawks coaching moves
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