http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2009/08/27/20090827spt-cardsdefense.html Cards' defense looks to continue rollThe NFL preseason is a test of patience, the equivalent of driving hours through the desert to reach the ocean.
The regular season - are we there yet?
But if there is any substance to these practice games, it comes in the third one, when most teams play their starters into the third quarter. The Cardinals and Packers plan to do just that Friday night at University of Phoenix Stadium.
For the Cardinals, the game should provide a way to measure their development on defense. Coach Ken Whisenhunt wasn't happy with the unit's inconsistencies last season, so he fired coordinator Clancy Pendergast and promoted linebackers coach Bill Davis.
Davis has preached accountability, communication and teamwork, ideals he thinks will prevent teams from being able to throw the ball over the Cardinals' heads for touchdowns. That happened a lot last year when the Cardinals led the league by yielding 36 touchdown passes.
"If we can consistently stop the deep ball, we have too many athletes on the field," Davis said. "They (opponents) have to go on long, 10-12 play drives, good luck to them."
Up for a challenge
The Packers' first-team offense has been able to do just that in the preseason, scoring touchdowns on five of its six possessions. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers
has completed 13 of 19 for 200 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
"This is a good team we're about to face," Davis said. "Watch out for them this year."
The Cardinals' first-team defense has played well in the two preseason games, both losses. It hasn't given up any points in two quarters of play, although the Chargers completed a 49-yard pass to open the game last Saturday.
"It's 100 percent better than what it was," strong safety Adrian Wilson said. "I think everybody knows what they're doing. I think that was a part of it (last season), people didn't know where they were supposed to be, and they really didn't take the time to study and just know the defense. Now, things aren't as simplified as they were last year, but guys have a year of experience under their belts."
It wasn't just the fault of the secondary last year, although it was burned by the deep ball several times.
Linemen and linebackers missed tackles that led to long touchdowns. Motivation seemed to be lacking in some games, as the Cardinals were blown out three times in the final five games.
"I think there has been an improvement because in practice and in games, there are not a lot of deep balls caught on us because of the attention we've put on it," cornerback Ralph Brown said.
'Tied together'
Davis emphasized that two preseason games is not exactly a large body of work. But he was pleased with much of what his defense did last week against the Chargers.
The Cardinals starters sacked quarterback Philip Rivers four times. One of the sacks, by linebacker Karlos Dansby, led coaches to believe players are understanding the message.
On the play, outside linebacker Chike Okeafor and defensive lineman Darnell Dockett slanted hard to the right. Dansby faked as if to blitz up the middle, then ran around left end. The Chargers tackle didn't pick him and Dansby sacked Rivers for an 11-yard loss.
"But then the next play, it's the linebackers' turn to give it to the defensive line," Davis said. "We talk a lot about linebackers running through gaps, to take a double-team off a defensive lineman. So we (tell them), 'This is what you have to do to take 600 pounds off of them, make it 300 pounds.'
"We're tied together and I think the message is getting across," Davis said.
The Cardinals are counting on sound schemes and better coaching for defensive improvement this year. There are only two new starters, right end Calais Campbell and cornerback Bryant McFadden.
With McFadden and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at cornerback, and Wilson and Antrel Rolle at safeties, the Cardinals might have one of their best secondaries in years.
Wilson, in his ninth season with the Cardinals, isn't willing to go that far yet.
"Everybody has to stay healthy and we have to make sure we stay on the same page," he said. "The chemistry has to be there, I think that's very important. That's No. 1 for me. I know I keep saying it, but that's No. 1 because there were times last year where we weren't on the same page."