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Bruce Arians Criticizing Arizona Cardinals’ Offense at OTAs Has Silver Lining


Bruce Arians Arizona Cardinals

Matt Kartozian – USA Today Sports Images

The Arizona Cardinals looked like they might be the surprise team of the 2012 NFL regular season. They started the year with a 4-0 record and looked like they had a good deal of potential. However, the Cardinals went on to lose their next nine games after that start and lose 11 of their last 12 games. They were impossibly bad at times.

One of the biggest reasons that they really struggled last season was their inconsistent and often awful quarterback play. John Skelton, Kevin Kolb, Ryan Lindley and Brian Hoyer all started games under center for Arizona last season and all four players looked like they didn’t deserve a starting job in the NFL as a quarterback. It was just a bad situation for the Cardinals last season.

This off-season, though, the Cardinals have undergone some major personnel changes, most notably at that quarterback position as they have brought in Carson Palmer to take the snaps in Arizona this season. Though Palmer isn’t Tom Brady or anything, he’s way more competent than anyone the Cards threw on the field last season. Arizona also brought in Bruce Arians to be the new head coach for the 2013 season.

Though we are still just in OTAs and this new offense and coach are just getting accustomed, reports are already coming out that Arians is not pleased with some of the things that he’s seeing. He’s seen some poor throws by Palmer, dropped passes by receivers, un-crisp routes being run, and so on. Arians flat-out told the media that he wasn’t pleased and that they needed to improve. That alone obviously isn’t a positive thing.

However, the fact that Arians is already being critical and asking more of this team has to be considered a good thing for them. This shows that Arians isn’t content with sub-par play or mediocrity and that he holds a higher standard for his teams. He wants this Cardinals team to not only be good, but to be able to compete for a spot in the playoffs. Though it’s uncertain whether or not that will happen, being led by a man with the attitude and demands of Arians is a good start.

Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20 and like his Facebook page.


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