Arizona Cardinals: Bruce Arians or Bruce Almighty?
Bruce Arians, the 2nd year Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals, must be a happy man. If you ask a Pittsburgh native, Arians is now 3 years into his retirement and presumably spending his Sunday afternoons wearing a rather nifty and fetching hat collection. How else would a Steelers Offensive Coordinator spend his retirement other than visiting Indianapolis and Arizona, probably to indulge a love of Motor Racing and enjoy the hot weather!
In all seriousness however, since leaving Pittsburgh, Arians has moved on and achieved his goal of becoming a head coach in the NFL. While in Indianapolis, Arians was named the Offensive Coordinator. Once the news broke about Chuck Pagano’s leukemia diagnosis, Arians was named the interim head coach. Arians led the Colts to a 9-3 record.
So what is the trick? How does he do it?
It probably helps that we are in a time where “offense is king.” And one thing Bruce knows is offense. Look at what he achieved with Ben Roethlesberger behind what might kindly be described as a “fragile O-Line.”
Dec 29, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) runs the ball against the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Arians has tailored an offensive game plan that as us Cardinal fans know was good enough to win the Super Bowl. Moving to the Colts, Arians then got to design an offense for Andrew Luck, touted as the best college QB since Peyton Manning and drafted by the Colts, a lot of pressure that could easily backfire. However, Luck thrived and got to the playoffs.
It is one thing, winning games with a Andrew Luck, or a Ben Roethlesberger, but that wasn’t going to be possible with Arizona. The team that at the time didn’t even have a clear starting QB, let alone one in the Luck category. To remedy this, the Cardinals picked up Carson Palmer from the Raiders. Yes, that Carson Palmer who had walked away from the game rather than stay in Cincinnati.
This would be a test of Arians credentials as offensive guru. The result, by the second half of the season, Palmer began to look like a decent QB and the Cardinals went into Seattle with their infamous defense and became the only visiting team to win in approx. 3 seasons.
It helped having a strong defense of their own, and Arians has wisely let his defensive coaches run their schemes. With players like Patrick Peterson, Darnall Dockett, John Abrahams why wouldn’t you trust them to get it done? Mix in the emergence of the Honey Badger and Antonio Cromartie and the Cardinals are looking good on that side of the ball once again.
It is a tough division to get out of and last season showed that. The strength of the Cardinals was one of the reasons the NFL were pushing for 7 teams in the playoffs. The schedule is made harder this season of course as the NFC West is due to play the AFC West which are surely the 2 toughest divisions.
Even so, with an improving defense, and another year wuth the Arians offense, the Cardinals have a lot to look forward to. With Palmer back at QB, Larry Fitzgerald leading an emerging receiving group, and big things expected of Andre Ellington at running back, it is not unthinkable that another good season awaits the Cardinals.
I am tipping a playoff birth, and once you’re in the show, you have a chance. Our Super Bowl run in 2008 proved that. So, the Cardinals in the playoffs, doesn’t it sound a little magical? If so, maybe in Arizona at least Bruce Arians will be Bruce Almighty.
The Arizona Cardinals first regular season game is against the San Diego Chargers on Sept 8. For the rest of their schedule click here.
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