How to lose your job as an NFL offensive coordinator

By Paul Eide  |   Wednesday, October 18, 2006  |  Comments( 0 )

Arizona Cardinals
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The most disappointing thing about watching the Arizona Cardinals' offense sputter in the second half of Monday night's debilitating 24-23 loss to the Bears was that the players were never given the chance to decide the outcome of the game. Why? Because of ridiculously conservative play calling.

This decision cost offensive coordinator Keith Rowen his job, and the Cardinals enter Week 7 with their third offensive coordinator in the two and a half years since Dennis Green became head coach.

After the Cardinals racked up two passing touchdowns in the first quarter, the offensive philosophy shifted from a successful West Coast aerial attack to a game management approach that focused on running the clock out rather than scoring points.

Take one look at Edgerrin James' stat line and it's obvious someone needs to be fired: 36 carries for 55 yards.

It didn't start out so bad, though. On seven carries during the Cardinals' opening drive, James accumulated 31 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, almost a yard and a half higher than his season average of 3.1 entering the game.

On James' final 29 carries, he rushed for an embarrassing 24 yards and set an NFL precedent with the worst rushing performance in league history. However, the fault for this incredibly bad day doesn't fall exclusively on his shoulders. James doesn't call the plays; he does what he is told. What running back in the league is going to turn down carries? The kind of carries that he was getting were the bigger issue, especially in obvious running situations. James is a solid running back but he isn't the kind that you give the ball to, stand back and prepare to be amazed, a la LaDainian Tomlinson. He excels off of play-action passing and is very good at picking through holes that are created as a result.

When the Cards were moving the ball in the first quarter and again on their final drive, it was because they kept the NFL's best defense off balance, using Leinart's mobility to get him out of the pocket and upset the Bears' blitzing patterns. The Cardinals could've put the game away multiple times thanks to several Bears turnovers, but chose to go conservative instead. Getting a lead and sitting on it is one thing, but why did they keep just mindlessly handing the ball to James over and over? After around the 27th carry, you kind of felt bad for him because the outcome was so predictable.

On the Cardinals' final drive, it was third-and-1 from the Bears' 22-yard line with just under a minute remaining. Predictably, the Cards ran and lost a yard, putting an already shaky kicker into a spot where he didn't want to be -- attempting a field goal with the game on the line, essentially the same situation he was in a week prior where he also failed when the team needed him most. Why not run play action on third-and-1, roll Leinart out like they did in the first half, and throw it to your 6-foot-8 tight end, Leonard Pope, in the flat?

Neil Rackers had already missed one attempt in the game, so why not get as close as possible before putting him in the most crucial spot the Cardinals franchise has been in during the last decade?

The Arizona offense definitely needs a change, but there is no substitute for common sense. Do what works, avoid what doesn't. Hiring a new offensive coordinator hasn't worked the previous two times, but Dennis Green is starting to feel the heat and knows a drastic change needs to be made.

Arizona Cardinals commentary, courtesy of RealFootball365.com
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