Whisenhunt brings new, rare hope to Arizona

By Connor Byrne  |   Wednesday, January 17, 2007  |  Comments( 3 )

Arizona Cardinals
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Few NFL coaches have better offensive minds than Ken Whisenhunt. The former Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator was hired on Sunday to be the Arizona Cardinals' newest head coach, meaning the lowly Cards could finally be poised for improvement.

Whisenhunt, who spent three years leading a Steeler offense that was a run-first, efficient group, inherits all kinds of weapons in the desert. He was instrumental in making a title-caliber quarterback out of the youthful Ben Roethlisberger, and he's prepared to do the same with Arizona's soon-to-be second-year man, Matt Leinart. Having the highly talented, win-first Leinart is quite a coup, as is possessing major offensive weapons like running back Edgerrin James, wide receivers Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson, plus tight end Leonard Pope.

The 44-year-old Whisenhunt was an innovative mind in Pittsburgh, where he utilized the likes of Roethlisberger, Willie Parker, Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El to the fullest of their respective abilities. Accumulating a 34-14 regular-season mark over Whisenhunt's tenure was no accident in Pennsylvania - he was a tremendous asset to the team.

By hiring Whisenhunt, a former pro tight end, it appears the constantly hapless Cardinals are ready for a move into relevance. They never got to any great heights in three seasons with Dennis Green, who was vastly overrated entering the fray in 2004. The former Viking head coach has always been a solid talent evaluator, as evidenced by selecting Leinart, Boldin, among others, but his on-field coaching skills have usually come under scrutiny. Of course, Green's infamous tirade after an October loss to the Bears didn't lend to his credibility, either.

Under Green last season, Arizona had a below-average offense that finished the season ranked 19th in both total yardage and points scored. Considering the copious weapons the Cardinals possess, there's simply no excuse for that lack of production. The fact is, he didn't get the maximum from his players. Whisenhunt, on the other hand, has.

Since emigrating from St. Louis to Arizona following the 1987 season, the Cardinals have been an unmitigated disaster. The only other team that's been mocked more over that time span is the pathetic Detroit Lions. Arizona, in fact, hasn't racked up a postseason berth since 1998, which seems like ages ago.

Nobody's saying the Cardinals, who have gone a combined 41-85 since '98, will be knocking on the door of a title any time soon. In the uber-weak NFC West, however, immediately competing for a playoff position under Whisenhunt, a Bill Cowher clone in the looks department, is far from impossible.

With the Cards' current stable of young, talented weapons, he gives the team a better chance at glory than its last two head coaches, the fiery Dave McGinnis and Green, ever could.

cbyrne@realfootball365.com.

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CommentsComments: 3  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
Bill West		03:58 PM
01/22/2007
I dont know why coaches keep walking into the cardinal trap. The problem in arizona (and in St. Louis before they moved) has...
No.2
Elrey Brooks		05:46 PM
01/23/2007
I, don't agree with bill's comments.I am a season ticket holder her.I can tell you guys now;This hiring is a good one.If they can...
No.3
Michael Vogt		01:51 PM
01/26/2007
The Cardinals will show they deserve to play in the new stadium. It is easy to subscribe to BILLS comments from old days. I felt...
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