Midseason reports

Sporting News, The, Nov 11, 2002

Arizona Cardinals

www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/cardinals

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED: The team's most important offensive weapons, QB Jake Plummet and WR David Boston, have not played up to expectations. Plummer has been inefficient and prone to making bad decisions. Boston, hampered by a sore foot, has dropped several passes and hasn't produced the big plays he did last season. The defense is much improved over last season. The team speed is better, thanks to the development of SS Adrian Wilson and the return to health of DE Kyle Vanden Bosch.

NEWCOMERS ANALYSIS: CB Duane Starks and TE Freddie Jones, each a free-agent addition, have not made big contributions yet. Starks missed four games because of injuries and didn't play well when he was healthy. A strong effort last Sunday shows that likely will change in the second half. Jones was supposed to help in the red zone and take some pressure off the wide receivers, but he hasn't become a consistently important piece in the offense.... The draft also hasn't produced much help. DT Wendell Bryant signed late and has been only a backup. OLB Levar Fisher has been nagged by injuries and is a backup.... Veteran OL John Fina and Raleigh Roundtree, who were signed after the season started, have helped the team survive several injuries along the offensive line.

WHAT TO EXPECT: The Cardinals should be able to continue to rely on the running game. RBs Thomas Jones and Marcel Shipp have developed into a decent duo. Jones is the starter and has breakaway speed; Shipp probably has better instincts and is an excel lent receiver. There are great concerns about the passing game. Boston is showing no signs of coming out of his funk. Plummer is making the same dumb mistakes he made when he was younger. If he doesn't improve in the next few weeks, pressure will increase on the coaches to play rookie Josh McCown. The defense has a chance to become even better. As Bryant becomes acclimated, he should make an impact. The Cardinals especially need him to become a reliable pass rusher. Wilson has recovered from a dislocated shoulder that hampered him the first month of the season. It's time for him to start making some big plays.--Kent Somers

MIDSEASON GRADES

QUARTERBACKS          D
RUNNING BACKS         B 
RECEIVERS             C-
OFFENSIVE LINE        A
DEFENSIVE LINE        C
LINEBACKERS           A
SECONDARY             B
SPECIAL TEAMS         B
COACHING              B 
OVERALL GRADE         C

MVP LG Pete Kendall has been the steadying force on a line that has had injuries but has improved.

BUST Star WR David Boston has averaged two drops a game lately.

PASSING        Att.   Comp.   Pct.    Yds.   Long

Plummer         278     147   52.9    1623    65t

PASSING        TD   Int.    Rating   Sacked

Plummer         7      9      65.4       15

RUSHING       Att.    Yds.    Avg.     TD

T. Jones       118     457     3.9      2
Shipp           45     206     4.6      3
Plummer         30     197     6.6      2

RECEIVING      No.    Yds.    Avg.     TD

Boston          32     512    16.0      1
Sanders         26     283    10.9      2
F. Jones        24     190     7.9      1

SCORING        XPM     XPA     FGM     FGA    Pts.

Gramatica       16      16      10      15      48

PUNTING        No.    Yds.    Avg.    Blk.

Player          40    1736    43.4       1

KO RETURNS     No.    Yds.    Avg.      TD

Jenkins         20     559    28.0       1

PUNT RETURNS   No.    Yds.    Avg.      TD

Jackson         20     107     5.4       0

SACKS: Vanden Bosch 2.5, Thompson
2.0, Wakefield 2.0.

INTERCEPTIONS: Wilson 3, Lucas 2,
Barrett 2.

Atlanta Falcons

www.sportingnews.com/nfl/teams/falcons

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED: QB Michael Vick, who played most of the first half of the season like a Pro Bowl veteran, proved he has enough poise to make the second half interesting for the Falcons. The offensive line has shown improvement. There is still concern about the lack of speed at receiver, but Trevor Gaylor has a chance to make an impact in the second half. Thanks to a quick adjustment to defensive coordinator Wade Phillips' 3-4 scheme, the defense has allowed 20 or fewer points in six of eight games. Patrick Kerney has put aside concerns he is too small to be effective as an end in a three-man front, and he again is leading the pass rush. Strong play from LB Sam Rogers and DE John Thierry has helped compensate for the season-ending shoulder injury suffered by projected starting LB Will Overstreet.

NEWCOMERS ANALYSIS: RB T.J. Duckett, the only rookie likely to get substantial playing time this season, looks like the lead back for the rest of the season and a foundation for the future along with Vick.... Free-agent WR Willie Jackson recently was cut after complaining about not getting the ball enough.... RT Todd Weiner was the key addition, and he has been as stout as expected as a pass blocker. Less heralded but also starting as free-agent pickups are LBs John Holecek and Rogers, FS Keion Carpenter and return specialist Allen Rossum. Carpenter may have the longest future with the team. Thierry, a free-agent acquisition, is second on the team in sacks.