10 Reasons why Gannon not having Petzing and Rallis call plays vs Broncos was an abject dereliction

By Walter Mitchell

                                                                   (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Yesterday, I asked this question and posted this poll on X ---> and here were the results:

Walter B J Mitchell

@WBJMItch

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Poll for Arizona Cardinals fans: what do you think of Jonathan Gannon's decision versus a Sean Payton coached offense to have Nick Rallis relinquish play calling duties in favor of viewing the game from the coaches' box?

• Wasted opportunity

  10.4%
• Handicapped own players

  10.4%
• Good move

  18.3%
• No big deal

  60.9%

115 votes·Final results

11:55 AM · Aug 18, 2025

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709

Views

Thanks to all of you who participated.

Opinion:

Here are the 10 reasons why I voted for choice B:

1. For those who argue that other coaches like BA and Kliff had Harold Goodwin and Kyler Murray call plays in pre-season game ---both were HC/OCs who came to the Cardinals with decades of experience and success calling plays. Both also came with an impressive history of developing QBs. 

2. Drew Petzing and Nick Rallis came to the Cardinals having never called plays at any level. They have all of 34 NFL games each under their belt and, of course, they still have plenty to work on. The Cardinals under their watch are 12-22. 

3. Petzing and Rallis are breaking in brand new assistant coaches --- most notably both the offensive and defensive line coaches, neither of whom has one iota of NFL experience. They understandably are just getting adjusted to Petzing's and Rallis' play-calling style and tendencies. Switching play callers for these new, high inexperienced assistant coaches, including the new LB coach (who has never coached LBs in the NFL) and the new OLB coach who is in his 2nd year as an NFL assistant coach and is in his first year of coaching NFL OLBs. Man did this turn out to be a very rough night for OLC Justin Frye and DLC Winston DeLattiboudere. 

4. What kind of a message did this decision send to the players about the nature of this game? Experimental? There are new players who, like the new coaches, are trying to get used to Petzing's and Rallis' play calling and game day interactions, especially with the "green dot" players. This is game two. Many of the players' jobs are on the line. How fair was this game to them? Who and what is more important? Developing assistant coaches as play callers or giving the team's players ultimately the best chance to succeed?

5. On the opposite side of the field, Sean Payton and his coaches took every opportunity to prepare and challenge their players to handle game situations, much like this was a regular season game, down to calling timeouts when necessary. Top NFL coaches understand that pre-season games are the best opportunity to give all of their players situational challenges and experience --- because more than ever --- the "next man up" mantra in the NFL is of paramount importance to every team's success.

6. Look at the outrageous, humiliating results. Not only that the Broncos outgained the Cardinals by over 400 yards with their backups --- by 400 freaking yards. But no matter who was calling the plays for the Cardinals, it became very clear early on, just as it often has throughout Jonathan Gannon's tenure as head coach, this coaching staff does not place a consistently professional emphasis on tackling or sticky pass coverage.

7. Putting an assistant coach up in the coaching box is why teams hire veteran assistants with many years of NFL experience. The Broncos have senior offensive advisor Pete Carmichael (25 years NFL experience) and senior defensive advisor Joe Vitt (44 years NFL experience) up in their coaching box. The Cardinals, under Jonathan Gannon, do not have any senior advisors. They have by far the youngest, most inexperienced coaching staff in the NFL. So, Gannon and many of you think it was a good idea or "no big deal" to give the Cardinals inexperienced coordinators a night off from calling plays?

8. "But wait, these games are meaningless!" That's a weak-ass cop out. Go ask the players who are trying to earn their keep in the NFL. Look them in the eyes and have the temerity to ask them whether these games are meaningless. Do you care a rat's ass about them? And if you don't, shouldn't the coaches? Shouldn't the coaches want to give the players the best possible chance to succeed?

9. This game, other than the Cardinals one nice TD (Jacoby Brissett pass to Simi Fehoko) early on and Blake Gillikin's Mile High punting clinic, was an embarrassingly uncompetitive game from the Cardinals. Which is one of the conspicuous reasons why Brett Kollmann on Bootleg Football's 2025 Arizona Cardinals Preview opined--- "this feels like the slowest, slow burn of a three-year rebuild imaginable."

10. I don't know about you but watching Vance Joseph rejoice in his much-hoped-for butt-whooping over the Cardinals yet knowing how Sean Payton brought in Jim Leonard to fix Vance's pass coverage flaws, which was one of the main reasons why Kliff wanted a new DC early on in his tenure --- just feels especially agonizing. And don't get me started on Sean Payton. That's a lengthy rant for another occasion. 

All this said, I hope that Jonathan Gannon's approach to the home game versus the Raiders is much more competitive and player-friendly this week. I thought his approach to the Chiefs' game was hugely improved from what it was the last two pre-seasons.