Garbage Time
photo credit: Tyler Drake, Arizona Sports
By Walter Mitchell
There are quite a number of Cardinals' fans on X these days who insist that Jacoby Brissett's passing totals and TDs should not be taken seriously because "so many of them have come at garbage time."
Not only that --- they claim that nothing Jacoby Brissett and Drew Petzing have done is anything special --- because the offense is "pure trash."
First of all, why anyone would want to discount a player and an offense for trying to play hard for 60 minutes --- regardless of the score --- is mystifying and alarming. Especially on this team during this forlorn season.
Three of my all-time favorite Cardinals were Larrys: Wilson, Centers and Fitzgerald. These Larrys played the game as hard as they could not matter what the score or the situation. In my opinion, their work ethic and football character helped make everyone around them better and more hopeful.
This season, under extremely adverse circumstances --- does anyone recognize that despite the Cardinals being favored in 3 of their first 5 games, they have not been favored in any of the 11 games since? ---not a one --- and yet I can say with utmost certainty that Jacoby Brissett, Trey McBride and Michael Wilson in close games and blowouts have been playing their hearts out, regardless of the score, like the 3 Larrys.
If these achievements aren't special, then what are?
Trey McBride (games 1-5): 234 yards, 1 TD, 46.8 ypg
Trey McBride (since): 940 yards, 10 TDs, 85.5 ypg
Michael Wilson (games 1-5): 52 yards, 1 TD, 10.4 ypg
Michael Wilson (since): 855 yards, 5 TDs, 77.7 ypg.
Jacoby Brissett passing: 3,123 yds, 240.2 ypg, 21/7 TD/int, 93.5 RTG
I believe that Drew Petzing, even though I am on record for wanting a completely new coaching staff next year, deserves at least a modicum of credit for these achievements. In fact, I find it terribly ironic that the coach on the staff that has received the most rancor and disdain from Cardinals pundits and fans still happens to have his offense still playing the hardest of any unit on the team.
The offense had its worst week versus the Bengals --- and if you have been paying attention to the Bengals as they have been winning games now that Joe Burrow is back, FOX even made a graphic about the progress the Bengals' DC Al Golden has been making the last month and half or so. In previous wins the Bengals help the Ravens and Dolphins to 14 and 21 points respectively. If you watched the game, Al Golden's crew made the Cardinals earn every yard by virtue of their swarming front seven and sticky man coverages.
But also look at how this game started. Bengals' HC Zack Taylor elected to take the ball first --- something I always loved about BA who wanted the ball out the gate --- because Taylor envisioned exactly what happened, for his offense to go on a time-consuming TD drive to get his team up 7-0 and hope that the Cardinals' offense would come out a little stiff so that the Bengals could get a 3-and-out so as to be able to build on a 7-0 lead.
So, the Cardinals' offense in the 1st quarter had only 3 plays for 6 yards. Blame Petzing for his ultra-conservative run-run-pass play calling --- that's fair. Or blame the OL and the RBs and the QB and the WR1 for not converting the first down. Unfortunately, the Bengals were so methodical in their keep-away tactics that it wasn't until the second quarter that the Cardinals got the ball again, now down 13-0.
But it was. a good sign to see the Cardinals' offense punch back on Michael Wilson's tiptoes TD. And despite their struggles while Joe Burrow, Chase Brown, Ja'Marr Chase and Cody ford could get whatever they wanted out the Cardinals' ultra-passive defense, it was good to see the offense play hard at the end of the game to the point where those of us still watching were able to see Trey McBride set a new NFL record for receptions for a tight end and cap off the game by catching his career record 11th touchdown of the season on a nifty sidestep, quick snap throw from Jacoby Brissett, with a Bengals' defender draped over Trey's back.
What I have learned through all of my efforts on X to give the last standing Cardinals' coaches and players credit for their Larry Centers' type of football character --- I will never forget how in the 4th quarters of lopsided losses at Sun Devil Stadium in the oppressively sweltering heat how Larry Centers kept running the football every time like a madman, taking on tackles, lowering his shoulder, boom, spinning off the contract and scraping forward for every inch of scorched grass he could conquer --- those who dismiss hard effort and achievement under any circumstances must be biased and callous enough to think otherwise.
We end this program with BREAKING NEWS:
Breaking News: Roger Goodell has taken away 28 of Trey McBride's 119 NFL record-setting receptions in a season for a TE because, "as Cardinals' fans have been calling out, those catches occurred during garbage time." McBride now needs 25 receptions in a close game versus the Rams to reclaim the record.
Epilogue:
Maybe, just maybe this is something that all Cardinals' fans can agree on. Check it out.
Garbage Time has evolved into Gannon Time, ruled by Bidwill Time—an era defined by losses and wasted years that equal endless failure with zero accountability.
ReplyDelete"First of all, why anyone would want to discount a player and an offense for trying to play hard for 60 minutes --- regardless of the score --- is mystifying and alarming. Especially on this team during this forlorn season."
ReplyDeleteSpot on Walt and my sentiments exactly. Brissett has not only given 110% and made McBride and Wilson better players but he went into training camp as a back-up QB plus it's his first season on this team. Garbage time or not, to get that kind of play from a back-up QB on a two-year, $12.5 million contract behind a bottom ten OL on a team that is taking on water like the Titanic is a testament to Brissett's work ethic.
Well said, Jethro. At this point my vote for new GM goes to Lily May. She knows how to brew Texas tea!
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