Behind Enemy Lines: A pre-training camp look at the Arizona Cardinals

Training camp will be here before we know it. While our Seattle Seahawks are getting themselves ready for another big season, so are their division rivals.

The Seahawks barely edged out the Arizona Cardinals for the division crown last season. To see how Seattle’s toughest competitor is looking as they prep for training camp, I decided to bring in an expert.

The awesome Scott Allen from Raising Zona was kind enough to answer a few questions. His answers are filled with optimism that the Cardinals can contend with Seattle this season.

The Cardinals were decimated by injuries last season, which is an all-too common problem by aging veteran teams. Is there reason to hope that the Cardinals will be able to avoid the injury bug in 2015?

Well as we both know avoiding injuries at all is not an easy proposition in the NFL. I will always say there is hope this time of the year. However given all the injuries the Cardinals had to endure last season I’d have to say things have to turn at some point and yes, there is hope the injury bug doesn’t hit as bad.

Someone prominent will get hurt. Happens every season. I just hope it’s not Carson Palmer. Without him, Drew Stanton can definitely win games but he can’t lead to the promised land and there will not be a significant backup for him.

The Mike Iupati signing seemed like an odd fit. He’s a horrible pass blocker (though an amazing run blocker), and the Cardinals passed the ball as much as anyone last season. Does his signing signal a change in offensive philosophy? If so, who on the roster is capable of running between the tackles enough to make it work?

I don’t think it changes the philosophy. The Cardinals ran the ball quite a bit before the injuries to Andre Ellington. Because they had no front line runner when Ellington was out and when he was in he had to be used sparingly because of the lack of practice during the week thanks to his foot injury. He is 100 percent and they have a running back as versatile as him in rookie David Johnson from Northern Iowa, except he’s bigger. So this year there should be more of a balance between the run and pass, which is what the plan was going into 2014 as well.

Everyone loves Larry Fitzgerald (even Seahawks fans), but even after taking a massive pay cut to stay in Arizona he’s still making a ton of money for a guy whose production fell drastically last year. What are the expectations for Fitz this year? How much longer do you think he has before he hangs up the cleats?

The expectations are still high but even the Cardinals know Fitz is now on the downside of his career. He is still valued and seen as a number one. I think with Palmer back full time as the quarterback, his production will vastly improve over 2014. The bigger issue is Fitz will still mainly be a slot receiver and he’s still getting used to that. If you ask him, he’d certainly like to continue to be running the sidelines on the ends. I think he will play his contract out here and then hang it up.

I can’t see him playing for anyone else at this point. So, maybe a few more seasons. He’s 31. He’ll turn 32 two weeks before the season starts. If he’s productive, three more seasons. If not, it’s two and probably done. Many think he’s in his mid-thirties by now but the man can still play.

The AZ defense was stout last season, and could be much improved by getting Washington back and with the additions of Peters, Golden and Riddick. What do you expect you’ll see from the defense this season? How good can it be?

Daryl Washington is iffy. No word on what his status is. I don’t even talk about him until he is back as an official member of this team. Coach Bruce Arians won’t talk about him.

Peters and Golden are great additions and I predicted both of them to be starters. I think if the defense stays healthy, they will compete just as hard if not more than they did last season. The biggest question is at right cornerback opposite Patrick Peterson. With the departure of Antonio Cromartie, that leaves Jerraud Powers and Justin Bethel to compete for the job.

Speaking of the defense, defensive coordinator Todd Bowles is gone to New York. Will there be much a difference in scheme or philosophy this season? Should a drop off in defensive game planing be expected without Bowles to run the defense?

I don’t think much will change. They hired their new defensive coordinator from within. James Bettcher was here last year. He knows the system and will continue with what Bowles started. I think the biggest difference you might see is the Cardinals not blitzing as often but otherwise I don’t know if the average fan will notice a huge difference.

Finally, give me a prediction for the Cardinals this season. How many wins do you think they’ll end up with in 2015? Will they make the playoffs, and how far can they go?

I have them at 12-4 right now. I waffle between 11-5 and 12-4. The key games I think will once again be the two games between the Cardinals and Seahawks. The Cardinals must split the two games with them. No way they win 12 by not getting a least a split. The schedule is a little tougher this year. More trips back east. I do see them making the playoffs again, whether that is as division champ or wild card. If the Seahawks sweep like last season then I’m afraid it will be wild card at best for the Cardinals. They have the personnel to win it all but it will be all about matchups and location of the game. That’s why winning the division is so important, as I know you can attest to.

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