The Arizona Cardinals are putting the final touches on their Week 1 game plan against the Los Angeles Chargers, and it’s finally football season in the desert.
Truth be told, there’s so much unknown as we approach Sunday. That can be either good or bad, depending on how you slice it.
Head coach Mike LaFleur shared a few words at his weekly press conference — here’s the three most important things, and why they matter:
Jeremiyah Love’s Placement on RB Depth Chart
LaFleur on Tyler Allgeier Being Listed Above Love: “You know the answer to that — but I appreciate the question. I really do. But no, don’t look too far into that.”
Why it Matters: The Cardinals were always going to run a 1A/1B approach at running back with Tyler Allgeier and Jeremiyah Love, though eyes were raised when Love (the third overall pick) was placed as a secondary option. The reality is Love is working his way back from injury — but even when fully healthy, he’s not going to be a workhorse back.
Garrett Williams’ Status, and the Slot CB Plan
LaFleur on Williams’ Plan This Week: “We’re going to take that all the way up into the weekend. We want to make sure he feels as good as he can. I think there’s a return to play and a return to performance, and you got to lean on the player for that second part. A guy like Garrett, he is as real as they come. So, if he’s ready to roll, he’ll be ready to roll. And if he needs a little bit more time, then we’ll go that way.”
LaFleur on Denzel Burke Stepping Up in Slot: “I think all three are capable. I’m not going to limit them saying they’re not because well, I haven’t seen Will [Johnson] do it. I think if we trained him there, he would. But when we thought, what is the best — if we have to have the nickel pass coverage out there — what is the best way to go about it? And that is what we all kind of thought, keep Max [Melton] and Will outside, move Denzel inside. Three guys that you have a lot of trust in, no matter where they’re at.”
Why it Matters: Williams is slowly working his way back from injury and appears to be a true 50/50 call entering the weekend. His placement as a backup, similar to Love, is indicative of health more so than performance. If he can’t go, it’s interesting Burke would slide into the slot as opposed to Melton, who has previous experience doing so.
The Unknown of Week 1
LaFleur on Preparing For Week 1 Facing New Coordinators: “You go off what you see from tape. You talk about their players and what they do well, but most importantly, it’s about us. And I’m sure they’re saying the same stuff. This first week, the first few weeks, it’s about what you do and how you execute, how you go about your business, and then understanding that you know you got to be able to adapt based on what they’re doing.”
Why it Matters: With little game-planning to do, execution is the name of the game in the early stages of the league season. That’s always the case, though with little film available, there’s more of an emphasis on internal operation. We’ll see exactly how much the Cardinals have digested LaFleur’s offense and Nick Rallis’ updated defense.
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