NFL players and coaches are so indoctrinated with the whole “next-man-up” mantra that it’s said so often a gagging reflex occurs in my throat every time I hear it. That’s why it’s our task sometimes to point out what should be obvious.
But I get it; I really do.
It’s understood they can’t communicate a woe-is-me mentality because they’d be accused of “making excuses” and coaches have to pump up those next-man-up guys.
However, there’s usually a reason why they are backups: Those ahead of them on the depth chart are simply better.
Sure, all teams experience injuries and COVID losses. Still, player losses aren’t created equal and while it’s possible to overcome them in the short term, it’s a tough task to do it consistently.
So, as we all bemoan the current state of the Cardinals and toss our slings and arrows their way, it’s also important to acknowledge that this team now simply isn’t as good as it was when they got off to a 7-0 start. Even taking into account the only reason a win came against Minnesota was because kicker Greg Joseph missed a 37-yard field goal as time expired.
Consider: The Cardinals were 7-0 with defensive end J.J. Watt on the field and are 3-5 without him. They are also 8-2 with center Rodney Hudson and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on the field and 2-3 when they’re not.
On the offensive line, there have been a myriad of starting combinations and in addition to Hudson, guard/tackle Justin Murray has missed 12 games and is on reserve/injured; left guard Justin Pugh missed three games, but it was actually four because in his first game back he didn’t play any snaps on offense; while right tackle Kelvin Beachum and center/guard Max Garcia each missed two games.
Overall, in 15 games, injuries or COVID have resulted in 37 players missing a combined total of 150 games. Most significantly, the games missed has increased as the season progressed.
In the first four games there were a total of 16 games missed, followed by 27 in the next three and 107 (13.4 average per game) in the last eight.
The games with the most misses were 16 against Carolina and Seattle and 15 last Saturday against Indianapolis.
Monday night, the ESPN crew hammered home the point that New Orleans had started a league-record 57 players this season. But three occurred that night against the Dolphins when the Saints elevated a staggering 14 players from the practice squad as COVID-19 replacements, including four who were signed to the practice squad that day.
The Cardinals haven’t had that many, but they have had 43 different starters, which is just about double the 22 starting positions that exist. And that 43 doesn’t include changes at long snapper and punter, players that aren’t officially considered starters.
When asked how important it is to be as healthy as possible when the season ends and post-season games beckon, linebacker Jordan Hicks said, “Very important. You want to be as healthy as you can be going into the playoffs. And when you’ve got all your weapons; that’s what they’re here for. You want to be as healthy as you can be so you can go out there and put your best foot on the field. So the healthier the better and the more people we get back the better.”
Of course, one player not returning in the short term is Hopkins and reports he could be back for the playoffs appear to be an extreme longshot.
Quarterback Kyler Murray said, “Obviously, when you don’t have DeAndre Hopkins out there, you’re gonna look a little different as far as personnel. I mean Hop is Hop; everybody misses him. You know, I could keep going, but he’s a great receiver, one of the best, so to not have him out there is definitely tough.”
He then added, “But, like I said, as far as the guys behind him, they got to step up. Everybody’s got to step up. And just do their job a little bit better.”
The reality, though, as everyone knows, those next men up stepping up aren’t DeAndre Hopkins … or Rodney Hudson … or J.J. Watt.
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