NFC West: Tommie Harris
Friendship trumps vacation for Fitzgerald
"No one went to greater lengths to get to the funeral than Fitzgerald," Sean Jensen wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times. "He was vacationing in South America, and he jetted back -- including paying for a charter for one leg -- to be there for Harris. Fitzgerald then returned to South America after the funeral."
Harris' wife was 29 years old and recently gave birth to the couple's second child, according to Jensen.
I'm not sure how Harris and Fitzgerald became such close friends. NFC West fans might recall Harris getting ejected from a 2009 game involving Fitzgerald's Arizona Cardinals. Fitzgerald was not involved in that situation. He tends to transcend the scuffles that take place regularly on the field.
Experience warns against building athletes or anyone into superheroes. Fitzgerald, easily the Cardinals' most valuable player in 2011, makes that tougher than most through his actions on and off the field.
The Cardinals won't miss Lutui's annual battles making weight (he once reported at 396 pounds), his demands for a new contract and his seeming resistance to motivational ploys. The evidence suggests Lutui had run his course in Arizona, with the Cardinals making little push to bring him back.
With center Lyle Sendlein re-signing, guard Daryn Colledge coming over from Green Bay and veterans Rex Hadnot and Jeremy Bridges already on the roster, Arizona can still field an experienced group on the interior.
But who will continually drive opponents batty with maddening on-field antics? Back in 2009, Lutui needed only a short while to push Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris over the edge. Lutui decked Harris twice in legal but not entirely necessary fashion. Harris responded with a punch to the head that drew an ejection. Lutui shrugged it off after the game.
If Lutui could be an aggravating player to face, his antics could be entertaining to watch. Lutui was also the player seen on ESPN speaking with quarterback Derek Anderson on the sideline during a tough defeat against San Francisco last season, creating the impression, perhaps unfairly, that Anderson wasn't taking the game seriously enough.
Lutui was always good for a joke, once even comparing himself to Lindsey Lohan for all the negative publicity his weight battles were generating. In the end, a little more seriousness from Lutui might have coaxed a better offer from the Cardinals.
Three nuggets of knowledge about Sunday's Seahawks-Bears divisional game at Soldier Field:
AP PhotoSeattle's Curt Warner scored the game-winning touchdown in the Seahawks' last road playoff victory, a 27-20 win against the Dolphins in 1983.Matt Hasselbeck, the week after. Seattle's veteran quarterback is coming off the fifth game of his career with at least four touchdown passes. He played well the following week in three of the previous five opportunities. One notable exception: the time in 2006 when Hasselbeck, having picked apart the New York Giants' defense during a 42-30 victory a week earlier, struggled in defeat at Chicago. Seattle's inability to block Tommie Harris was pivotal to that outcome. Containing defensive end Julius Peppers, something Seattle did better than anticipated in Week 6, stands out as a key this time.
Emphasis on turnovers. Every coach talks about them. Carroll sets aside one day each week to focus on them. Turnovers are a greater threat to Seattle this week. Chicago has forced more of them than any team in the league since Lovie Smith arrived as head coach before the 2004 season. The Bears tied for third in the NFL this season with 35 forced turnovers (21 interceptions, 14 fumble recoveries), according to the team and the NFL. Seattle lost 32 turnovers this season (17 at home and 15 on the road, counting playoffs). The Seahawks have lost only two in their past three games, however, after suffering 13 in their previous four.
"Marshall is a perfect fit for Cincinnati, Baltimore, Miami, New England or any team that is close and has a late first-round choice," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said when we discussed the possibilities Monday morning. "You have the quarterback in place and Marshall could get you over the hump. I know Seattle is interested, but you are going to have an old quarterback with an in-his-prime receiver who is a liability off the field. I would not take a win-now approach in Seattle."
The last 12 players drafted 14th overall: cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, tackle Chris Williams, cornerback Darrelle Revis, defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, safety-turned-linebacker Thomas Davis, defensive tackle Tommie Harris, defensive end Michael Haynes, tight end Jeremy Shockey, tackle Kenyatta Walker, tight end Bubba Franks, tackle John Tait and tackle Jason Peter.
Whom to believe, Hasselbeck or Dockett?
Dockett also offered an aside, noting that the key to dirty play is avoiding detection. 'Tis better to throw punches during a pileup, where officials might not see them.
Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck took offense Sunday when Dockett allegedly drove his elbow into Hasselbeck's throat following a sack with 11:28 remaining in the second quarter. Hasselbeck confronted Dockett with the accusation on the field. Dockett told Hasselbeck he did not do anything dirty.
I've gone back and watched the replay. Dockett did appear to push his elbow into Hasselbeck's throat while Hasselbeck was lying on the ground after the play. Replays show Hasselbeck grabbing for his throat as if in pain.
I'm not sure what to believe any longer after Lutui clearly faked injury following the blow from Harris. Of course, the way the victim reacts does not determine whether a crime was committed. We'll see if the league fines Dockett.
Harris' hit on Lutui draws $7,500 fine
The view from the pressbox made me think Harris had tagged Lutui up under the facemask, landing a direct shot to the jaw.
Thew view from television replays showed Harris hitting Lutui's facemask. Lutui then writhed the way a pro wrestler would writhe following a faux rake of the eyes.
Lutui missed no plays, had no marks on his face afterward and said the incident was no big deal.
Either way, Harris did strike another player in the helmet with a punch. He deserved to be fined. He arguably deserved to be suspended.
Did the NFL pull punches on Tommie Harris?
You read it here Sunday: The NFL should suspend Tommie Harris after the Bears' defensive tackle slugged the Cardinals' Deuce Lutui in the helmet Sunday.
There will be no suspension.
How can that be?
I suspect the league is treating Harris' ejection as the loose equivalent of a one-game suspension. Harris played only four snaps against the Cardinals before the ejection. Had Harris been ejected in, say, the third quarter, I'm guessing the league would have suspended him for the Bears' game against the 49ers on Thursday night.
Harris apologizes, but teammate attacks Lutui
CHICAGO -- The Bears' Tommie Harris made the right call in offering a full apology for punching Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui on Sunday.
Earlier, Bears teammate Israel Idonije accused Lutui of dirty play.
Idonije to the Chicago Sun-Times: "He got a reputation for that. We know some guys that have played with him. He's one of those guys, that virus, that cancer. It looked like [he kneed Harris] or something. I thought there was something going on. It's disappointing. I know they don't see all of that stuff, but even the play before they've got to be able to see both sides and see what is really going on. Of course, there are other ways to get people back. There have got to be other options.''
Officials have flagged Lutui twice this season, both times for holding. They have flagged him four times for personal fouls since the 2006 season (twice in 2006, once in 2007 and once last season).Finding out whether Harris faces a suspension is the next step.
Smackdown: Tommie Harris vs. Deuce Lutui
CHICAGO -- Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui decked Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris twice before Harris threw the punch resulting in his ejection Sunday.
Lutui's actions were within the rules. Harris' were not.
|
|
Harris' ejection following only the fourth play from scrimmage followed this play-by-play sequence:
- The Cardinals threw the ball on first down. Nothing of note happened.
- Lutui shoved Bears defensive lineman Marcus Harrison after the play. Harris and Lutui made no contact. Harris hit Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner legally after Warner threw the ball.
- The Cardinals threw again, this time completing a 23-yard pass to Steve Breaston. Lutui decked Harris during the play, then hit Harris again as the defensive tackle tried to get up. The second hit might have been unnecessary. Any defensive lineman would have been ticked off even though Lutui did not appear to violate rules.
- Lutui quickly pushed Harris at the start of the Cardinals' fourth play, a run. Harris was engaged with center Lyle Sendlein and could not see Lutui. Lutui blocked linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer on the play. Replays did not show what happened immediately next, only Harris' fateful punch to Lutui's facemask while Lutui was down on the ground.
What to make of hot-and-cold Cardinals
 |
|
| Jerry Lai/US Presswire | |
| Larry Fitzgerald pulled in two touchdowns to spark the Cardinals offense. |
CHICAGO -- Recent history urges extreme caution for anyone remotely close to thinking the Arizona Cardinals have finally grown into a consistent team.
Doubts naturally linger following their 41-21 dismantling of the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Week 9.
"The thing I like best about our team is that we do respond," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "Hopefully, we've learned from out last home game [34-21 defeat to Carolina] that we can't go into the game and have a letdown like that."
Is this team for real? Or will the Cardinals, notoriously unable to handle success without high stakes, again fall flat following another impressive road victory?
The answer, plus nine other observations pertaining to the latest performance from NFL's least consistent 5-3 team:
1. The Cardinals have memorized their lesson.
That doesn't mean they've learned it.
Long-term retention might prove challenging for this team, but there's no question in my mind about the Cardinals' resolve heading into a Week 10 home game against the Seattle Seahawks.
"Seattle!" shouted a Cardinals player I couldn't identify as players filed into the locker room Sunday.
Arizona is 4-0 on the road and 1-3 at home this season.
Like young children, these Cardinals respond to simple psychological stimuli. Tell them they cannot win on the road and they'll prove you wrong. Tell them they cannot win at home -- the record speaks for itself this season -- and they'll prove you wrong again.
I think that's what will happen in Week 10. The Cardinals will play their best home game of the season against the Seahawks.
"Seattle has been struggling and that is the most dangerous team," defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said. "Ain't going to be no overlooking Seattle. They know they've got their hands full on Sunday. We have to establish our home field."
2. Anquan Boldin was not missed.
It's tough to fathom how an offense could become better without one of the toughest and most productive receivers in the game.
The Cardinals are now 5-1 since the start of last season when Boldin does not play. Kurt Warner matched a career high with five touchdown passes Sunday. He threw two touchdown passes to Larry Fitzgerald, one to Steve Breaston and one apiece to tight ends Ben Patrick and Anthony Becht.
Whisenhunt insisted the Cardinals stuck with their intended game plan after deciding 90 minutes before kickoff to rest Boldin and his injured ankle.
That might be true, but Arizona did shake up its personnel use in this game. The team used four wide receivers a season-low 15.6 percent of the time, down from at least 25 percent in blowout victories over Jacksonville and Seattle earlier this season. The team used "11" personnel with one back and one tight end 29.7 percent of the time, a season high. It also showed more willingness to run the ball from passing formations.
Part of me thinks the Cardinals might sometimes be more apt to give their ground game a chance when Boldin is on the sideline.
"We've shown we can do it," guard Reggie Wells said, referring to the ground game in general and not in relation to Boldin's status. "It's just a matter of sticking with it. Sometimes we've gotten away from it."
3. The Cardinals should consider trading Boldin.
This wasn't the first time Boldin seemed unable to enjoy a Cardinals victory. It happened last season and again Sunday when the Cardinals decided to name him inactive.
Boldin, suffering from an ankle injury, warmed up and declared himself ready. Whisenhunt cited loose sod at Soldier Field as one reason he decided to play it safe. Also, Doucet had gotten most of Boldin's reps during practice.
"The only thing I can say is that when I came here, all of my stuff was in my locker," Boldin said. "I went out and warmed up -- felt great -- and when I came back in, everything was gone. Nobody was man enough to come to me and tell me what was the situation.
"I would have probably felt better had somebody been man enough to walk up to me and tell me what the situation was, but I had to walk back in the locker room and find all of my stuff gone."
Two points here.
One, Boldin deserves to be treated with respect. He plays hurt. He appears to be an excellent teammate. I've seen him mentor younger players, including Doucet, during offseason minicamps even when Boldin was upset about his contract.
Two, the head coach has more on his mind than making sure his toughest player's feelings aren't hurt. I highly doubt Whisenhunt meant any disrespect in this case. He was preoccupied with making the right decision and informing NFL officials before the deadline for naming inactive players.
The Cardinals need to strongly consider trading Boldin after this season. They're loaded at receiver without him, they have a young running back who needs to get more carries, they cannot justify giving a long-term deal to a 29-year-old player with injury concerns and it's clear Boldin cannot be happy in Arizona without a new deal.
4. Warner handled pressure much better.
Warner made the Bears pay for rushing five defenders.
He averaged 7.8 yards per attempt with three touchdowns and a 104.8 rating when the Bears rushed five. That was up from 5.9 yards per attempt with three interceptions and a 61.3 rating when the Cardinals' previous 2009 opponents rushed five, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Running back Tim Hightower helped hold the Bears without a sack when they came after Warner. His block in blitz pickup freed Warner to find Fitzgerald for an 11-yard touchdown reception early in the game. The Cardinals brought a linebacker as the fifth rusher on that play.
Chicago was most effective against Warner when overloading one side. The Bears did not try it much, however.
5. The defense remains vulnerable to the big play.
Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, burned for a 50-yard touchdown against the Panthers' Steve Smith in Week 8, gave up another big pass play, this one to the Bears' Devin Hester.
Pro Bowl strong safety Adrian Wilson had a rough game in coverage against Bears tight end Greg Olsen.
Arizona's offense took off the pressure Sunday, but the Cardinals must resolve their problems in coverage. Limiting the big pass play has been Whisenhunt's top defensive priority this season. The Cardinals have shown improvement at times, but they have not been consistent enough in that area.
6. This is a loose, unapologetic team.
Reporters were reaching for their recorders and moving toward the locker room when Whisenhunt informed them he had one more thing to say.
"I'd also like to compliment the Bears because they played hard and they came back," Whisenhunt said. "And the last thing I'll say is, 'We didn't let them off the hook.' "
Whisenhunt's playful reference to predecessor Dennis Green's postgame harangue -- that one following an infamous defeat to the Bears in 2006 -- arguably showed little regard for an already embarrassed opponent.
At least Whisenhunt didn't slug anyone.
7. Tommie Harris' punch had little impact.
The Cardinals players I polled regarding Harris' sucker punch on Arizona guard Deuce Lutui effectively shrugged when asked about the play's impact.
They did not seem to take offense. Even Lutui expressed no malice toward Harris.
"It didn't hurt," Lutui said. "It happened so fast. It was nothing serious. I just know the refs caught it. Things like that happen."
The only effect, if any, was that the Cardinals no longer had to worry about Harris. They were already running the ball effectively when Harris was in the game.
Dockett expressed disappointment in Harris, a player he says he admires, but there were no hard feelings. The key, Dockett said, is to deliver punches during pileups, where officials have a harder time spotting them.
8. Doucet's role no reflection on Urban.
Fitzgerald, Breaston and Doucet generally served as the Cardinals' receivers in three-receiver sets, even though Jerheme Urban outranks Doucet in the receiving hierarchy.
Doucet had taken some of Boldin's reps during practice. Leaving Urban as the fourth receiver meant fewer receivers had to deviate from their usual roles.
Doucet had a 6-yard reception on third-and-5. Urban played less than usual because the Cardinals ran so few four-receiver groupings.
9. Beanie Wells, Hightower deserve more carries.
Both players averaged more than 5 yards per carry on a combined 28 rushes. Wells' first four carries went for 6, 13, 5 and 26 yards.
Hightower remains the superior pass protector, but Wells' big-play ability is apparent.
"I'm sure he's getting more comfortable and adapting to what we are doing as an offense," Reggie Wells said, "but it takes time when you are called upon to do more in our passing game. He has been coming arond great."
10. The rest of the NFC West cannot like this result.
While the 49ers and Seahawks fought tough battles against losing teams Sunday, the Cardinals were breezing to victory over a team with a winning record.
Arizona will be tough to overtake in the division if -- make that when -- the Cardinals take care of business against Seattle in Week 10.
Rapid Reaction: Cardinals 41, Bears 21
CHICAGO -- The Cardinals took the Bears' best shot -- a first-quarter sucker punch from defensive tackle Tommie Harris to guard Deuce Lutui's head -- and did not blink.
They again distinguished themselves from the NFC West pack by beating a decent team on the road.
Arizona improbably improved its road record to 4-0. The focus will now shift to the Cardinals' inability to win home games. Arizona, always up for a challenge, will probably refocus its fury upon visiting Seattle in Week 10.
The Cardinals then visit the Rams in Week 11, followed by a trip to Tennessee.
Beating the Bears put Arizona in strong position to match its record through 10 games last season (7-3) and possibly get to 8-3. If the Cardinals can get to that mark, the rest of the division will have a very difficult time catching them. Nothing is automatic with Arizona, of course, so the team should proceed into this three-game soft stretch with caution. Facing a division opponent in Week 10 should help the Cardinals keep their focus.
Establishing a strong ground game against the Bears gives the Cardinals a needed confidence boost in that phase of the game. The Cardinals will become dynamic offensively if they can build on their most impressive rushing performance since the playoffs last season. Kurt Warner matched a career high with five touchdown passes Sunday largely because the team established credibility on the ground early in the game.
That must continue for Arizona to realize its potential.
CHICAGO -- The NFL needs to -- and probably will -- suspend Bears defensive lineman Tommie Harris after Harris punched Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui in the face.
Referee Ed Hochuli ejected Harris.
Harris and Lutui had tangled on the ground earlier in the game. Harris lost his cool the second time, slugging Lutui in the head while Lutui was on the ground. I'm not sure what Lutui did to enrage Harris. Either way, it was bush-league stuff from Harris.
Mailbag: Debating defense in the NFC West
The Dude in Brooklyn writes: Sando, I didn't realize you were so expert with faint praise. Your statement that the 49ers have the best defense in the division couldn't have been less enthusiastic. "Based on what we have seen," "I know they played some weak offenses," "there was a sense they were improved" ... that is not the language of a convinced man.
|
Fair enough. But why, Mike Sando? There is both an easy positive and negative argument for why the 49ers' defense is the best. They were statistically superior in nearly every category and did so with a crappy offense that constantly left them in bad position with three-and-outs and turnovers. Their per-play stats are top-10 or just below.
Over the course of the season, they played all the same teams except for two, so the schedule argument is bogus. If anything, the Cards should be demoted for not having to play their own offense when the rest of the division had to. The squad has a good mix of experience and youth and includes five former or current Pro Bowlers and several players that are developing quite well.
As for the negative argument ... there's almost nothing good to say about the Rams or Seahawks. I'll leave the Rams alone because they're rebuilding. Yes, the Seahawks had major injuries on offense, but the defense was as healthy as the others in the division. It was bad because it was bad. Are the additions going to be enough? How important are the personnel losses? That defense has more questions than answers and did nothing well last year.
As for the Cards, their defense was 19th despite the advantage of a fourth-ranked offense. Some say they have a good secondary, but they couldn't defend the pass all year. Is a nickel back [Bryant McFadden] and a third-rounder [Rashad Johnson] going to solve their pass-defense woes? For those who think the Cards have a good secondary, I'll leave Sando with a homework assignment that will disabuse you of your rose-tinted glasses: What was the last team to allow more passing TD's than the 2008 Cards?
Mike Sando: The Cardinals allowed 36 passing touchdowns last season. I suspect the 1981 Colts were the last team to allow more (37) in a season. Not good.
To address your broader point, we might be answering different questions. The evidence you cited was from last season. Which NFC West team had the best defense last season? The 49ers, of course, by almost any measure. Which NFC West team will have the best defense in 2009? The 49ers, probably.
Back to the Cardinals. When they were bad, they were really bad. When they were good, they were really good. The 49ers were more consistent defensively. Arizona allowed six touchdown passes to Brett Favre in a single game. Horrible. But when the Cardinals needed to control Matt Ryan and Jake Delhomme in the playoffs, they did it well. That means more than how the 49ers fared in a meaningless game against Buffalo.
The Cardinals can play with a violence and ferocity that is unmatched in the division. That is how they recovered a league-high 17 fumbles last season. The 49ers recovered six. The fumble-forcing hit Darnell Dockett put on Zak Keasey last season comes to mind. The knockout shot Adrian Wilson put on Trent Edwards was another example. Patrick Willis is the only other player in the division to inflict that type of punishment (the hit on Jets receiver Brad Smith last season comes to mind).
The problem in this division is that none of the teams can count on having a strong pass rush. The 49ers could develop one if Manny Lawson and Parys Haralson flourish in the
3-4. The Seahawks could rediscover one if Patrick Kerney gets healthy and some of their recent draft choices develop, etc. But can any team in this division truly count on its pass rush?
Haynesworth questions mercifully cease
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
We can now say definitively what I've been telling hopeful NFC West fans for weeks: Your team probably wasn't going to make a play for Albert Haynesworth.
The Redskins signed Hayesworth to a deal that makes it virtually impossible for the defensive tackle to exceed expectations. Haynesworth will be looking to do what nine of the highest-paid defensive tackles failed to do last season: win a playoff game.
Most of the highest-paid defensive tackles signed new or renegotiated contracts over the last two offseasons. The nine leaders in average annual salary:
- Tommie Harris, Bears. Five sacks for 9-7 Bears.
- Shaun Rogers, Browns. Dominated much of season before fading for 4-12 Browns.
- Tommy Kelly, Raiders. Started every game for 5-11 Raiders.
- Kris Jenkins, Jets. Dominated early, wore down late for 9-7 Jets.
- Cory Redding, Lions. Started 13 games for 0-16 Lions.
- Kevin Williams, Vikings. Had 8.5 sacks for division-winning Vikings.
- Marcus Stroud, Bills. Started every game for 7-9 Bills.
- Pat Williams, Vikings. Started 14 games for division-winning Vikings.
- John Henderson, Jaguars. Started 14 games for 5-11 Jaguars.
Around the NFC West: Rams, Pats diverged
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch revisits the Rams' upset loss to New England in the Super Bowl following the 2001 season. Four current Rams played for that St. Louis team. They reflect on what might have been, noting how the Rams' and Patriots' paths diverged after that game.
Also from Thomas: An update on Steven Jackson's condition. Jackson missed practice again.
Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at what injured players go through during the week. Jackson hopes to play Sunday despite a thigh injury.
Bill Coats of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Patriots are suffering from a Super Bowl defeat hangover.
Also from Coats: Rams defensive lineman James Hall wont' complain about switching positions. The move to defensive tackle means more playing time.
More from Coats: Former Rams backup Mark LeVoir could start at right tackle for the Patriots. That would be a good thing for Leonard Little, I'm thinking.
And this: Dick Vermeil is headed for the Rams' Ring of Honor.
VanRam of Turf Show Times takes a look at which Rams players might deserve Pro Bowl consideration. Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa comes to mind. The Rams have had trouble breaking through at the position in part because Seattle's Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson have locked down spots. This year could be different.
Art Thiel of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says he thinks Mike Holmgren is headed for the 49ers in 2009. Perhaps that is why Holmgren keeps using the phrase "right now" when downplaying such thoughts.
Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times looks at the Seahawks' window of opportunity and whether it's closing.
Clare Farnsworth of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer looks at the Seahawks' utter inability to "get home" with their blitzes. This has been a problem, off and on, for years.
Also from Farnsworth: Get ready for Seneca Wallace to start another game at quarterback for Seattle.
Frank Hughes of the Tacoma News Tribune weighs the Seahawks' inability to force turnovers.
Matthew Heuett of Seahawks Addicts cites a story noting Terrence Holt's recent tryout with the Seahawks. The team routinely brings in players on Tuesdays to update its contingency lists. Side note: Justin Hamilton, David Pittman and Tyson Smith also had tryouts.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic says the Cardinals face another East Coast test. They failed the last one miserably.
Also from Somers: Injuries at tight end are threatening to limit the Cardinals' options.
Darren Urban of azcardinals.com says Darnell Dockett isn't complaining as much about attracting double-team blocks. A conversation with the Bears' Tommie Harris opened his eyes.
Also from Urban: The Cardinals have improved in the red zone lately.
More from Urban: Arizona leads the NFL in scoring. Carolina ranks fifth in yards allowed per game. As the headline says, something has to give.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
