The best teams in the NFL are able to turn agonizing defeats into positive learning lessons, which in the long run can make the team stronger and better.
When one scrutinizes what ailed the Cardinals versus the Rams on Monday Night Football, two factors stand out:
- Not having a better plan as to how to contend with All Universe DT Aaron Donald.
- Not having a better plan as to how to contain All Pro QB Matthew Stafford on play action bootlegs and waggles.
Think about this —- if the Cardinals had been able to limit Aaron Donald and cut down his QB pressures and sacks —- and if the Cardinals were able to keep contain on Matthew Stafford so that he couldn’t have had all of the time in the world to hit the 52 yard TD bomb to Van Jefferson and the 44 yard deep cross corner route to Cooper Kupp —- chances are pretty strong that the Cardinals could have flipped this game in their favor.