Cardinals Cover 2

Ep. 588 - For the first time in their careers, Kyler Murray and Patrick Mahomes will go head-to-head. It is one of the more intriguing matchups in Week 1. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi break down Sunday's game at State Farm Stadium. Now while the two quarterbacks and their respective offenses have received much of the attention this week, the guys make sure not to neglect the defenses. In fact, d...

Ep. 587 - The regular season is here. The question, though, ahead of Week 1 is who might not be available on Sunday. There are still a handful of players—key players—who are missing from practice. And while it is only mid-week, Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss the potential of not having a J.J. Watt or Markus Golden or Trayvon Mullen on the field against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Ch...

Ep. 586 - Losing Chandler Jones hurt. That’s not debatable. So how do the Cardinals effectively rush the quarterback this season? Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said “there’s a bunch of guys” who can get into the backfield. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss the team’s options, from Markus Golden and Dennis Gardeck to perhaps Zaven Collins, Isaiah Simmons and Zach Allen. All will be needed. Also,...

Ep. 585 - Between now and Tuesday at 1 p.m. MST, several roster decisions will be made. There are a number of tough calls, which is a good problem to have if you’re the front office and coaching staff. So, just what will the initial 53-man roster look like? Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi, who survived Nashville, give their thoughts. They go position-by-position. Are there positions where the team...

Ep. 584 - A near week-long stay in Nashville, or Nashvegas if you prefer, comes to an end on Saturday when the Cardinals play the Tennessee Titans in the preseason finale for both teams. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi, who joins from the Music City, talk about who they hope to see on the field. This is the final evaluation for a handful of players battling for roster spots, namely those in the run...

Ep. 583 - So, the Cardinals could not end the league’s longest preseason winning streak; a streak that now stands at 22 straight games. The team, though, did have a number of players flash. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss who stood out to them, from fourth-year wide receiver Andy Isabella to undrafted rookie inside linebacker Chandler Wooten. Plus, the guys chat about the alternate black he...

Ep. 582 - Four weeks. Seventeen practices. Training camp at State Farm Stadium is done. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss what stood out and, maybe more importantly, who stood out; and are there still questions or concerns with this team? Also, they get everyone ready for preseason Game No. 2 on Sunday, a nationally televised contest against the Baltimore Ravens that will highlight the alterna...

Ep. 581 - Bill Bidwill, the longtime owner of the Cardinals franchise, will become the newest member of the team’s Ring of Honor this season. Bidwill will be inducted on September 11th, that’s Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss the impact Mr. B made not only here in Arizona but across the NFL. Also, the guys look ahead to the second preseason game—who wil...

Ep. 580 - From Victor Dimukeje on defense to Trace McSorley, Jonathan Ward and Greg Dortch on offense as well as Dortch on special teams, the Cardinals had a number of players flash in the preseason opener. Craig Grialou and Darren Urban, who made the trip to Cincinnati, look back at Friday’s win. There were a number of positives. Also, the guys discussed the history made at Monday’s practice: the...

Ep. 579 - With a nod to Bill Belichick, the Cardinals play their preseason opener on Friday, and they will do so in Cincinnati at what was formerly known as Paul Brown Stadium. The renamed Paycor Stadium will feature a number of the young players trying to attract coaches’ attention; only a handful of starters are expected to see reps. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss who they are most intere...

Ep. 578 - Nothing good happens on offense without a good offensive line. And the Cardinals believe they have the latter. The starting five is “close to being set” and there is good competition among the backups according to Sean Kugler. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi examine the depth at the position plus spotlight the importance of Rodney Hudson, the addition of Will Hernandez and ask whether Jos...

Ep. 577 - Left side. Right side. Inside. Outside. The Cardinals want their wide receivers to know every position to help open up the playbook, and more importantly, be less predictable to defenses. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi like the sound of that, whether it’s DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown or Rondale Moore who defenses may have to search for on the field. It would be a change from previous...

Ep. 576 - It’s become clear the cornerback position is very much on the mind of Kliff Kingsbury. Twice now, in less than a week, he’s mentioned the young talent in the room and specifically brought up Marco Wilson’s name as someone who is “still in the mix” and then Thursday “the jury is still out” with regards to a starting spot. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck wonder what message is the head coach...

Ep. 575 - Was it a coincidence that a day after signing a contract extension—his second—with the team, D.J. Humphries made his first on-field appearance of training camp? According to Humphries, yes it was. In any case, Craig Grialou and Darren Urban discuss Humphries’ long-term return and wonder aloud who might be next, what other “homegrown” talent might be on the receiving end of an extension?...

Ep. 574 - The more you can do, right? And Isaiah Simmons can do a lot. That will once again be the expectation this season. The plan is for Simmons to play a linebacker/safety hybrid, or ‘star backer’ as defensive coordinator Vance Joseph described. Both Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi are on board with said plan. But what is the plan for Byron Murphy, who made a great end-zone interception to end...

Ep. 573 - Next to Kyler Murray’s contract extension, the other bit of good news for the Cardinals ahead of training camp was the story Rodney Hudson had decided to play this season. “We had group prayers at the office,” Kliff Kingsbury said. Craig Grialou and Darren Urban discuss how close Hudson came to retiring and how important Hudson is to the offense. Also, without Chandler Jones, where is th...

Ep. 572 - Criticism comes with the job. And Kyler Murray knows that. Just don’t question the time he puts in every day and each week in order to be successful, which he has at every level of his playing career. On Thursday, Murray felt the need to defend himself given the leak of his four-hour study clause in his new contract. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck react to what Murray had to say in what w...

Ep. 571 - Well, it is time to get back to work. On the eve of the start of training camp, Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi dive into the questions they hope get answered over the next month. The good news is two of the bigger questions that had been hanging over the team following minicamp—Kyler Murray’s contract and Rodney Hudson’s status—have since been answered. Of course, there are others. First...

Ep. 570 - The offseason officially ended on Wednesday, one day ahead of schedule. Kliff Kingsbury decided to cancel the last day of mandatory minicamp, something he has done in previous years. So with the players, and eventually the coaches, off now until training camp, it’s time to look back. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi review the highs and lows of what turned out to be an eventful offseason....

Ep. 569 - Great players make those around them better. Great players also make those around them _want_ to be better. J.J. Watt is such a player. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck talk about Watt’s presence here this offseason, specifically his participation in OTAs. Remember, it is voluntary. Also up for discussion is how to best handle DeAndre Hopkins’ absence and whether or not Zach Ertz might be a...

Ep. 568 - Voluntary organized team activities kicked off this week and not every veteran was in attendance. How concerning is that this early in the off-season? Dani Sureck and Mike Jurecki discuss what they saw on the field from the first day of OTAs including what they liked from the newest Cardinals acquired through both the draft and free agency. The pair also talk about the pros and cons of t...

Ep. 567 - It was an up-and-down rookie season for Zaven Collins, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2021. There were lessons learned, and more importantly, experienced gained. So where does Collins go from here? Craig Grialou and Mike Jurecki discuss Year 2 for Collins. A lot is expected. The good news, and give Collins credit, he’s been putting in the work here this offseason. Also, six tryout...

Ep. 566 - It may have been just three days, but they were three important days. Remember, the goal of every player is to make a good first impression. Craig Grialou and Mike Jurecki discuss the now-completed rookie minicamp. How did the draft class look? Any of the undrafted free agents stand out? And keep in mind, it is early. Also on the table in today’s episode, Kliff Kingsbury comments on the...

Ep. 565 - Four primetime games. The bye week arrives in Week 13. The home opener will be against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Those are just some of the highlights of the Cardinals’ 2022 regular-season schedule, which has officially been released. Craig Grialou and Mike Jurecki give their thoughts on how the 17 games are laid out over 18 weeks. They pay particular attention to the s...

Ep. 564 - Well, they’re finally here. Two weeks after their selection, the Cardinals’ 2022 Draft Class has arrived. The eight players, highlighted by tight end Trey McBride plus edge rushers Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders, will get their first taste of life in the NFL with rookie minicamp this weekend. Craig Grialou and Mike Jurecki talk about what they want and hope to see over the next three d...