APNew Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians says he knows the Cardinals can win a Super Bowl. In part because he was there when they almost did it.
Arians emphasized at his introductory press conference that winning the Super Bowl is his one and only goal, and he noted that the Cardinals almost won Super Bowl XLIII before the Steelers — with Arians as offensive coordinator — came back to beat them in the final seconds.
“A short time ago, this organization was 37 seconds away from the Super Bowl trophy. I just happened to be calling the plays on the other side. Got real lucky, too. That’s the excitement that we want to bring back. That’s our goal, and our only goal,” Arians said.
Arians described the team he plans to build as “smart, disciplined, fast, physical, accountable.” He also said he’ll be an emotional coach, and he got a bit choked up as he described the support his wife has given him in his coaching career.
“I’ve been waiting for this a long time,” Arians said. “This is our 15th move in this journey. A lot of people have lost their families along the way. Mine’s only gotten stronger.”
In a classy gesture, Arians made a point of mentioning former Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who was reportedly angry that Arians beat him out for the head-coaching job. Arians acknowledged that Horton won’t be back in Arizona, but he said he believes Horton will be a good coach for someone next year and will be a good head coach somewhere, too.
“Ray Horton, who is a dear friend — and I value his friendship — great coach,” Arians said. “I wish him the best in his next job, he is a great coach and he should be a head coach in the National Football League very soon.”
Asked what he learned from being the Colts’ interim head coach last season, Arians answered, “The biggest thing is I can do it.” Now he’ll see if he can do something no coach has done with the Cardinals, and win a Super Bowl.
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Bruce is ready to go to Heck and back to make that happen.
“Any NFL Coach: _____ only goal is winning the Super Bowl”
That’s good to hear. I was afraid they’d have goals like getting the first overall pick and emptying out their building even more than it is empty now.
Arians was “37 seconds away” from watching the Cardinals near-win of a Super Bowl because his Steelers’ offense that day had generated just 13 points up to that point against the worst defensive team in Super Bowl history.
The breakdown of scoring that day went like this: Todd Haley’s Arizona offense: 21 points.
Bruce Arians’ Pittsburgh offense: 20 points.
The Steelers’ defense: 7 points.
Haley’s offense had averaged 27 points per game in 2008. Arians’ offense that same season was the second worst in NFL history to win a Super Bowl…
But let’s not allow the facts to stand in the way of a good story.
Good Luck Buddy!
Well, he had a DC that could have got the job done but sent him packing. So, after he gets 3 or 4 top 3 draft picks & a “not Todd Bowles” DC, he may have a small chance. But I doubt it. This guy is an idiot for not wanting Horton!!!!!!!!
OK, I’m impressed.
I didn’t know much about Arians before this and frankly a bit peeved that they didn’t keep Horton, but that said, the way he handled himself and showed his passion was rather enlightening and I, for one, bought in.
I’m still disappointed at losing Horton, but the guy makes a point: You can’t have duplicity in the locker room.
Here’s to hoping.
My only goal is winning the lottery
LOL! Good luck with that! He is who the Steelers said he was. What you saw this year was a fluke. He will be back on the street next year.
Yeah, because it was all Todd Haley and not, you know, #13. Totally Todd Haley. Please.
Now if only the Cards could find a quarterback with half the talent of Kurt Warner. Matt Flynn? Alex Smith?
It should probably be to win a playoff game first
Crazy to think that Arians wanted to “retire” only a couple years ago….
In nine years as NFL offensive coordinator, Bruce Ariens has two top 10 offenses in yards (7th in 2009, 10th in 2012), one top 10 offense in points (9th in 2007), and has been 15th or worse in offensive giveaways six times.
He’s had one top 10 rushing offense and three top 10 passing offenses (7th, 9th, and 10th).
During the press conference he said that he’ll call plays because he “hasn’t found anybody better.”
As a Chiefs fan, I can assure you that Kurt Warner was more instrumental to the offensive success of that Cardinals team than Todd Haley was.
Maybe you should start by getting a QB and a decent backup first, then think about making it to the Super Bowl.
If he had a QB like Big Ben or Luck I just might believe that he could lead the Cardinals to contend for one.
hahahaha….how about start by getting a decent QB first, bud.
Bruce has been a class act. It showed last year big time. I wanted to keep Horton as DC, but I understand he can’t have a divided team. One ship one direction. O’well, one man overboard.
Now if he can only smuggle Andrew Luck in his baggage leaving Indy our team will have a shot next year.
Cardinals will finish with a better record than the Colts next season.
Could the cardinals be interested in Mark Clayton?.. Mark is planning a comeback this season. Check out this awesome article about his story, and his comeback. It has a direct quote from Deion Sanders and he also says that the best quarterback he ever played with was Sam Bradford.. Surprising since he also played with McNair and Flacco. Could he
If they fix the Oline the QB whom ever that may be(Smith) or even Kolb will be better oh and same goes with the running game whom ever that might be(not Wells) fix line both QB and RB gets better
Jeez, if Plax didn’t shoot a hole in his leg that year, the Giants would have made both of those teams a footnote. No way in heck would the Cards have beaten the Giants at the Meadowlands in January. Likewise, if Pitt had that hard a time scoring against the Cards, the Giants would have shut them out. Anyway….that’s the butterfly effect for you at its best.
LONG term plan huh Bruce!??!!?
What are with all this Kolb hating? The only thing that he has a problem with is he can’t stay healthy and hasn’t had a great OC nor QB coach.
Bruce is a steal for the Cards. All the teams that overlooked him were fools
So in order to reach that goal, you hire Todd Bowles. Huh.
I think Rex Ryan said that too…..hope it works out better for him
Jeff Fisher, Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh are all laughing after hearing that. You just lost the only good thing that team had going for it when Horton left. You’re in the NFC West now, where defense rules. You’ll be facing 3 of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL 6 times a year.
His goal should be to just keep his job for a few years. He’ll be gone in 3. Arizona will be last place in the NFC West as long as this clown and the Bidwell clown have any involvement with that joke of a franchise.
SUPER BOWL! :/
briang123 says: Jan 18, 2013 3:46 PM
That’s good to hear. I was afraid they’d have goals like getting the first overall pick and emptying out their building even more than it is empty now.
the cardinals have sold out every game since they moved to university of phoenix stadium
If that is the only goal he has…His stay in Arizona is going to be a short stay.
You cant just have 1 goal and that is to win a super bowl
1st goal find the best coaches to fill out your coaching staff
2nd goal draft the best player
3rd goal have a good quarterback
4th goal win games that must be won
5th make the playoffs
6th win that playoff game
7th beat the best
8th show the world your for real
9th make the super bowl
10th show off that super bowl trophy to the world
11-20 resign all your players that will be free agents.
Then repeat.
HaHa , With Bowles as the DC..Wish you luck on that one,and you’ll probably need to find a QB first.
I don’t get it. Why the picture of Tom Coughlin?
Goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time specific (SMART) so in this particular case he is 0-5, IMO.
The Arizona did start the season 4-0. Then it went all down from there and lost the next 12 games to go 4-12. Bruce Arians needs to come up with some more goals from keeping that from happening again…Or his stay in Arizona is going to last just maybe 1 or 2 years the most.
As a lifelong Steeler fan who NEVER lost faith in Arians, I wish him the best (unless the Cards play the Steelers). But Arians is a damned good man.
What people don’t seem to realize is that Arizona has NO MONEY, are like $750M over capp, have to pay Kolb 10M this year, pay Whisenhunt’s contract and manage to somehow build an 0-line, get a QB, RB, pass rusher and defense (current defense are Horton’s guys so good luck). Hope this guy has a magic wand because he’s going to have his hands full just keeping his job. Bidwills have a history of rapid turnover with coaches, being world class cheap sakes and expecting the moon on return without investment. With friends like this Horton hardly needs enemies but will get to the SB before the Cards!
Remember when Todd Haley was “the flavor of the day”?
Really cant see this turning out much better……as a Monday morning quarterback, the Cards’ front office and no QB make this a toilet swirl just waitin to happen.
They ditched Wiz for this???
Welcome to Arizona Bruce. Just don’t buy a house cause within 2-3 years you’ll have to put it back on the market after you get fired. Oh and get a rental home with an extra bedroom cause Bowles (the DC man of your dreams) will also be packing. No QB, NO Offense line, Our best coach fired (Horton) What’s left. ABSOLUTELEY NOTHING
“Goals need to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time specific (SMART) so in this particular case he is 0-5, IMO.”
Said the guy who sells insurance.
BTW- The Dolphins have been less relevant than the Cardinals the past 10 years.