APWide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has been a one-man show on offense for much of his career in Arizona, but that changed last season with the emergence of Michael Floyd.
Floyd caught 65 passes for a team-high 1,041 yards and five touchdowns, which represented a big step forward from his rookie season and gave Carson Palmer two strong options in the passing game. Palmer said that Floyd has “jumped out at me” during spring work and that he has “high expectations” for Floyd in 2014. The feeling is a popular one in the organization, with wide receivers coach Darryl Drake saying “the only person that can keep him from being good is him.”
If Floyd continues to progress, defenses may find themselves forced to choose between doubling him and doubling Fitzgerald. If that happens, Floyd says that someone else is going to make defenses pay.
“If they double team anyone, we have the guys on the field that can beat one-on-one coverage,” Floyd said, via the team’s website. “We are not a stingy group of guys. We don’t really care who gets the praise and glory. At the end of the day it’s about the winning. Whoever can beat that one-on-one coverage, it’ll help us out a lot.”
The Cardinals won 10 games last season and finished strong by taking six of their final eight games. If their defense picks up where it left off while the offense improves along with Floyd, life is going to be very interesting in the NFC West again this year.
One man show for most of his career? He had Anquan Boldin on the other side of him for 6 of his 10 seasons and Floyd wasn’t a slouch last year. So yeah, if 3 of 10 seasons is much of his career, he has been a one man show
Love how the NFC Best is shaking out this offseason. The Peterson/Sherman fued is seriously getting me hyped for the season!
What short memories we have. Fitzgerald has been a one-man show for a long time? This is when I remind you that he had Anquan Boldin as a teammate for six seasons. He’s only had four seasons since then, two with Floyd on the other side. Yeah, he’s had to be a one-man show at times, but this article made it sound like he’s been toiling alone for ages.
No matter if AZ has ten receivers like Fitz on the field at one time. Richard Sherman can shut them all down singlehandedly at one time.
Arizona receivers are better than any corps in the NFCW.
Palmer > Wilson
Peterson > Sherm
Arizona will wear NFC crown in 2014.
I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it’s clearly management letting it be known that Fitzgerald will probably be gone in 9 months.
And if teams focus on Fitz/Floyd, Palmer now has deep speed threats in Ginn or the new kid they picked in the third round, TE Troy Nicklas picked up in the second, and there is always the screen or outlet pass to shifty RB Ellington. The biggest difference will be time to go through progressions, with an upgrade on the Oline’s left side from the worst LT in the NFL to LT Veldheer and first round pick Cooper back from injury. They could actually be pairing a really good offense with a top 5 or 10 defense.
The problem wasn’t having a good second receiver (although letting Boldin go was an idiot move), it was the chorus line of incompetent clowns at QB the Cards brought in, mostly due to the genius of ‘The Whiz’. Good luck, Titans!
I like the combination of Ginn Floyd and Fitzgerald…. No excuses for Palmer this year… The main beneficiary will be Ellington because of the coverage on the top three….. Vastly improved offense of line will put the Cardinals at11 wins
With the NFC West vs the hapless NFC East, the AFC West will likely be exposed, just like they were in the Superbowl. There may well be three NFC West teams in the playoffs this year.
Sherman will cover his space and play the left side.. Good job you learned half the position and you are very good at it.
Come on bro. Palmer is beyond bad.
I got news for you all. The majority of Palmers poor play came in his first 8 games while learning new WR timing new offensive schemes new playbook. Guess what there won’t be any learning new schemes this season. Palmer is well ahead of the learning new schemes and timing with his weapons. All I can tell you is special teams play will be a lot better this season. Powell is gonna be a special team gunner that will cover like Bethel on the opposite side of the field. With Ginn and Brown now returning kicks watch out. Double Fitx double Floyd then Brown Ellington and now TE Niklas will kill you. The hole big picture has taken 2 drafts for Arians to get the tools for his complex but scary offense to burn other teams. Last year was all time for Palmer to get a feel on his new weapons and players. Keim has built him a line and Arians was giving his pieces to open his offense up. People are gonna be shocked at how well this team jells with the new pieces for Arians offense.
I’ll take Aldon Jeffery thank you. Floyd’s pretty damn good though