Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed a trend that isn’t exactly tracked by any stat, it’s more of just an observation. That is that rookie Tyler Lockett is taking a lot of big hits in recent weeks. Especially to the head. Being the tough guy that he is, he’s been able to bounce right back up and not miss a beat, but Sunday we saw a glimpse of the potential consequences of No E taking those hits.
Lockett isn’t a big guy, at 5’11” 182 pounds he might not be bigger than the average high school running back, and against Minnesota, Baltimore and Cleveland we’ve seen him take some hits to head by safety’s coming in full bore. Most of those times he held onto the ball and made the catch, deflecting any potential concern that the hits would take their toll.
But against the Rams Lockett finally had to sit out a few plays after taking a huge hit. And with his small stature, couple with hit early penchant for taking the big hit, he may not last too long in this league. Not only that, but you have to factor in the hits he takes on special teams, which are as vicious as any with men coming at you with 15-20 yards worth of a full on sprint fueling their momentum.
I hope that I am wrong, as Lockett is a great professional, evidenced by him making the Pro Bowl his first year in the league. Maybe it’s just the rookie learning curve coming into play, but if he wants to play multiple years, Lockett has to do what the great Jerome Bettis did after a couple years. That is learning how and when to fall. That simple thing could add years onto his career.
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Keys to beating the Cardinals
Stop Carson Palmer from making big plays
Carson Palmer has a big time arm, always has. And his core group of receivers are as good as any in the league, combining for nearly 3,000 receiving yards this year.
Kam Chancellor is back at practice after missing the last two weeks, but if the Pittsburgh game is any indication, Palmer could have his way with the Seahawks secondary.
Granted, Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger are not the same QB, but both squads have three excellent receivers, although each group excels at different aspects of the game. The Steelers group of Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Markus Weaton are pure speedsters, among the fastest in the game right now, as evidenced by all of them sporting averages of over 15 yards per catch.
The Cardinals group may not be the same type of burners as those three, but there is a reason why Palmer is among the leaders in yards per attempt and this team is the top scoring offense in the league. And that reason is a talented quarterback being supported by three great receivers.
Stop the rush
To prove that the Saint Louis game was simply an aberration, the offensive line is going to have to again provide a clean pocket for Russell Wilson. We saw him get sacked four times Sunday – although a couple were his fault – and Dwight Freeney is experiencing a reawakening to his career.
Their potent rush has also helped them climb to the top in interceptions as well. Leading up their matchup in Glendale, the Cardinals are +12 in turnover ratio.
Stop their rushing attack, and take care of the football. Two simple concepts, but we’ve seen what happens when they don’t accomplish both. And this Arizona team will make it extremely difficult for them no doubt.
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