an excellent 5 play analysis of the Cardinals’ 3rd Round draft pick http://www.cardinalscheapstore.com/kyler-murray-jersey-cheap , DE Zach Allen of Boston College. Duncan asserts that the 5 plays he analyzed...The Revenge of the Birds podcastThe Playmaking Ability of Cards’ DE Zach AllenNew,16comments The Playmaking Ability of Cards’ DE Zach AllenPhoto by Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesThis week Avery Duncan of Raising Arizona created an excellent 5 play analysis of the Cardinals’ 3rd Round draft pick, DE Zach Allen of Boston College. Duncan asserts that the 5 plays he analyzed “define Zach Allen” as a highly versatile and relentless defender. As a Boston College alum who has watched every one of Zach Allen’s games, I was ecstatic to see the Cardinals draft Allen at #65 as I believe that Allen is one of the top 10 most productive defensive players in this draft.In 2017 when NFL teams were heavily scouting DE Harold Landry, what likely caught their attention was the highly productive play of Zach Allen, the DE opposite Landry. In 2017 (coming off a 36 tackle, 10.0 tackles for loss, 6 sack sophomore season), Zach Allen recorded an extraordinary 100 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 1 interception and 3 pass deflections.As a senior, with Landry now in the NFL, Zach Allen was consistently double teamed. But, despite the double teams, Allen recorded 61 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 1 interception, 18 batted passes, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 forced fumble. What Harold Landry and Zach Allen would tell you is how much they benefitted from the instruction of their defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni (former Cleveland Browns and Syracuse head coach who was hired last year by Matt Patricia to be the Lions’ defensive line coach). With Zack Allen, not only do the Cardinals get a player who puts everything he has into every snap, they get a well-trained technician as well.Avery Duncan beautifully highlights Allen’s technique in this article---so yourself a favor and watch the 5 plays that Duncan provides.Here are my comments on the 5 plays:Play 1---Allen is at LDE playing a 9 technique---it’s a sweep to his side---watch the textbook way in which he sets the edge, strings the play out and makes the tackle.Play 2---Allen is at RDE in a 5 technique versus Clemson---QB Trevor Lawrence tries to sucker Allen to bite inside off play action, which Allen does not over-commit to and when he sees it is play action, he make a rush at Lawrence and when Lawrence quickly sets up to pass, Allen stops his rush, leaps and bats the ball right back into Lawrence’s arms and then tackles Lawrence on the spot. What this play highlights is Allen’s playmaking instincts and body control. Play 3---Allen is lined up inside in a 3 technique versus Miami---he gets an outstanding jump off the snap, performs an effective swim move on the guard and quickly converges on the QB Kyler Murray Arizona Cardinals Jerseys , who has to rush the throw.Play 4---Allen is at LDE versus Notre Dame---Avery Duncan points out that it is plays like this that caused Allen to slide in the draft---but there is a context here that Duncan may have not known when he watched this play. On this drive, the Notre Dame dual-threat QB Brandon Wimbush had just previously converted two 3rd downs on lengthy scrambles. Thus, what we see here is Zach Allen executing a “controlled edge rush”---where he bull rushed the tackle, gets chipped by the RB, but maintains his control rush so as not to lose contain on Wimbush, and when Wimbush starts to make his throw, Allen chucks the tackle aside and makes an inside move to the QB. Duncan is correct that on this play Allen does not show edge speed or bend---but---in a controlled rush---he is not being asked to do that.Play 5---Allen is at RDE versus Temple---and here, as Duncan attests, Allen does a superb job of converting power to speed and bend around the edge for a sack. Duncan goes as far to say that there are times that Allen somewhat resembles J.J. Watt. I can’t tell you the number of times I felt that while watching Allen at BC.During the 2018 season, Zach Allen was projected as a 1st round pick. In my opinion, two things caused him to slide to pick #65: (1) Allen incurred a knee injury in the last game of the season and he tried his best to come back from it in time for the Senior Bowl. Allen was not going to play in BC’s bowl game, which was cancelled due to lightning anyway. But he was doing everything he could to make it to Mobile. At the Senior Bowl, Allen did not show the kind of power and explosion he had showcased during the last two seasons; (2) I do not think he was fully recovered for the NFL Combine, where he ran a 5.0 40, which again hurt his stock. His other numbers at the Combine were not quite as strong as I would have expected based on his game speed and explosion: 32” vertical, 112” broad jump, 7.34 3 cone, 4.36 20 yard shuttle. When 100% healthy, I think Allen’s numbers would come closer to J.J. Watt’s: 4.84 40, 37” vertical, 120” broad jump, 6.88 3 cone, 4.21 20 yard shuttle. As far as physical measurements go (per their Combine results):Watt---6-5, 290, 34” arms, 11 1/8” handsAllen---6-4, 281, 34 3/4” arms, 10 1/8” handsWhile it would be quite a reach to compare any college prospect to J.J. Watt Womens Kyler Murray Jerseys , not only at times does Zach Allen make J.J. Watt type of plays, Allen’s production at BC in 2018 was almost identical to Watt’s during his final year at Wisconsin. Watt had 62 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss, 7 sacks and 1 interception in 13 games. Allen had 61 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and 1 interception in 11.5 games---having to miss most of the second half of his last game of the season due to the knee injury.In terms of their final 2 year production Watt in 26 games had 106 tackles, 36.0 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks and 1 interception, while Allen in 25 games had 161 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and 2 interceptions.One other thing of note---Boston College rarely if ever took Zach Allen off the field. In the case of Harold Landry, they used him in a strict rotation, playing him about 2/3 of the defensive snaps. Allen not only has a relentless motor, his stamina is off the charts.I believe that as soon as Zach Allen assimilates into Vance Jospeph’s defense, he will be the starter for the Cardinals at LDE or RDE in their 34 base. Plus, he will have a versatile role in the nickel, both as an inside and edge rusher. Thanks Avery Duncan for your excellent work. You gave us a good close look at Zach Allen’s playmaking ability GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Larry Fitzgerald took a back pass from Josh Rosen, shuffled a couple of steps right and set his feet.Arizona’s all-time leading receiver cocked his right arm back and let a not-quite-a-spiral fly into the desert air. The ball landed softly into the hands of Cardinals running back David Johnson, hitting him stride for a 32-yard touchdown.The Cardinals may have lost 31-9 to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, but Fitzgerald added another highlight as Arizona fans celebrated what could be the final home game of his storied 15-year career.“It’s awesome,” Rosen said. “This town loves Larry, he’s an unbelievable player. The fans were looking for something positive and that was a fun one.”Fitzgerald hasn’t decided if he will return for a 16th NFL season and the Cardinals still have one game left, next Sunday at Seattle.Arizona’s first season under Steve Wilks was a huge disappointment, possibly sending the Cardinals (3-12) toward a coaching search for the second straight season by New Year’s Eve.Amid one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Fitzgerald showed he’s still got it, even at 35.Entering Sunday’s game, Fitzgerald was Arizona’s leading receiver with 59 catches for 645 yards and five touchdowns. He caught six passes for 62 yards against the NFC West champion Rams (12-3), extending his streak of games with a catch to 226 straight — second all-time to Jerry Rice’s 274.Fitzgerald holds the NFL record for catches with one team and is third all-time overall with 1 https://www.thecardinalslockerroom.com/authentic-kyler-murray-jersey ,299. He’s second all-time with 16,243 yards.Fitzgerald also is one of the most respected players in the NFL and in Phoenix sports history, both on the field and off.“I can’t really speak enough about Larry, not only what he brings to this organization, but to the shield itself, the National Football League,” Wilks said. “Just a true pillar of this league.”Arizona’s home finale felt like the end of the line for Fitzgerald, even if he hasn’t made a decision yet.Fitzgerald stood alone in the Cardinals’ inflatable helmet at the end of pregame introductions and ran onto the field to the first of many chants of “Larry!” from the home crowd.Throughout the game, the video boards showed highlights of Fitzgerald’s career to the Christmas-inspired song “Twelve Days of Fitzmas.”The Cardinals kept his receptions streak alive by targeting him early and often. Fitzgerald then did something he had never done before, lofting his first career TD pass into the hands of Johnson, setting off another “Larry!” chant.“It was a great throw. He threw it up there,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have to slow my stride or anything.”The Cardinals had the Fitz pass in the playbook most of the season, insisting it wasn’t put in just because this might have been his final home game.Even so, when Fitzgerald came to the sideline after his first TD pass, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich got a massive chest bump from the veteran receiver.“I guess it’s like a layup in basketball; you can’t miss,” said Fitzgerald, 2 for 4 for 53 yards career passing. “I just wanted to put a little air under it. It came out a little wobbly, like (former teammate) Kurt Warner’s ball. But, like Kurt Warner’s ball, it was effective.”As the clock wound down on another Cardinals’ defeat, the few remaining fans started a chant “Larry!” — maybe for the final time.When it was over, Fitzgerald found himself surrounded by photographers, following his every move as Rams players and coaches lined up to congratulate him on the field.Even after 60 minutes of pounding each other, the respect was there for one of the greatest receivers — and people — in NFL history.“I play a team sport. I’m not Michael Phelps or Tiger Woods. Those guys do individual things,” Fitzgerald said. “Everything I’ve done has been in the context of a team setting. It’s a little uncomfortable to be singled out. There’s 11 guys with me and I wouldn’t be able to do my job without every single guy doing it. It’s cool, but still, you never get used to that.”