Here are some Three-Dot Thoughts following the Cardinals 47-7 win over San Francisco here in Glendale.
-The gift that keeps on giving…
Last spring Colin Kaepernick worked on his mechanics in Scottsdale. Sunday in the first 5:57 he dialed up interceptions to Justin Bethel and Tyrann Mathieu that were returned for TDs. Neither ball was well thrown. The mechanics were out the window and the 49er QB finished the day 9-19 for 53 yards and 4 Ints.
-Not a one week wonder…
This past offseason there were more than a few who wondered if Larry Fitzgerald was coming to the end of the road. Last week he scored three touchdowns against the Bears and the reaction was “it’s the stinking Bears!” Well, Sunday against the 49ers, Fitz had another big time performance. 9 catches for 134yds and 2 touchdowns. When Bruce Arians took over as head coach he worked Fitzgerald over. Now, seeing Fitz accepting his role, Carson Palmer makes sure Fitzgerald is well fed.
-Get him outta here…
Final play of the first quarter, 49ers safety Antoine Bethea had a bad face mask on Chris Johnson. It was a dirty play, perhaps out of frustration. Doesn’t matter. There is no place in the game for that kind of play. Bethea should’ve been tossed…
-Running up the stats…
Chris Johnson averaged four yards per carry last season for a New York Jets team that didn’t have a quarterback. Sunday he averaged 5 yards per carry and finished with 110 yards and 2 scores. He looked good.
-“You haven’t done S&%T!!!”
That was the quote that Arians delivered to his team last week after the win over the Bears. Titles aren’t won in September(they can be lost). 3-0 and looking very much like one of the best two or three teams in the entire NFL is something to be very impressed by. Seeing players like Johnson and Jermaine Gresham getting quality playing time late in the game to work on their game was a good sign too. You have to have depth to win games in January and February. Adversity will come to the Cardinals at some point this season, the question is, how will they deal with it?
Brad Cesmat
