Cardinals midseason report card: Half bad

TEMPE, Ariz. Once in a great while, a plan comes together. Were not talking about this Sundays opponents at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia: the Arizona Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles. Both clubs have strayed far from the preseason plan. But with the season at its midpoint, the Eagles are the perfect news peg for our midseason report card. It was, after all, that blockbuster Kevin Kolb for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie trade that created such lofty expectations for both teams. It hasnt worked out thus far, but theres still half a season to get those grades turned around. OFFENSIVE LINE The good: The unit was starting to develop an identity as a running team early in the season, putting running back Beanie Wells among the league leaders in average yards per game. Poor efforts at Minnesota (mostly due to a large early deficit) and against St. Louis have dropped the team back into the leagues bottom quarter in rushing yards per game, but there is still hope in this area. The bad: Pass protection has been inconsistent, particularly from tackles Levi Brown and Brandon Keith. Brown is in his fifth season but has yet to live up to his draft status (fifth overall, 2007) Given his huge cap hit next season, he's unlikely to return. The coaching staff was high on Keith last season, but hes been benched twice and hasnt shown the improvement expected, partially due to a bad knee. Guards Daryn Colledge, Rex Hadnot and C Lyle Sendlein have been solid, if unspectacular, but the Cards lack depth on this unit, especially if G Deuce Lutui is on his way out. The grade: C- QUARTERBACKS The good: Kolb has shown the right temperament for the position and an ability to make big plays an ability that was lacking last year at this position. He found Early Doucet on a 70-yard TD pass in the season opener, converted a 73-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald against the Redskins and hit LaRod Stephens-Howling on a nice read against the Steelers for a 73-yard touchdown pass. Backup John Skelton was adequate at managing the offense in his one start. The bad: Kolb has struggled with his footwork while learning the intricacies of a new system. Hes abandoned the pocket too early at times, held the ball too long on multiple occasions, lacked accuracy, and hes turned it over far too often (eight INTs, three fumbles lost (seven total). The grade: D RUNNING BACKS The good: Beanie Wells got off to a great start, averaging a shade under 100 yards through his first four games and showing the burst and power that led the Cards to draft him in the first round in 2009. LaRod Stephens-Howling still gives the Cards a nice change of pace out of the backfield with big-play ability. Rookie fullback Anthony Sherman looks like a steal in the fifth round. He blocks and catches well. The bad: Injuries. Wells missed a game early with a hamstring issue and has battled a knee injury the past two weeks that has limited his effectiveness. Rookie Ryan Williams, who looked so dynamic at training camp, was lost for the season with a torn patellar tendon, and Stephens-Howling missed two games with a hand injury. Free-agent signing Chester Taylor has been a disappointment for a unit that could use a veteran presence. The grade: B- RECEIVERSTIGHT ENDS The good: Larry Fitzgerald still does ridiculous things when given the opportunity, like that 31-yard jump ball he snared over the Steelers Ike Taylor. Early Doucet has emerged as a good second option for the tough yards. Tight end Jeff King has aided in the run game and has been better than expected in the passing game. When healthy, rookie tight end Rob Housler looks like a match-up problem for defenses in the passing game. The bad: Andre Roberts has just 18 catches for 188 yards despite a five-catch effort last week against St. Louis. Separation and route-running have been the problem. Tight end Todd Heap hasnt made an impact because hes been hurt. 2010 training camp sensation Stephen Williams cant even get on the field despite the fact that only two WRs are making any impact. The grade: C DEFENSIVE LINE The good: Darnell Dockett appears to be warming to the task of playing two-gap defense. Calais Campbell has been a monster as he talks contract extension. Backups Nick Eason and Vonnie Holliday both signed as free agents -- look like solid contributors, and rookie David Carter has shown flashes. The bad: Nose tackle Dan Williams struggled early with weight and conditioning issues. Hes played better, but hes still not the dominant force the Cards need in the middle, and hes lost some playing time to Carter. Dockett still hasnt made a noticeable impact, and the run defense only ranks 16th in the NFL (117.8 yards per game). The grade: C LINEBACKERS The good: Rookie Sam Acho shows potential as a pass rusher and in coverage. Daryl Washington appears close to breaking through as a star. He is second on the team in tackles with 46 and also has two sacks. Paris Lenon (team-high 50 tackles) gets the most out of his limited abilities. The bad: OLB Joey Porter hasnt made an impact all season and appears at the end of his career. OLB Clark Haggans has been inconsistent. OLB OBrien Schofield hasnt progressed as quickly as the Cards had hoped. Big free-agent signing Stewart Bradley still isnt starting, and thats not because Lenon is an elite talent. In a defense designed for the linebackers to make plays, the Cards just arent getting many, particularly off the edge when it comes time to rush the passer. The grade: D SECONDARY The good: After an uneven start, CB Patrick Peterson is showing promise and aggressive play. CB Richard Marshall has provided a steady veteran presence and versatility, shifting between the slot, starting and backup corner spots and even safety. Strong safety Adrian Wilson has improved after a slow start. The bad: Kerry Rhodes broke his foot, robbing the secondary of its best playmaker in 2010. Starting CB Greg Toler is also out for the season with a torn ACL. Wilson still is not making the type of plays that defined his earlier career near the line of scrimmage. CB A.J. Jefferson has hit a rough patch and lost his starting job to Marshall. Peterson has been penalized nine times for being too aggressive, or out of position. The grade: C- SPECIAL TEAMS The good: Patrick Peterson is a dynamic return man who already has three punt returns for TDs two of them game-winners. After uncharacteristic early misses, PK Jay Feely has converted seven straight FGs. The kick coverage teams have been sound, and Calais Campbell continues to make plays, blocking a potential game-winning FG last week against St. Louis. The bad: LaRod Stephens-Howling hasnt made a major impact in the kick return game, although his average return (24.8) is OK. P Dave Zastudils net average (37.1) ranks 26th in the NFL. The grade: B COACHING The good: Coach Ken Whisenhunt and his staff havent lost the team despite a horrid start. The players are still buying into the techniques, schemes and philosophies they are preaching. Special teams coach Kevin Spencer is getting good play out of his units. The bad: Its hard to know how much the lack of an offseason has hurt the Cards, who are installing a new defense, but other teams in similar situations have adapted better. The Cards just arent making plays. Thats mostly on the players, but you have to wonder what sort of daily routines might help in areas like pass rushing and screen passes both areas where the cards have been consistently miserable. Its also troubling that several of the teams young players havent emerged as expected. Is that a product of poor coaching or poor scouting? The grade: D