Is Bruce Arians an "offensive genius" ? + Arians wired v. Washington

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http://espn.go.com/blog/arizona-cardinals

Wagoner: Obviously, the Cardinals have put together an impressive record, knocking off almost everyone put in front of them. I think everyone who covers and watches the league respects Bruce Arians, myself included. So this is a little abstract, but what is it about him that has allowed that team to really take off under his guidance?

Weinfuss: The answer is two-fold. There is the football part and the locker room part. First, with regards to the Cardinals’ on-field play, Arians is an offensive genius. And I’m not throwing that word around lightly. His offense is complex and intricate and effective, if it has the right personnel, which the Cardinals have this season. Because there are so many layers to it, the offense is tough to learn, which means players spend a lot of time studying it. And because they love playing for Arians, they put in the work. He is a no-nonsense coach, and the players respond to that well. Lately, we have been hearing a lot about his “coach them hard, hug them later” philosophy that he developed from Bear Bryant at Alabama. It’s not just coachspeak. The players rave about his ability to rip them on the field or in the film room when they make a mistake, but pat them on the back and joke with them when they come off the field. And the fact that he doesn’t sugarcoat their standing with him has earned him a lot of respect.
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Weinfuss: If there is one area of this team that has been steady and sturdy all season, it’s the offensive line. Who would have said that in April or May? Through eight games, the line has allowed 57 hurries of quarterback Carson Palmer — less than half of last season’s total. This offensive line is stronger than what the Cardinals have fielded in the past few seasons. And the players have been able to stay healthy, so the coaching staff hasn’t been forced to put a patchwork line together. Left tackle Jared Veldheer, signed from Oakland in free agency, has been playing well, and he will match up against Robert Quinn. Right tackle Bobby Massie is finally coming into his own and showing the skills that prompted him to be a fourth-round pick. Even the guards, Paul Fanaika and Ted Larsen, are playing well. Going forward, the only question mark surrounding this line is when Jonathan Cooper, the No. 7 overall pick in 2013, will get a chance to play. When that is the toughest question to answer about the offensive line, things are going right.

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• This topic was modified 10 years ago by wv.