In the first installment of our 3 part series around the NFC West I’ll take look at the 1-5 Arizona Cardinals and try and figure out what’s gone wrong in the desert sun. A lot of what we do here on Ninernoise or any sports news outlet is play Monday morning QB, we judge and analyze the decisions made by professionals on something less than 1% of us could ever do in our lives. I love to sit back and say what’s wrong with the 49ers front office? Why won’t we try and trade for Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton? Well both teams stink and since we’re here to discuss the Cardinals we’ll just stick to Kolb today. The Cards gave up a very good corner back in Dominique Rogers-Cromartie and a second round draft pick for Kolb. That’s not Carson Palmer territory but still a steep price for a QB with a losing record and a lifetime QB rating in the 70′s. Thus far the 49ers decision to pass on Kolb has looked brilliant as he and the entire Arizona Cardinals offense has struggled this season. I chose to begin my look at the Cardinals by keying in on Kolb because he is the biggest reason they are 1-5 right now he has been simply awful.

Since losing Kurt Warner to retirement the Cards have been searching for a franchise QB (sound familiar?). By investing so much in Kolb who signed a 6 year deal worth more than $60 million as part of the trade with the Eagles the Cardinals essentially put all their eggs in Kolb’s basket. Kolb so far this season has performed on par with the way he played in Philadelphia in 6 starts he’s sporting a 78.8 passer rating, 57.7 % accuracy, with as many interceptions as touchdown passes-7. The biggest problem for Arizona at this point will be figuring out what to do next. Where do they go from here? With this much invested in Kolb they can’t give up on him now as the financial ramifications of the decision to acquire him will be felt for many years. Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt recently came out and supported Kolb as his starting QB despite his poor start, a risk, but one he must take given that they are already knee deep and there is no turning back now.

PAGE 2: A LOOK AT THE REST OF THE CARDINALS
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