Sizing Up the Competition

Up Next: The Arizona Cardinals - 2006 Record - 5-11

Do the Cardinals have the personnel to eventually switch to a 3-4 defense? New coach Ken Whisenhunt is pretty well set on offense with Matt Leinart at quarterback, Edgerrin James in the backfield and a great three-receiver set. Finding the personality of the defense is now the key. Former coach Dennis Green assembled an undersized 4-3. As we saw in San Francisco the past couple of years, it's hard to make a quick conversion to a 3-4 because those schemes require bigger defenders to help stop the run. Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry have the athletic ability to be rush linebackers, but the team doesn't have enough big linemen. Defensive tackle Alan Branch, the team's second-round pick, will help the Cardinals get bigger. Expect the Cardinals to experiment with the 3-4 but stay a 4-3 on most of the early downs.