Hungry for more: Bertrand Berry re-signs with Cardinals
March 22, 2009
Bertrand Berry eats quarterbacks for a living. He helped himself to 7.0 total sacks in 2008.
Bertrand Berry signed a $1 million, 1-year contract Wednesday and will return to the Arizona Cardinals in 2009. The 6′3″ 260 lb defensive end from Notre Dame is entering his 12th season in the league, and will turn 34 during training camp in August, but retirement isn’t on his mind.
“The ‘R’ word is not in my vocabulary,” Berry said the day the Cardinals cleaned out their lockers. “Let’s get that out there right now. There is no thought of that, I have no intentions of that. I am not done by a long shot.”
The Great Big Bertrand just tee'd off on another quarterback.
Berry led the Cardinals with 5.0 sacks in 2008, including one sack in each of the first 3 regular season games, and added 2.0 more sacks during the Cardinals NFC Championship playoff run. Berry had 22 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 3 passes defensed on the year.
Berry is considered a defensive leader on the team and will backup defensive end Travis LaBoy in 2009.
Category: 2009 Season, News | Tags: Bertrand Berry, Travis LaBoy
WK 4 PREVIEW: ARI @ NYJ 1:00 PM (EST) KICKOFF
September 25, 2008
NFL Week 4 Matchup: Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Jets
Overview: Win now, or you might have to wait awhile. With tough games coming up against Buffalo (3-0) and Dallas (3-0) in Weeks 5 and 6, the Arizona Cardinals have a must-win situation when they face Brett Favre and the (1-2) New York Jets.
The Cardinals offense hopes to rebound after a sub-par performance in a 17-24 loss to the Redskins last week, but the real problem was generating defensive pressure. Although nursing a sore ankle, Brett Favre will pick the Cardinals secondary apart unless pressured early and often by Clancy Pendergast´s blitz schemes.
Offensive Keys:
* Protect Kurt Warner. Facing motivated ex-teammate Calvin Pace, the Cardinals offensive line must provide Warner with adequate protection to scan the field and make accurate reads. Given time, Warner operates the team with surgical precision.
* Spread the field. Sweeps, reverses, and misdirections do just as much to upset a defensive scheme as do long passes down the middle. The Cardinals were too formulaic against Washington and lost.
* Control the ball. Long sustained drives and turnover-free ball will be required to keep the ball out of Brett Favre´s capable hands.
Defensive Keys:
* Pressure Brett Favre. Bertrand Berry is out for the next 3-4 weeks (groin), so Darnell Dockett and Clark Haggans need to step up and make Brett Favre feel uncomfortable in the pocket.
* Shut down the hot reads. Favre will attempt to make the Cardinals pay with short slants and outlet passes WRs Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles, exploiting man coverage. Defensive lineman need to get their arms up and disrupt Favre´s throwing lanes.
* Create turnovers. The Cardinals have forced 0 turnovers in their past two games. Coach Ken Whisenhunt needs his team to generate turnovers if they intend to become a playoff caliber team.
Predicted Outcome:
* Kurt Warner finishes with 200 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 INT against an aggressive blitzing Jets team.
* The Red Storm defense led by Travis LaBoy and Calais Campbell sacks Favre 3.0 times and forces 2 turnovers.
* In sloppy conditions, the Cardinals beat the Jets 24-16.
WK 2: Player Props/Player Knocks
September 20, 2008
This weekly segment focuses on players gettin’ props, and players gettin’ knocked for their hustle or lack thereof on the football field.
Player Props: Bertrand Berry #92
Why: Berry chased down running backs like a runaway hay baler and gobbled up everything in sight. My props to a man who had 4.0 tackles (3.0 solo) and a sack against Washington.
Honorable Mention: Calais Campbell #93
Why: Campbell, congrats on your best game as a Pro. Way to blow up the line and torpedo the running back behind the line of scrimmage. Nice job hustling that big 6′8″ frame of yours downfield on punt coverage to stop the ball on the 1-yard line… I’m sure Miami loved that one! Nothing but good things ahead for you.
Player Knocks: Ralph Brown #20
Why: Brown didn’t bring his tackling “A” game against the Redskins, and got exposed when Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown shoved him to the ground on screens and sweeps. Probably not the most fun Ralph’s had in a film session, but that’s why there’s next week.
Hat trick!!!
September 16, 2008
Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin connected for 3 TDs in a convincing 31-10 home victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Kurt Warner described Sunday as “one of those days when everything’s clicking and you feel like you can’t be stopped”.
The aerial assault began with Warner’s first pass of the day, a 79-yard TD completion to Anquan Boldin, and they were just getting started. Watch video highlights on NFL.com here.
Keys to Victory:
* Offensive Rhythm - Warner hit Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin in rhythm, which allowed the athletic wide receivers to run after the catch for huge gains. Warner spread the ball around with completions to 7 different receivers, which kept the Dolphins’ secondary from successfully double teaming any one player. Warner’s quarterback rating of 128.5 is second best in the NFL (Ben Roethlisberger leads with a 136.3 rating).
Arizona Receiving
* Offensive Line Play - the Cardinals have allowed 5.0 sacks this year through the first two games (compared with 1.0 total last year at this time), but thus far the offensive line has been fantastic in protecting Warner, it’s just that he refuses to throw the ball away and takes coverage sacks. Similarly, the team is averaging a paltry 2.7 yards per rushing attempt (31st in the league), but the line has only allowed 4 drive-stalling tackles for a loss on running plays in 2008 (combined -6 yards), compared to 6 tackles for a loss (combined -20 yards) through the first two games in 2007. That’s a huge improvement.
* Quarterback Pressure - Bertrand Barry (1 sack) and the Cardinals kept the opposing team’s quarterback uncomfortable in the pocket for the second straight game.
WK 2 PREVIEW: MIA @ ARI 4:15 PM (EST) KICKOFF
September 11, 2008
NFL Week 2 Matchup: Miami Dolphins vs. Arizona Cardinals
Overview: All eyes are on Kurt Warner as the Cardinals QB attempts to lead the team to its first 2-0 start since 1991. The Cardinals face a Miami Dolphins team that finished a league worst 1-15 in 2007, but narrowly lost 20-14 in Week 1 versus a much improved New York Jets team.
The Cardinals offense was brutally efficient, but not spectacular in a 23-13 win over the 49ers. The Cardinals controlled the ball for 37:05 (61.8% of the game), which helped limit the potent San Francisco offense to only 44 offensive plays (second fewest in Week 1).
Edgerrin James rushed for 100 yards in the opener, but with a team average of 2.8 yards per attempt (30th in the league), Warner needs to stretch the field with early completions to Leonard Pope and Anquan Boldin down the middle, and Larry Fitzgerald on the outside to keep physical Miami linebackers Channing Crowder and Joey Porter from crowding the line.
Offensive Keys:
* Warner needs to make quick reads and get rid of the ball. He held onto the ball too long in the opener and was sacked 3.0 times.
* Win the tough yards again inside. Tim Hightower is 2-2 on converting short 4th down conversions, but needs to improve on his 1.7 yards per carry average.
* Play smart. Don’t commit stupid offensive penalties.
Defensive Keys:
* Shut down tight ends David Martin and Anthony Fasano over the middle. Make Dolphins QB Chad Pennington beat you with throws to the WRs outside.
* Travis LaBoy, Bertrand Berry and Darnell Dockett must provide QB pressure, but can’t overcommit allowing Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown to capitalize on draws inside.
* Keep the ball out of Ted Ginn Jr.’s hands on punt and kickoff returns.
Predicted Outcome:
* Kurt Warner will finish with 250 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT in leading a balanced offensive attack.
* Led by 4.0 sacks, the Cardinals “Red Storm” defense will score its first defensive TD of the year.
* The Cardinals will edge the hard-running Dolphins 27-20.