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  • Backyard Banter Podcast
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 54: Kyle Crabbs - Build my own chair at the table
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 53: James Koh - Divorce the information from emotion
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 52: Will Brinson - That's how it'll have to be
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 51: Charles McDonald - Not an escape from reality
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 50: What you've learned - For you, by you
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 49: Jourdan Rodrigue - Let's see what you think then
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 48: Justin Twell - Long process to come back
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 47: Justin Lonero - It's time to relearn life
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 46: Scott Bischoff - Life presented the greatest challenge possible
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 45: Al Zeidenfeld - Little steps along the way
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 44: Jason Romano - Just a different dream
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 43: Matt Harmon - But here we are (Season 1 finale)
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 42: Gregg Rosenthal - I have to make it work or else
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 41: Jon Moore - Determiner of what I want
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 40: Uncle Chaps - Just have fun with it
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 39: Bob Harris - The best addiction I've ever had
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 38: Scott Fish - Everybody working together to make this big
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 37: Jene Bramel - Ask the questions you want answered
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 36: Mike Tagliere - Never going to leave this candy store
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 35: Ben Cummins - Starting at ground zero
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 34: Field Yates - It's the nature of what we do
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 33: Chris Heil - I gave it everything I had
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 32: Sal Stefanile - Just make them notice you
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 31: Adam Levitan - Accept an alternate lifestyle
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 30: Matthew Freedman - It's not built for everyone
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 29: George Kritikos - If your heart's not in it people notice
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 28: Marcas Grant - Certainly never expected this
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 27: Steve Palazzolo - I understand the questions that come
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 26: Matt Miller - To build bridges not burn them
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 25: Graham Barfield - A human game played by humans
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 24: Pat Daugherty - I just said yes to everything
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 23: Eric Galko - There's always work to be done
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 22: TJ Hernandez - In some roundabout way
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 21: Alex Gelhar - Homework for the rest of your life
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 20: The Fantasy Footballers - Because we were fans
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 19: Jessica Kleinschmidt - The scariest person you deal with is yourself
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 18: Evan Silva - A willingness to work hard
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 17: Jeff Risdon - It's hard to be in the middle
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 16: Cecil Lammey - Because I didn't ask for anything
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 15: Patrick Claybon - If you shine people will see you
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 14: Denny Carter - People want to know you
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 13: Adam Rank - Honestly just don't go away
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 12: Adam Pfeifer - Being happy is doing this
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 11: Mark Schofield - You get one drive in this life
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 10: Liz Loza - Ride the horse in the direction it's going
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 9: Matthew Berry - I've done it without being negative to anyone
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 8: Matt Franciscovich - Persistence is a huge deal
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 7: Matt Williamson - I got lucky, but I made my own luck
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 6: Eric Stoner - Passions are best left as hobbies
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 5: Josh Norris - You don't have to have an opinion on everything
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast Episode 4: Rumford Johnny - Elevate somebody or get out of their way
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast episode 3: JJ Zachariason - No one cares because you're not established
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast episode 2: Matt Waldman - Popular doesn't necessarily make it good
    • The Backyard Banter Podcast episode 1 - Sigmund Bloom
  • Fantasy Hipsters
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 28: We''l see you in a bit.
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 27: "Ehhh how about you people relax with that one"
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 26: Mail Satchel - Davante Adams debate & "friends of the show"
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 25: NFL Network's Top 100 Players This or That
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 24: Mail Satchel - Surviving without Charlie and Tight Ends to Watch
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 23: Jeremy Maclin reaction, news recap and did Harmon pull off that hat?
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 22: Mail satchel - WE ARE THE PODCAST OF THE PEOPLE
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 21: Reception Perception review of sleepers, breakouts and surprises
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 20: Evan Silva destroys our MFL10 hopes and dreams
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 19: Mail satchel - Will Brandon Marshall thrive with the Giants in 2017?
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 18: We Are Pretty Mad
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 17: Mail satchel - Rompers, clean eating and the 2007 NFL Draft class
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 16: NFL depth chart breakdowns and being sick of bad Eddie Lacy jokes
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 15: Mail satchel - Drafting too many rookies, breakouts and bell-cow RBs
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 14: French press vs. pour over coffee & mock draft review with James Koh
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 13: Mail satchel - Los Angeles Chargers the hipster's team of 2017?
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 12: NFL Draft rookie fits and a cast iron running back with Matt Waldman
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 11: NFL Draft preview and drumset vomit with Josh Norris of Rotoworld
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast Episode 10: Mail satchel - Dynasty debate, bad impressions and hipster bands
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 9: Perfect Prospect Parings — identifying NFL fits for draft prospects
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 8: Corey Davis, DeVante Parker and what to drink at your draft
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 7: Carlos Hyde, Laquon Treadwell and NFL Draft rookie big board part 3
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 6: Valuing Jordan Howard for 2017 and NFL Draft rookie big board part 2
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 5: NFL Draft rookie top-12 big board and in-depth beer interview
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 4: Kaepernick saga, Harmon shaves his beard and Franchise gets roasted
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast Episode 3: Eddie Lacy, Free Agency, music & beer and picking best QB roommate
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 2: Early Free Agency Fallout, Combine Standouts & Mailbag
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast - Episode 1: NFL Scouting Combine preview and washed vets
    • Fantasy Hipsters Podcast: Teaser episode introduction
  • Reception Perception: 2017
    • Reception Perception: Investigating any correlation between the results and draft prospect age
  • The 2016 Reception Perception Project
    • Reception Perception: 11 flags planted for the 2016 season
    • Reception Perception: Nelson Agholor can bounce-back in Doug Pederson's offense
    • Reception Perception: Improved technician Donte Moncrief is set to explode in 2016
    • Reception Perception: Only one concern can hold Sammy Watkins back from his ceiling
    • Reception Perception: Bruce Ellington has a chance to flash this season with the 49ers
    • Reception Perception: Albert Wilson and the Diary of a Truther
    • Reception Perception: Willie Snead built an impressive resume we must not ignore
    • Reception Perception: Welcome the ascending Tyler Lockett to rarified status
    • Reception Perception: Kamar Aiken is the answer to the Ravens receiver riddle
    • Reception Perception: DeSean Jackson and Josh Doctson make the Washington wide receivers a strength
    • Reception Perception: Browns make a refreshing first pick in Corey Coleman
    • Reception Perception: The fruitless search for fatal flaws with Laquon Treadwell
    • Reception Perception: Why there will never be a cumulative or overall grade
    • Reception Perception: The changing variables for Torrey Smith point to a rebound
    • Reception Perception: 2016 media appearances
    • Reception Perception: Rashard Higgins - never tell me the odds
    • Reception Perception: Keyarris Garrett is a unicorn in this draft class
    • Reception Perception: Malcolm Mitchell is a top-10 receiver in the 2016 NFL Draft
    • Reception Perception: 2016 NFL draft prospects results
    • Reception Perception: Golden Tate won't be able to replace Calvin Johnson
    • Reception Perception: Jeff Janis, trump cards and sorting through the noise
    • Reception Perception: Top-four college receiver primer
  • The 2015 Reception Perception Project
    • Reception Perception Based Media Appearances
    • Reception Perception: Steve Johnson is the Surest Sleeper Around
    • Reception Perception: Target and Contested Catch Data for Sophomore WRs
    • Reception Perception: Success Rate vs. Coverage Scores for the Sophomore Wide Receivers
    • Reception Perception: Why we Must Consider the Entire Range of Outcomes for Sammy Watkins
    • Reception Perception: Data Results from Year 1
    • Reception Perception: Scanning Through the Dolphins Receiving Corps for Fantasy Answers
    • Reception Perception: Allen Robinson is Quietly on the Precipice of a Massive Breakout
    • Reception Perception: Michael Crabtree is Exactly What the Raiders’ Passing Game Needs
    • Reception Perception: Justin Hunter and Wisely Shopping the Clearance Bins
    • Reception Perception: How Kevin White Began His Ascension to the Top
    • Reception Perception: Sammie Coates Falls Along a Dangerous Archetype
    • Reception Perception: A Video Rundown of the Data
    • Reception Perception: New Browns Receiver Dwayne Bowe Bring Value to a Depleted Pass Game
    • Reception Perception: Expectations and an Odd Coupling Doomed Mike Wallace in Miami
    • Reception Perception: Andre Johnson Still has Plenty Left to Offer the Colts
    • Reception Perception: Randall Cobb Made the Right Call Sticking With the Packers
    • Reception Perception: Where Do We Go From Here, Percy Harvin?
    • Reception Perception: Devin Smith and The Value of a Trump Card (FBG)
    • Reception Perception: The Siren Song of Dorial Green-Beckham (FBG)
    • Reception Perception: Impending Free Agent Michael Crabtree
    • Reception Perception: Amari Cooper Under the Microscope (FBG)
    • Reception Perception: Sammy Watkins and Cordarrelle Patterson
  • Matt Harmon's in-season film review blog
  • Bio Page
  • Harmon's Fantasy Football Tiered Rankings
  • The Backyard Banter Quarterback Typology
  • Analyzing the Landing Spots for the First Round Wide Recievers
  • Reception Perception
    • Reception Perception: Cordarrelle Patterson and a Developing Story
    • Reception Perception: Jordy Nelson and Mastering the Little Things
  • Ramblings
    • Rebuilding a broken house: losing weight, changing my lifestyle and never looking back
    • Fighting through negativity bias and a wide receiver's drops
    • Saying Goodbye to Dixie
    • The #FreeAustinTice Campaign
    • My Reaction to Adrian Peterson and The Cycle of Abuse
    • Steve Smith: A Lesson in the Dangers of Emotional Football
    • The Arizona Cardinals Will Make the Playoffs
    • The Redskins Better Not Blow This Thing Up
    • The Commodification of NFL Players
    • Digging Deeper: Why Josh Freeman Failed with the Buccaneers
    • The Fall of Aaron Hernandez and the Patriot Way
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  • The Eye in the Sky
    • The Eye in the Sky: The St. Louis Rams Should Commit to Sam Bradford for 2014
    • The Eye in the Sky: Why the Cardinals Struggle Against Tight Ends
    • The Eye in the Sky: Uncovering a Diamond in the Rough, Mike Brown
    • The Eye in the Sky: Uncovering a Diamond in the Rough, Brandon Bostick
    • The Eye in the Sky: E.J. Manuel's Improvement All-22 Breakdown
    • The Eye in the Sky: Why Defending the Colts Offense is too Easy All-22 Breakdown
    • The Eye in the Sky: Picking Apart the Jets Defense All-22 Breakdown
    • Eye in the Sky: Texans vs. Chiefs (Week Seven) All-22 Breakdown
    • The Eye in the Sky: Redskins vs. Cowboys (Week Six) All-22 Breakdown
    • The Eye in the Sky: Panthers vs. Cardinals (Week Five) All-22 Breakdown
    • The Eye in the Sky: Colts vs. Seahawks (Week Five)
  • 2014 Free Agent Profiles
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  • BYOB Forums (Bring Your Own Banter)
  • 2014 NFL Free Agency Position Breakdowns
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  • 2014 NFL Draft Content
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    • 2014 NFL Draft Top 10 Quarterback Ranking
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  • Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
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  • 2013 NFL Power Rankings
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The Arizona Cardinals Will Go to the Playoffs

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By: Matt Harmon
11/25/13

            The NFC is the far superior conference in the National Football League right now. It’s not even close. Where as in the AFC at least one painfully mediocre team will go into the playoffs, in the NFC several good teams will be left on the outside looking in. The Arizona Cardinals will not be one of those good teams. The Cardinals finally got the attention they deserved after walloping the overrated Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but they showed long ago they have all the ingredients of a playoff team.

            It all starts on defense for the Cardinals. People know about Patrick Peterson and the Tryann Mathieu, but not enough mainstream fans know who Daryl Washington and Calais Campbell are. With eleven sacks in the last two years, Daryl Washington is probably the best playmaking inside linebacker in the NFL. Campbell on the other hand, was doing J.J. Watt things before there was a J.J. Watt. Campbell is the catalyst for everything the Cardinals do on defense, and is an absolute terror for interior offensive lineman. The attention given to those two players has allowed veterans Jon Abraham and Karlos Dansby to enjoy revival seasons in Arizona. The Cardinals present a unique set of problems for offenses because of the interior pressure Campbell, Washington, and Dansby bring. Putting bodies in the quarterback’s face is the biggest hindrance to an offenses’ success, and the Cardinals bring it in waves. With quarterbacks apt to make mistakes under duress, a secondary with playmakers like Peterson and the Honey Badger can feast. The defense has been great for the last several years, but it is the rest of the team is finally starting to carry its weight.

            The Cardinals have been desperate for a savior behind center ever since Kurt Warner rode off into the sunset. While Carson Palmer is not that savior, he can be serviceable when the pieces around him are playing to peak performance. That is exactly what is going on in Arizona right now. The offensive line that jettisoned its starting left tackle, and lost the guard they took sixth overall for the season, is beginning to gel. Do they still let up pressure? Yes. They are still an undermanned unit, but the past few weeks they have given Carson Palmer the time he has needed to pick apart secondaries. Larry Fitzgerald has been an obvious beneficiary of Palmer’s solid play, but it has been two emerging young talents that have brought on the improved offensive performance.

            Michael Floyd, in his second year out of Notre Dame, has looked like the Cardinals’ best receiver at times this season. Floyd, like Fitzgerald, is another big athletic target the likes of which Palmer has never had before in his career. Palmer is no longer much of an accurate passer at this moment in time, so having a guy like Floyd who can snatch passes away from his body is of great utility. Do not be surprised to see Floyd finish the season on a tear if Carson Palmer keeps dealing like he has been. Another young player who may be even more important than Floyd to the offensive revival, is rookie running back Andre Ellington. The coaching staff has kept Ellington on a limited snap count, but he has consistently been an explosive threat when in the game. For the past several seasons Arizona’s running backs have been nearly as boring as their quarterbacks, and Rashard Mendenhall looked poised to continue that tradition. However, Ellington has come from out of nowhere as a forgotten sixth round draft pick to be a revelation for this offensive unit. No only is Ellington quick as a runner, but he is also a dual threat. When Carson Palmer gets in trouble behind the line, he has a reliable outlet receiver in Andre Ellington who can make defenders miss in the open field. With young players like Ellington and Floyd stepping up to compliment solid role players like Rob Housler and Andre Roberts, defenses can no longer just focus on taking away a now healthy Larry Fitzgerald.

            Of course, the biggest factor in NFL success is coaching, and it looks like Arizona has assembled a nice group. The offense had some trouble in the early part of the season because some of the pieces did not fit Bruce Arians’ downfield passing attack. With a poor group of pass blockers and an immobile quarterback, the Cardinals were ill equipped to hold the ball for long periods of time and take shots down field. His system is tough to run without big athletic quarterbacks like Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck, but Arians has adjusted well on the fly. Seeing the square pegs he had on his roster he stopped trying to slam them into round holes. Instead, Arians has redesigned his offense to feature the play action off the running game and other looks to get the ball out of Palmer’s hands faster. Great coaches know how to adjust their schemes to the personnel on their rosters. Similarly, the defensive coordinator for the Cardinals, Todd Bowles, has been enjoying a revival in Arizona. Bowles took over a disastrous defense in Philadelphia last season, and many snickered when he was tabbed to replace the popular Ray Horton in Arizona. Many felt that Bowles’ conservative zone heavy scheme would not be a fit with what the Cardinals had been doing, and that the hire may ruin a good thing. Bowles did the smart thing and kept much of what Arizona was doing in place. The Cardinals are still blitzing, and bringing pressure right up the middle, like they did under Horton. Smart coaching has been another huge reason the Cardinals are poised to make a playoff run.

            Even with all the improvements to the Cardinals roster and coaching staff, they will still find the road to the playoffs a difficult one. With the NFC North and East certainly only sending their division winners to the playoffs, their biggest competition for the second wild card spot lies within their own division; the San Francisco 49ers. Providing the 49ers get past the Redskins on the road Monday night, the Cardinals and the 49ers will have matching 7-4 records heading into Week Thirteen. After this week, both of these teams have pretty favorable schedules, with only their matchups against the Seahawks looking like certain losses. Of course teams like the Rams, Titans, and Buccaneers have been spunky at times this season, but the Cardinals and 49ers should be able to get past those guys. If they keep their current pace, the 49ers and the Cardinals will be set to meet at University of Pheonix Stadium in Week Seventeen for all the marbles. And provided everything remains as we see it today, the Cardinals should be favored in that game. Unlike the 49ers, the Cardinals can play in a shoot out, and despite the public narrative, they are much better on defense than the 49ers. It was crazy to think this before the season, but the Cardinals are more of a threat in the NFC than the 49ers, and it may not be close.

            The Arizona Cardinals are still rebuilding with a veteran stopgap at quarterback, but they are poised for a playoff run in Bruce Arians first season. General Manager Steve Kiem could be the Executive of the Year, and Bruce Arians might deserve a second Coach of Year award with the way this team is playing. As long as the Cardinals can protect Carson Palmer, he can move the ball through the air well enough for this team to earn a playoff spot. Provided those two things happen, the Cardinals have a complete team, and will enter the NFC playoffs as the sixth seed. You heard it here first. 

Image taken from: http://i.azcentral.com/i/4/1/e/L169_CIFRb7b9fc24eac9b33b21231c92f66bee14.jpg

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