Cardinals’ Cooperative Learning on Defense

Rabbit explains how the players are learning with and from one another

Thanks to Johnny Venerable and Bo Brack at PHNX for posting these highlights of Cardinals’ 2nd-year safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson’s recent press conference.

Here is Rabbit’s complete presser:

It was fascinating to learn how Rabbit first sits with Garrett Williams in meetings in order to coordinate their versatile roles —- and then Rabbit spends the rest of his meetings with Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson and all of the team’s safeties.

The most special part of what Rabbit had to say was how all of the members of the team’s secondary share their thoughts about the defensive schemes in order to maximize what they do well and try to minimize what they do not do well. Not just as individuals, but as a unit.

Rabbit said that there are things the Cardinals do on defense that he has never seen before —- some that work and some that don’t. He wants to know the “why” about each scheme. What the players are free to discuss is what schemes they have found effective on teams they have played for in the past.

One of the real breakthroughs on the Cardinals’ defense last year was Nick Rallis’ decision to include Budda Baker in the weekly game planning. The results of adding Budda’s input were immediately manifested when in Week 2 Budda basically single-handedly blitz-bombed Sean McVay’s running game while also making a couple of huge pass breakups in key conversion situations versus Cooper Kupp —- which sparked the Cardinals’ stunning 41-10 upset win over the Rams.

Nick Rallis is doing what all great teachers do —- he’s listening. And he’s giving his players the opportunity to provide their input.

There were times last season where it was very puzzling to try to understand Nick Rallis’ coverage decisions. For example, with the Cardinals’ critical playoff-implicated games on the road versus the Vikings and Panthers, when those games were on the line, Rallis reverted to playing soft zones that, alas, left the likes of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen wide open. Why was Garrett Williams or someone else not assigned in critical situations to cover Jefferson and Thielen?

There were also times last season when it was puzzling to understand why Nick Rallis, with an assist from Budda, had superb run-stopping schemes versus the Rams, yet did not have as nearly a creative or effective a plan in trying to stifle Seattle’s Zach Charbonnet (22 carries for 134 yards, 6.1 ave., and 2 TDs) in a 30 -18 NFC West home loss and Carolina’s Chuba Hubbard (25 carries, 152 yards, 6.1 ave. and 2 TDs) in a 36-30 OT road loss to a 3-11 underdog.

Therefore, the fact that more of the defensive players this off-season are in active discussions about how the defensive units can be better prepared in games this season, is an auspicious development.

On the defensive line, Nick Rallis and rookie defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III are going to be able to tap into Calais Campbell’s, Dalvin Tomlinson’s, Josh Sweat’s and Baron Browning’s experience while playing in other highly productive systems.

For example, Josh Sweat is going to be able to inform Nick Rallis what the keys to Vic Fangio’s success were last season. Baron Browning should be able to add to that discussion,] having played his rookie season in Denver under Fangio.

Calais Campbell is going to be able to offer insights on some of the keen nuances of Wink Martindale’s system. And Dalvin Tomlinson will be able to highlight the strengths of Jim Schwartz’s defense in Cleveland.

Therefore, while Jonathan Gannon has been reluctant to hire veteran advisors, the veteran players can bring some textured wisdom and diversity to the Cardinals’ defensive schemes, situational strategies and game planning.

As the years of my 38-year teaching career evolved, what became more and more apparent to me, is how the most effective learning always occurred when the students assumed the ownership of the curriculum and were driving the lessons themselves.

I will never forget the summer day I found out I had been assigned to teach AP English Language and Composition (a course we had not yet offered at the scheeol), and when I called Tom Trevisani (Arlington High School MA) , my iconic mentor and the best AP teacher I have ever known, Trev said, “While you will be tempted to do a lot of the teaching yourself, Mitch, the best advice I can give you is to put the students in groups, give them the day’s assignment questions and let them hash out the answers themselves.”

That’s right, good ol’ cooperative learning.

Hmmm. Come to think of it —- it was good ol’ cooperative learning that helped the Arizona Cardinals get to their one and only Super Bowl to date —- spearheaded by a QB named Kurt Warner and a WR named Larry Fitzgerald.

Thank you, Budda, Jalen, Garrett and Rabbit for your cooperation. It’s an all-important piece of the 2025 puzzle.

Now please, get right back to work!