:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/20247189/20130922_mjm_ac9_043.0.jpg)
1. The Bucs reportedly wanted to sign Carson Palmer in the offseason, but the Cardinals traded for him. How has he looked for you so far?
Not as good as we had hoped. He has not quite been as in sync with the receivers as expected. He has also developed some happy feet. That said, he did well in St. Louis and led the winning drive against Detroit. Some people had expected the offense to be upper half in the league. He does have at least one WTF? throw every game. Overall, he has been good. If he doesn't get better protection, though, we may see a repeat of last season.
2. Tyrann Mathieu was such a polarizing guy in the draftnik community, but he's made a few big plays already. How satisfied are you guys with him?
Everyone loves the Honey Badger. He has been spectacular. He is a playmaker on the field, he is ultra humble, he is great in practice, great in the classroom and contributes on special teams. He will likely start at safety this week with Rashad Johnson's severed fingertip might keep him out of the lineup.
3. Who's better - Patrick Peterson or Darrelle Revis?
Well, the easy answer is Revis. No one does well against him. So, as a corner, Revis is definitely the guy. Peterson is getting close, though. Now, as an overall football player, I give Peterson the edge. While he hasn't scored since his rookie year, he is still a dynamic threat in the return game and he now is an important piece of the offense. If I had to pick one over the other, I would take Peterson for me football team because of all that he can offer, including being really close to a shutdown guy.
4. It was a bit of a surprise when you guys hired Bruce Arians over Ray Horton. How did the fanbase feel about that move?
It was skeptical at first. That went away quickly once he started saying his marvelous quotes. Arians has won over the fans, for sure. Now, will that love stay if the Cards go 1-3 or worse to start the season? His talk has been all about revamping the offense. We are not seeing the effects quite yet.
5. Care to make a prediction for Sunday's game?
I think both defenses play very well. Mike Glennon will turn the ball over and the Tampa Bay defense will keep the Cards out of the end zone for the most part. I originally said 16-13 game going either way, but now I am leaning more towards a 19-13 Cards win.
PS: any interest in giving up draft picks for Freeman?
Personally, no, not really. For a sixth rounder and a restructured contract, yes. But you don't get your answer at quarterback in a guy whose prevuous team was more than happy to move on from. Plus, there are just too many inconsistencies and, as JC alluded to in our interview, there could be some other issues off the field that would make me worry about his ability to be the guy.