Willkommen! » Steve Wilks began what could be his final we

TEMPE Black D.J. Humphries Jersey , Ariz. (AP) —ek as Arizona Cardinals coach pretty much the same as any other week.At what might be his last Monday news conference, the first-year coach calmly, politely answered every question thrown his way. What he might like to say is another matter.“I always tell the coaches this: There’s always a bubble over a player’s head and as you sit there trying to talk to him, if you really understood what that bubble was saying back, you’d be amazed,” Wilks told reporters with his usual straight face. “There’s a bubble over my head and if you really knew exactly how I felt inside and what it was saying, you would question my faith at times.”Asked to reveal one of the thoughts from inside the bubble, Wilks said, “My mom’s in town, so I don’t want to say those words.”Wilks is dryly funny and likable, which makes watching him toil through this season difficult. There hasn’t been much improvement from the opening of training camp. Some things D.J. Humphries Jersey 2019 , the run defense for instance, have gotten worse.But Wilks soldiers on with an inconsistent rookie at quarterback, a one-time All-Pro running back who never broke loose and an extremely popular wide receiver nearing the end of a spectacular career. Otherwise, the Cardinals have a core of mostly anonymous receivers and an offensive line of rookies and castoffs from other teams after the starters, who weren’t much more effective, went down with injuries. Only rookie center Mason Cole remains from that first group.The defense has hung in there much of the season but has been gashed for 215 and 269 yards rushing the last two weeks, its worst two games of the year in that department. Five days after being signed off the street, C.J. Anderson rushed for 167 yards — one shy of his career best — in the Rams’ 31-9 win in Glendale.Wilks called Arizona’s run defense “a virus” under his skin. He blames it on players being in the wrong places and, most of all, missed tackles.This coach is all about defense. He was defensive coordinator for a season with Ron Rivera in Carolina. Before that, he coached defensive backs for five seasons. So he takes the defensive issues personally.But it’s been the offense that’s been an even bigger problem. Arizona ranks last in the NFL in every major category youth Chandler Jones Jersey , and with one game left it’s hard to see that changing much.The only Arizona TD against the Rams was a trick play that saw rookie Josh Rosen throw backward to Fitzgerald, who tossed to a wide-open David Johnson for his first career scoring pass (in 15 NFL seasons). He has 115 career TD catches.Fitzgerald bumped chests with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich when he left the field to chants of “Larry, Larry.”“Because he told me he was going to call it, so I was happy he did, and I had the opportunity to throw something,” Fitzgerald said.Otherwise, the offense didn’t do much, and one play won’t make Wilks’ job more secure. He acknowledges getting support from around the league.“Coach Rivera is always a guy that I’m very close to,” Wilks said. “There are times that (Bengals head coach) Marvin Lewis has reached out to me this year. (Jets head coach) Todd Bowles, (Bills head coach) Sean McDermott. Those guys who have gone through the process and just words of encouragement.”Now comes a trip to Seattle, which has already clinched a playoff spot. Just how much the main cast of characters will play for the Seahawks remains to be seen. Arizona finished 1-7 at home Stitched Chandler Jones Jersey , its worst since moving from St. Louis 30 years ago. A loss on Sunday would leave the team 3-13, tied for the worst since the franchise moved and the worst since 2000.When it’s over in the Pacific Northwest, Wilks will fly back with his team to hear his fate. Just seven months ago, JT Daniels was a junior taking 10 classes– four more than the norm of a student at Mater Dei– thinking of what the future holds.Now, as the summer turns to July and quickly rolls into yet another academic year, his path takes him on the two hour trip north to USC after reclassifying to graduate a year early. However, before competing for the opportunity to play quarterback for the Trojans, Daniels stands in an off shoot room at the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey, answering questions about the upcoming Gatorade Player of the Year Award ceremony.“It would be a huge honor,” Daniels says about the possibility of joining the likes of fellow Mater Dei alum– and USC quarterback– Matt Barkley as the Male Athlete of the Year. “I would be so grateful for it but really, it’s just an honor to be here in general and be able to experience this week with such great people.”Daniels has already been named the National Football Player of the Year after leading Mater Dei’s aerial attack with 4 Hakeem Butler Arizona Cardinals Jersey ,123 yards, 52 TDs and only 4 INTs last season. During his three years at the helm in Santa Ana, the 6-foot-1 slinger threw for 12,014 yards, 152 TDs and a mere 14 picks. He did all this while attending one of the most prestigious high schools in southern California.“Mater Dei is elite in athletics, academics, community service, all across the board. When you’re used to that type of competition, that type of schedule, demanding lifestyle, I think that will directly impact me Cheap Hakeem Butler Jersey ,” Daniels said without hesitation. “I’ve noticed it so far at USC. It’s a really demanding schedule even though it’s summer. You still have summer school and football— that’s pretty much all around the clock. It’s not hitting me like it would hit someone that isn’t used to the same schedule.”Managing the rigorous school schedule provided challenges off the field, but Daniels was able to compile those video game-like statistics playing against some of the toughest competition in the country– something he wouldn’t trade for the world.“If you watch the Army Game, the dudes that consistently do the best are the guys that consistently play against elite level high school competition because we’re used to it,” Daniels said. “The guys that don’t play against high level competition their whole lives when they go against 11 D-I athletes on both sides of the ball, it’s like hitting a wall. When Mater Dei plays Bosco, there’s 22 D-I players on the field at all time.”Daniels final game against Bosco and those 11 D-I players he faced? He threw for five touchdowns and led Mater Dei to its first CIF-SS title since 1999.With Daniels names now forever linked with former USC quarterback Max Browne and NFL Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith as winners of the National Football Player of the Year award and a chance to take home the higher title of Male Athlete of the Year, like NBA stars LeBron James and Karl-Anthony Towns did in years before, the 18-year-old making his next move in life looking back at what was acts exactly like that: an 18-year-old.“Those are all my best friends,” Daniels says of his Mater Dei teammates who will look to defend their CIF-SS title with a new face behind center for the first time in three years. “We still text and snapchat everyday. Anytime somebody is out here, it’s like a whole team get together. It’s just that brotherhood and bond that I think I’ll miss the most.”