Cards’ Wilks encouraged by Rosen’s play
On Monday morning, the Cardinals woke up as the only remaining winless team in the NFL. A 20-17 loss to Seattle on a game-winning field goal provided the latest defeat.
While the start to this season may feel like a nightmare, coach Steve Wilks has reason for hope.
“When you look at some of the bright spots of the game yesterday, you definitely have to look at (Josh) Rosen,” Wilks said. “I thought he gave us every opportunity to win that football game. Again, very poised, great leader.”
While his stats don’t tell the full story, rookie quarterback Josh Rosen looked dynamic against Seattle, an injection of energy for a struggling team.
But even before Rosen took the field Sunday, that energy was building.
“Everybody, during the week when we found out, everybody wanted to step it up for the young guy and get out there and be able to help him get his first win,
and we’re going to be able to do it soon,” defensive end Markus Golden said Monday.
Rosen may have even had his Hollywood ending Sunday, if not for his supporting cast.
The Los Angeles native finished 15for-27 passing with 180 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Five dropped passes by receivers deflated those numbers. The passes he completed were sharp and a break from a checkdown-focused offense the Cardinals had run the weeks prior. Wilks thought the dropped passes were on target, too.
“I thought the throws were right there where they needed to be, and it was just a drop, a routine catch that those guys normally make,” Wilks said. “The exact same plays that we had in practice, they execute it, and for whatever reason, we didn’t make the play.”
The drops will stand out to the team because of the frustrating missed opportunities, but Rosen’s sensational completions were more memorable. He wasn’t scared to throw into double coverage. Those big plays gave the team positive yards, and Wilks said they were further able to build off that confidence.
“When you look at some of the throws, particularly the two to Ricky (SealsJones) late in the game, tight windows, very impressive,” Wilks said. “When you look at a rookie being able to make those kinds of throws in that particular situation, I thought was impressive.
“I’m very excited about what we have in Josh. He gave us a spark that we needed. It’s disappointing we just couldn’t finish yesterday.”
It wasn’t just his arm that stood out. Rosen looked good on his feet. He was willing to scramble, and his patience in a collapsing pocket allowed the Cardinals to sustain drives. It was a stark contrast from his predecessor, Sam Bradford, who said that he wasn’t afraid to take a hit in light of his knee, but seemed to eject the football anytime a defender came close.
Rosen was sacked just once Sunday, but hit seven other times. The fact that he was ready to take hits was notable to his teammates. “I think especially after Josh took his first sack, that really to me as a player and a fan of the game, that’s really where I look to see how a quarterback is going to be,” running back Chase Edmonds said. “Once you take that first sack, and ‘Okay I’ve got some pressure coming back at me’ – I thought Josh did a great job with just staying in that pocket and remaining poised.”
Edmonds was even more impressed at how quickly Rosen adjusted to the next level.
“Everybody’s faster, everyone’s smarter. Everyone’s going to be where they’re supposed to be. The windows are tighter,” Edmonds said. “He’s a special talent, obviously. He’s going to be pivotal in making this offense go places we want to go and having the success that we want to have.”
Wilks said the morale in the locker room doesn’t only revolve around Rosen. The Cardinals are also benefiting from veteran leadership and from those older players drawing on experience of dismal opening stretches to put this in perspective.
Rosen doesn’t have that NFL experience. He’s not only a rookie, but also the youngest player in the locker room by at least a couple of months. That hasn’t stopped him from seamlessly stepping into a leadership role, pulling up others along the way. “He’s the leader,” Golden said. “He’s been doing that since he got here, and of course, that gets a lot of energy, and, for a guy like me, makes me want to go out harder, and work a little more to get him his first win.”
If Monday was any indication, the resolve is there. Now, it’ll just come down to execution.
“I think right now, what we’ve got to focus on right now is everybody individually and collectively playing better to help Josh,” Edmonds said.
There’s a lot to fix for Wilks and the Cardinals, but more than any other game, they saw potential. “I keep going back to Josh, and how encouraged I am,” Wilks said. “You guys saw the potential of pushing the ball down the field, which we haven’t had in the first few weeks of the season. We’ve got to finish now.”