Yes, it was backups against backups, but the Arizona Cardinals exploded for 492 yards in Friday night’s loss to the Green Bay Packers, averaging 6.2 yards per their 79 plays, totaling 27 first downs, converting 9-of-15 third-down opportunities and controlling the ball for 37:31.
In the first half, the total was 323 yards on 42 plays (7.7 average) with 16 first downs and time of possession of 20:01.
They did all that with quarterbacks coach Matt Schaub calling the plays in his first season as an NFL coach. Schaub played the position for 17 seasons, ending in 2020, and the closest he had come to coaching was as a football analyst with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023.
Earlier in training camp, Schaub said “I’m just a football guy,” when asked what got
him back in the game full-time.
“There's something in it (that) just kept drawing me back,” he added. “When I finished up, I wanted to step away and be a husband and father (to four daughters). My family gave up so much time for the game for me when I was playing that I wanted to go try something new. I wanted to go do something different. But something kept tugging at me to come back and this opportunity came up.
“Knowing him (head coach Mike LaFleur) from years gone by and his brother and just that tree of coaching; just something I couldn't pass up this opportunity. It's just something that kept calling me back and my wife was super-supportive of this decision and my family. So couldn't be more thankful for them.”
Explaining the decision to have Schaub call plays, LaFleur said, "I was always given ops when I wasn't a play-caller yet. There's not only developing players, but there's developing staff as well. And so when I put it out there for him to see if he wanted to do it, he was ecstatic about it. It was cool."
LaFleur said what Schaub does best in his main role is “he brings it back to the foundational level and he's right by doing that. The cadence, how you operate, where your eyes need to go, rhythm, timing, accuracy. All those things are so awesome for our quarterbacks to hear because it's just the same every day. He's steady. He's never going to be too high, he's never gonna be too low. He's done it at this level and so there's obviously going to be respect.”
As for what he brings to his style as a former player, Schaub explained, “I know what they're going through both mentally with the playbook, with the plan, with adjustments. So, I can relate to the position they're in and I can relate to how things happen on the field because it's easy when you have a clicker in your hand in an air-conditioned room to coach guys on what should happen or give them attaboys. I know that, but what's realistic?
“Where are your eyes? Where are the fundamentals in the details? Subtle nuances that if you hadn't played the position sometimes you might miss. And that's where I think my experience might be able be a benefit to them.”
Meanwhile, it turns out Schaub wasn’t the only one in the game other than the coach who normally calls plays.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur revealed after the game that starting quarterback Jordan Love did the duty in the second half.
LaFleur said, “I was kind of messing with him before the game. I just went up to him, so it’s not like he had time to prep, and I was like ‘Hey, you want to call it in the second half?’ and he was like ‘Sure, yeah I’ll do it,’ and he did it and he did an outstanding job.”
The head coach added it “was pretty cool just to hear his demeanor on the headset, how calm, cool and collected he was throughout the entire game, especially in those critical moments. It’s not a surprise to me because that’s what we see on the field too.”
Then, asked if Love was calmer than he is, LaFleur said, “A lot calmer. I think I learned something from him today.”
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals QB coach Matt Schaub called plays in preseason finale
