The little things fell through the cracks last season in Arizona, from missed blocks to missed tackles to the infamous Emari Demercado fumble at the goal line in a winnable game. Those issues, coupled with injuries piling up, led to a 3-14 season and a change from Jonathan Gannon to LaFleur.
From the outset, the new coach is emphasizing the details, even down to how the club breaks the huddle.
“I think the whole point is that everything is a big deal,” center Hjalte Froholdt said. “How about we just figure out how we get in the freaking huddle and we are all on the same page, because if the first group isn’t on the same page, well then the rest of the people can’t follow along. I think that’s a big deal.”
Stressing the details is not a new strategy, and it is a Day 1 message from all coaches, particularly those running an operation for the first time. But it remains a staple of good clubs. Winning in the NFL often comes down to which team doesn’t beat itself. The Cards too often failed in that department under the previous regime. LaFleur is out to ensure it doesn’t happen under his watch.
“The whole goal is to come here to win the Super Bowl,” Froholdt said. “But in order to get there, we’ve got to set the tone first and what the little things are.”
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