Whisenhunt says criticism of Cardinals justified

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP)

Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt says criticism of quarterback Kevin Kolb and all the rest of the team is justified.

The embattled coach says with the Cardinals 1-5 and on a five-game losing streak, fans have a right to be upset with a season that began with much higher expectations.

''I don't think anybody can take too much heat when your record is where it is,'' Whisenhunt said after the team practiced on Wednesday. ''We have to be very clear about it. Our expectations are not to be where we are as a team. We are disappointed. It hurts. We hurt all the time, because we want to be good.''

Kolb, meanwhile, acknowledges that he's had a tougher time than anticipated learning the nuances of an offense that is far different than the one he learned with the Philadelphia Eagles.

''I'm not going to lie. It's a tough deal,'' he said, ''especially after getting trained a certain way for four years. I wish I had the offseason and I didn't. We are here at 1 and 5. Let's strap it up and go to work...

The challenge only grows for Kolb and the rest of the Arizona offense on Sunday when the Cardinals travel to Baltimore to face what's bound to be an angry Ravens team coming off an upset Monday night loss at home to Jacksonville.

Matters are made worse by the uncertain status of two of the bright spots for the offense, running back Beanie Wells and wide receiver Early Doucet. Neither practiced on Wednesday, Wells because of an injured right knee and Doucet because of a sore quadriceps.

Kolb said he put in extra time on Wednesday working on the footwork required of a quarterback in Arizona's offense, which he said is far more complicated than the simple system used in Philadelphia.

''We have a lot of route changing going on during the play. I'm trying to adjust to that on the fly sometimes and I'm not used to having to do that,'' he said. ''I'm used to coming back seven steps, hit your back foot, one hitch, boom get it out, where here it could be a three-step, a five-step, or a seven-step on any given play depending on the look we get.

`It's something I've been dealing with since I got here. It's nothing new. It's just a matter of doing that when the bullets are flying and making sure those bullets don't affect you.''

Statistically, Kolb's performance in Sunday's 32-20 loss to Pittsburgh was an improvement over his recent outings. After throwing five interceptions and just one touchdown in his previous three games, he completed 18 of 34 passes for 272 yards and two TDs with no picks. He was sacked twice, but that doesn't count the intentional grounding call in the end zone that resulted in a safety, a play that Whisenhunt still was lamenting on Wednesday.

Kolb had connected with LaRod Stephens-Howling on a 73-yard scoring play that cut the Steelers' lead to 17-14 with 9:26 to go in the third quarter. The Steelers responded with a penalty-aided 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive toat made it 24-14.

A holding penalty pushed Arizona to its own 7-yard line after the subsequent kickoff, and Kolb retreated deep into the end zone to pass. With LaMarr Woodley in his face, Kolb threw the ball away in an obvious case of intentional grounding.

''All of a sudden not only do you give up two points, you lose possession. You can't do those things,'' Whisenhunt said. ''I think that is obviously something we have talked about, finishing games, and that's one area we have to get better.''

One of many areas, he might have added.

The offensive line, receivers who drop passes, and a defense that regularly surrenders big plays, often at the most inopportune time.

The quarterback always gets the lion's share of the blame, especially when he has a new five-year, $63 million contract, $21 million of it guaranteed.

Kolb knows he's already been labeled a failure in some circles, after just six games. He reminded everyone that he played in Philadelphia, ''a tough place'' when it comes to fan criticism.

''I'm looking around the league and there are a lot of quarterbacks who are going through some stuff,'' he said. ''Every coach feels like the same thing. When you get in this grind sometimes you are just like, `Man, let's just get a win and get out of this thing.'''