The Arizona Cardinals are leaning into a practice tool that has become more common around the league: instant replay screens that let coaches and players see a rep right after it happens.
Head coach Mike LaFleur said Tuesday that the setup was something he had with the Los Angeles Rams and found “extremely beneficial.” He also noted that the idea is spreading.
“It's going around the league now. Atlanta had them last year with Raheem Morris, who was in L.A.
Minnesota has them. I'm telling all the secrets right now, but most people know that a lot of us have those screens.”
For now, the Cardinals have a bigger version of that setup while training camp is held at State Farm Stadium, where plays can be shown on a Jumbotron. Once the team returns to its Tempe facility in August, the staff will switch to smaller screens.
LaFleur said, “We'll end up having two big screens out there. They won't be in the end zone because they're not going to be the Jumbotrons.
I was joking that this is the first time I've ever had the Jumbotrons because I've never practiced in a stadium per se. So I was hoping that maybe (owner) Michael (Bidwill) would put up big old Jumbotrons over in Tempe.
But in lieu, we'll end up having them on the side right there.”
He said the biggest advantage is simple: coaches and players get immediate feedback while the rep is still fresh. That matters across the board, but especially in the trenches.
“There's so many benefits. You get to see it in real time and getting the coaching immediately; the immediate feedback, good or bad.
That's what sticks with them, and so I tell all the coaches, you should be able to see practice live watching your guys, but there are a lot of things, particularly up front, O-line, D-line, stuff like that. So, be able to get two or three cracks at it before that next play; coach up your guys.
“And if we're doing it the right way, this should streamline and make our post-practice meetings as a staff go way quicker because we've already seen practice and we've seen the corrections. So, it's extremely beneficial.”
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