Fitz, Dockett, Wilson downplay significance of Arizona’s 0-4 preseason

Cards’ leaders: 0-4 preseason doesn’t mean much

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals were back at it for real Monday, their first practice of the week leading to the regular-season opener Sunday at home against San Francisco.

The reigning NFC champs spent a lot of time after the workout deflecting concerns about the team’s 0-4 preseason, pointing out that coach Ken Whisenhunt never used anything but Arizona’s basic offense and defense.

“Preseason is kind of a mirage of what’s going to happen during the regular season,” safety Adrian Wilson said. “We probably had 20 percent of the stuff we’re going to run in the regular season up.”

The Cardinals acknowledged it was difficult to go through the losses knowing so much of their tools were under wraps. For example, All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald lined up in the same spot throughout.

He feels liberated this week.

“I’m happy to be able to move around and do some different things and not just be so stationary,” Fitzgerald said, “…to get to some of the things we do so well and had so much success last year doing, things that we flourished with.”

Whisenhunt put the team through a light workout. The Cardinals will have Tuesday off, then practice on Wednesday and Thursday.

“With the way the preseason went I’m hesitant to really say anything,” the coach said when asked to describe Monday’s practice. “But it was a little bit different focus today, which is what you want to see. I don’t think we had a ball on the ground today, so that was nice.”

Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said he was “very surprised” to see opponents game plan against the Cardinals in the preseason. Dockett said he and other veterans on the team plan to lead by example once the season begins in earnest.

“Me, Adrian, Karlos (Dansby), guys that have been here for a long time, guys that are known for making plays — Antrel (Rolle), we’ve got a new guy Bryant McFadden — when we step on the field it ain’t about bringing leadership,” Dockett said. “It’s about putting it on the field.”

Dockett said the “main focus is get on the field and be dominant, play your position as best you can and everybody else will follow. And if they can’t follow, then it’s a perfect opportunity for them to go sit on the sideline and watch us do it.”

He said most fans don’t understand that the tactics and goals in preseason are far different than those in the regular season.

“They’ve never played the game of football and they don’t understand the ins and outs of everything,” Dockett said. “They don’t understand that we were trying to work on basic stuff.”

He said it isn’t that he doesn’t want to win preseason games.

“But at the same time, if you’re going in there and you’re trying to work on things and get your team ready for the regular season,” Dockett said, “I will take that. … As far as people judging us on preseason, that’s cool. I’ve been here when we went 4-0 in preseason and we went 3-13.”