2024-11-04 13:20:02
ARIZONA– The Arizona Cardinals delivered an all-around performance at home against the Chicago Bears, defeating them by a stress-free 29-9 margin.
The Cardinals’ defense showed up, holding Caleb Williams and the Bears to just three field goals and a mere 241 total yards – a recipe for a strong victory in front of a home crowd. Arizona has now won three straight games, and will improve to 5-4 remaining atop the NFC West.
But Sunday’s game provided some intriguing signs of growth for the Cardinals. The win came as a result of some rather surprising factors. Here are the takeaways from a commanding win in the desert.
Arizona’s thin defensive line has come under plenty of fire in the 2024 season thus far. Understandably so, as they rank in the bottom portion of the league in nearly every measurable production stat with regard to pressuring opposing quarterbacks.
Sunday’s game was the opposite. After recording just four sacks over their last three contests, Arizona’s D-line was a menace, as Williams’ attempts to spin away from sacks were mostly unsuccessful.
The Cardinals notched six sacks on the day, their season-high. Six different players were credited with at least half a sack, with Zaven Collins recording two and rookie DL Xavier Thomas managing a sack and a half.
It was a team effort, with defensive coordinator Nick Rallis bringing extra pressure from a variety of different looks. Chicago’s Williams, who made his reputation escaping pressure, was generally well-contained, and, after a few early completions, seemed to struggle to find his receivers due to heavy pressure.
The Cardinals’ defensive line certainly still needs a boost – general manager Monti Ossenfort still needs to address that position of need, but what Rallis was able to do with his unit, and the across-the-board, disciplined execution by Arizona’s pass-rushers was the difference in this game, as the six sacks provided a 45-yard swing for the Cardinals.
It’s been a bit of a sore spot with Cardinals fans, media and the like. Arizona, a team built to run the ball and control the clock, was struggling to establish it as the main route to commanding wins.
On Sunday, the Cardinals were able to run for an astounding 213 yards and three touchdowns on 34 attempts, good for 6.3 yards per carry. The offensive line was dominant, and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing had an excellent handle on the ground game.
While plenty of their success on the ground came, once again, from stud running back James Conner, who rushed for his third 100-yard day of 2024, they didn’t suffer from Conner being the only competent back on the field.
Emari Demercado, following a pair of pulling linemen, ripped off a huge 53-yard score as the first half was about to expire, and rookie Trey Benson ran for his first career NFL touchdown after Conner left briefly to undergo concussion tests.
Conner would clear protocol and return to the game, but as a whole, Arizona’s backs and the line blocking for them were exceptional, and they eclipsed 200 yards without seeing quarterback Kyler Murray use his legs more than twice, as the signal-caller ran for only 6 yards.
By all accounts, this was a Shanahan-esque style of victory, as the Cardinals maintained lengthy, time-consuming drives, and rarely had to rely on the pass in order to succeed. Murray was an efficient 13-for-20, but threw for just 154 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.
It was the first game all season that Murray did not throw a touchdown pass, but the fact that he never needed to was a testament to Petzing’s excellent game plan, and near-perfect execution by the offense.
The Cardinals haven’t played with the lead very often in 2024, and three of their wins have been of the comeback variety. Sunday’s game showed what this offense can be, and was the blueprint for how Arizona wants to dominate and win games.
Head Coach Jonathan Gannon is known for his work in developing defensive backs. At times, it’s felt as if this defensive unit has frequently left players wide open in space, or been too physically aggressive, leading to penalties.
Granted, part of that is due to the lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. It’s hard for even the most elite cornerbacks and safeties to cover for significant periods of time, especially in off-script situations.
But Sunday’s game was an excellent performance by Arizona’s secondary. Veteran Budda Baker recorded a massive 12 tackles (10 solo), but it was the younger defenders who shined in the win.
Rookie corner Max Melton recorded two tackles and a PBU, corner Starling Thomas V had a PBU as well, to go with six tackles.
Second-year corner Garrett Williams, who’s performed well all season, among the top coverage defensive backs in the NFL in 2024 knocked down two passes to go with his five tackles.
They held Caleb Williams to just 216 yards through the air, and the first overall pick completed only 22 of his 41 passes, landing him a poor 68.9 passer rating and 5.3 yards per attempt against Arizona’s secondary.
A steady dose of pressure makes the job much easier on young secondaries, but Arizona’s corners played disciplined ball, sticking with their assignments and playing clean football. As a team, the Cardinals committed just two penalties, both on the offense.
That’s a recipe for future success. If the young defensive backs continue to develop under Gannon and Rallis, and pass rush reinforcements are added, the Cardinals’ defense could be a candidate to jump from a bottom-feeder to one of the more elite units in the NFL.
Certainly, they did their part on Sunday.
