Revenge of the Birds
After a 2-0 start the hand wringing has been quite frequent.
Yet, for a 2-0 team, the Arizona Cardinals sure have played about six quarters of good to great football, and two quarters of football that looked like… Oh crap, we need to hang on.
Part of that is a good thing.
The Cardinals are creating separation between them and their opponents.
In their win over the New Orleans Saints they took a two score lead with nine minutes left in the third quarter, and in the win over the Carolina Panthers the Arizona Cardinals took a massive 24-point lead with just over nine minutes left in the third quarter.
In both games there was a common theme… A lack of pressure from the defense.
The Arizona Cardinals are creating pressures/hits/sack at one of the worst rates in the NFL through two games:
The Cardinals spent heavily in the offseason along the defensive line, re-signing Baron Browning, bringing in Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell in free agency, and of course drafting Walter Nolen in the first round.
Yet, through two games, in situations where it was obvious that the other team would be passing, they have been content to bring four, drop back into coverage and keep things in front of them.
While this isn’t an issue because it is preventing big plays, it has created another problem… The Cardinals cannot get off the field.
Look at the Panthers game. The Cardinals first two drives were 18 plays chewing up over 12 minutes of game time.
The Panthers countered with 28 plays chewing up nearly 13 minutes of game clock. So, while the time of possession is nearly identical, the Cardinals defense had to play 10 extra snaps. That means 10 times the defense had go again.
Yet, they were content to die a death by 1000 cuts, rather than risk giving up a big play and quick score. We can argue if that is the way to do it because we know the outcome… Wins. However, at some point as a defense you have to get off the field.
The Cardinals defense in the first two drives of the second half only were in a third down situation four times in 28 plays. The Carolina Panthers had one fourth down play in those two drives.
The Panthers were never even in a position where they felt pressure, because they were moving the ball so easily on first and second down.
Nick Rallis and Jonathan Gannon will have to change things up, especially if there are injuries to the secondary, or those nickel and dime passes will become quarters and dollars with their fourth, fifth and sixth cornerbacks getting reps.
