Could Arizona Cardinals’ run defense use reinforcements?
By Jim Koch
The strength of the Arizona Cardinals defense has been defending the run but last weekend it was alarmingly insufficient
Heading into their contest with the Buffalo Bills last Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals must’ve been licking their chops. All the ingredients were there for the unit to have a dominant, shut-down performance.
The Bills best wide receiver, Sammy Watkins, would be out, a huge blow to their aerial attack. They’d also be missing their best offensive lineman, Cordy Glenn.
They still had talented running back LeSean McCoy. But without much of a passing attack you had to figure the Cards would bottle him up. That turned out to be nothing but wishful thinking.
McCoy ravaged Arizona’s defense, gushing them for 110 yards on only 17 carries. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor ran for another 76 yards. All three offensive touchdowns were scored on the ground.
What’s most disheartening is the fact that everyone in the stadium knew McCoy would be featured. The Cardinals themselves talked all week about how the key to victory would be stopping the 8th-year veteran.
The defensive line of the Cardinals was supposed to be one of the strengths of the team. Instead they were pushed around like rag dolls. Are reinforcements needed?
The Cardinals did make a move the other day, bringing in inside linebacker Joplo Bartu. The 26-year old has had some success as a run-stopper with the Atlanta Falcons. He had 80-plus tackles in both 2013 and 2014.
There are others sitting at home, waiting for the phone to ring. The fact that they’re still available could be a red flag but they could be worth taking a chance on.
One is a familiar name, defensive tackle Red Bryant. The one thing Bryant does well is stop the run. If he has kept himself in shape he may be worth bringing back.
Terrance Knighton is another intriguing possibility. Like Bryant, his strength is also stopping the run. “Pot Roast” is quite a load for an offensive lineman to move, standing 6’3 and weighing 355lbs.
One final name is inside linebacker Perry Riley. The 7th-year pro was a tackling machine from 2012-14. The club did just sign Bartu however, so adding another linebacker most likely isn’t a priority.
Arizona’s run defense was decent in the first two games so hopefully last weekend’s game was a mirage. If it was then the defense will be just fine going forward. If McCoy’s performance turns out to be the norm then this could be a very long season for Cards’ fans.