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Arizona Cardinals: Tyrann Mathieu’s effectiveness when healthy

By Joseph Vasquez

Sep 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) takes the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals won 40-7. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) takes the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals won 40-7. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Arizona Cardinals don’t benefit defensively when DB Tyrann Mathieu is on the bench

The Arizona Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the NFL. They have talent all over the field from the defensive line all the way back to safety. Funny thing is one of the Cardinals best players isn’t even playing when the dominate defensively and that could be scary to other teams.

Tyrann Mathieu’s NFL journey has been plagued by injury after injury, and 2017 is another year of redemption for the Honey Badger.

Back in 2013 the Arizona Cardinals selected Tyrann Mathieu in the 3rd round with the 69th pick. A lot of teams passed on the talented DB from LSU because of off the field issues. The Cardinals, knowing they had role models such as Patrick Peterson and head coach Bruce Arians, decided to gamble on the young star.  It paid off.

Mathieu blossomed into a star in the NFL. Showing the same talent he produced in college that terrorized offenses. In his rookie season he was selected to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie team, First team All-Pro in 2015, as well as the Pro Bowl in 2015. Mathieu flaunts the recognition of a great player, but in both of those promising seasons. Each he ended on injury reserve.

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Something the Cardinals know is that they have a special player, one who does not need an entire season to be the best in the league. When Tyrann Mathieu is healthy he makes a huge impact on the defense.

In 2015 he helped the Cardinals with 89 total tackles, 5 interceptions, one being returned for a touchdown, and 17 passes defended. That was still with only playing 15 weeks and missing the post season.

The Cardinals will be excited to have Mathieu back heading into the 2017 season. It’s the first time he will be healthy since week 8 of the 2016 season when he left a game against Carolina with a shoulder injury.

One thing we have learned about Mathieu is his fight to be better than he was after injury. Hopefully history doesn’t repeat itself (knock on wood), because having the honey badger for a full season could mean big things for Arizona and their defense.

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