Arizona Cardinals: Inside The Twenty…Better Yet The Ten!

Field position is key to football  games.  Especially with the  type of talent and athletes that  are a part of the NFL today.  Kickoffs are a great way to  start the field position battle.  Honestly, field position is a  game within the game.  Teams  lament special teams because it is an important part of the the team and is crucial when games are winding down and neither team has been able to gain an advantage. The punt game is most important.  Hang time, how long is the ball in the air to allow the gunners to get down field and make a play. That is the biggest aspect of the punt game and its coverage. With Justin Bethel, arguably the best gunner in the NFL, Lorenzo Alexander (pro bowl special teamer last year) and the Honey Badger covering punts, this group is already showing how dangerous they can be.

Dave Zastudil, the Cardinals punter, on the season has landed seven of his nine punts inside the 20-yard line, including four of five punts on Sunday against Detroit.  Zastudil punted to Detroit five times. Those five punts were returned a total of 8 yards and three of the five were down inside the 10.  If a defense gets the chance to come out deep in the other teams territory is huge.  Perhaps Arizona will begin to capitalize even more on the field position Zastidil is giving them.