Budda Baker
Budda Baker may be a rookie but he is quickly catching up to what he missed in April and May while he was back at the University of Washington graduating. The safety has quickly shown he is ready to become an impact player in this league.
While he had five tackles on Sunday against the Colts, that in itself isn’t the big news. It is when he made tackles.
There was no bigger tackle then on a Colts third down in the fourth quarter that could have helped seal the game for the home team. The tackle came with just 6:19 left in the game.
Colts receiver Donte Moncrief caught a pass in the open on a shotgun play. There was no one within five to ten yards him.
Baker sniffed the play out though. Storming from the center of the field he caught Moncrief three yards shy of a first down on third and six.
That closing speed was something to see in an open field tackle. Baker forced the Colts into a punt. On the punt the Cardinals started the ball at their own 38 after a unnecessary roughness penalty on the Colts.