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Arizona Cardinals trouble with tight ends set to continue

By Jim Koch

SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 08: Will Dissly #88 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at CenturyLink Field on September 8, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 08: Will Dissly #88 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at CenturyLink Field on September 8, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images) /
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Will Dissly of the Seattle Seahawks should be licking his chops as he prepares to face a struggling Arizona Cardinals defense

Through the first three weeks of the current campaign, there’s one thing that has become blatantly obvious about the Arizona Cardinals defense. Beleaguered coordinator Vance Joseph has yet to come up with a scheme that can slow down the opposition’s tight ends. Three players who play the position have torched the Cards thus far in 2019, and there’s another on tap who’s more than capable of doing the same.

Will Dissly, the Seattle Seahawks second-year tight end, is likely counting the minutes until Sunday. The 23-year old has tallied 12 receptions for 124 yards and three touchdowns this season. Those numbers are impressive, and there’s no reason to think that Dissly’s success won’t continue against Arizona this weekend.

T.J. Hockenson of the Detroit Lions was the first tight end to dominate the Cardinals pass coverage this year. The 22-year old, who was the eighth-overall pick in this past April’s NFL Draft, had a spectacular rookie debut. Hockenson hauled in six passes for 131 yards and a touchdown, a performance that exposed a major weakness in the Cards defensive unit.

It didn’t get any better for Joseph’s crew in week two. This time it was Mark Andrews, a second-year tight end of the Baltimore Ravens, who did the damage. The 2018 third-round selection caught eight passes for 112 yards and a score during his team’s 23-17 victory over Arizona.

Last Sunday, the Cardinals had a three-time Pro Bowler at tight end to deal with. Greg Olsen of the Carolina Panthers got his chance to face Big Red, and the 34-year old took advantage of the golden opportunity. Olsen tallied six catches, 75 receiving yards and two touchdowns as young quarterback Kyle Allen‘s all-day security blanket.

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The next tight end on the docket for the Cards is Dissly. Perhaps Joseph will devise a plan to keep the young Seahawk in check. If he can’t, Arizona may be in for another long day on the defensive side of the ball.

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