Haason Reddick haunts the Giants
The Background: Haason Reddick had a tough time finding his niche. After the Cardinals declined Reddick’s fifth-year option, it looked like the linebacker’s time was coming to a close in the desert. Then, Reddick had a couple of good games and respectable numbers.
Coming into a pivotal game against the New York Giants in week 14, Reddick had notched 5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 46 total tackles. He’d also seen his snap count grow from around taking 50 percent of the snaps to becoming a full-time starter on defense.
The Moment: Reddick solidified 2020 as his breakout season, sacking New York Giants quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Colt McCoy 5 times in a single game. Doubling his sack total. To add a bit of pizazz, Reddick also forced 3 fumbles.
But if you want a couple of mind-blowing stats, consider this: Reddick played just 47 snaps in the Cardinals 26-7 victory. Meaning he sacked the opposing quarterback on 10.6 percent of those snaps. He also recorded 6 quarterback hits, or a quarterback hit on 12.7 of his snaps.
The Aftermath: Reddick posted 2.5 more sacks in the final three weeks of the season. He also forced 3 more fumbles. He finished the season with 12.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, and 16 quarterback hits. He also hits the free agent market when the new league year begins. But you can bet the Cardinals will try to bring him back to the desert.