Arizona Cardinals: 3 players who must see the field more

The Arizona Cardinals enjoyed few bright spots in their 44-21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but three performances stood out. 

When you lose 44-21 and score 14 of those points when things no longer matter, you won’t find many bright spots. But the Arizona Cardinals can at least say that there were three role players who played well enough to see the field more as the 2022 season progresses.

Looking forward to Week 2, it is highly likely this trio of players will enjoy increased playing time judging from their Week 1 performances and perhaps a solid week of practice. So who made the cut?

Eno Benjamin is one of three Arizona Cardinals who deserve more playing time

Benjamin played in 34% of all offensive snaps in Week 1, but he carried the ball just four times and gained 28 yards, with a long of 16 yards. His final three carries went for 12, good for 4.0 yards per carry. He also caught three out of four passes thrown his way, with one reception going for 22 yards.

Given James Conner’s struggles with 10 carries, 26 yards, and a fumble, the door could open further for Benjamin if he stays healthy and enjoys a couple of repeat performances. While he didn’t play often, 61 yards on the ground and through the air are good places to start.

Player #2 – Greg Dortch

Despite the poor effort by just about everyone on the Arizona Cardinals, I listed Dortch as my MVP because no one else’s production came close. With DeAndre Hopkins missing the contest because of a suspension, Zach Ertz playing on a pitch count, and Rondale Moore out because of an injury, someone had to step up, and who better than camp revelation Greg Dortch?

He caught seven passes on nine targets for 63 yards with a long reception of 24 yards. Dortch saw playing time on 91% of all offensive snaps, but he makes this list because until opposing defenses prove they have an answer for him, he needs to be on offense at least 90% of the time. Even when Hopkins and Moore return, if Dortch continues to produce, head coach Kliff Kingsbury would be foolish to cut his playing time.

Player #3 – Dennis Gardeck

Gardeck saw just 20 defensive snaps at edge, good for just 29% of total snaps on defense. However, he had eight pressures, six hurries, and two quarterback knockdowns. Pro Football Focus noticed, and rewarded Gardeck with a 91.9 defensive grade.

From Week 2 and onward, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph needs to find ways to give Gardeck more playing time. While the special teams ace struggled to produce defensively in 2021, this is still the same player that enjoyed a seven-sack season in 2020. As of Week 1, Gardeck is playing more like that player from 2020.

Sometimes, teams have diamonds in the rough that could help transform or at least soothe an otherwise bleak situation. The trio of Arizona Cardinals listed above did just that against Kansas City, and if they continue playing with a high motor in the foreseeable future, expect them to enjoy more playing time.

(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Focus)