Arizona Cardinals: Zach Allen is becoming a dominant force
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals might just have a new impact player in Zach Allen, and it is why he is our Most Valuable Player for Week 5 of the 2022 season.
Arizona Cardinals defensive end Zach Allen had a game to remember in Week 5 vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. Allen tied for third on the team with eight total tackles, a sack, two tackles for a loss, a pass deflection, and two quarterback hits.
It was a legendary performance for a player who has posted just modest but solid production throughout his young NFL career. But Allen’s performance on Sunday afternoon is just adding to the remarkable output he has enjoyed over the season’s first five weeks.
So far, Allen has posted 21 combined tackles, 10 solo, four tackles for loss, two sacks, and eight quarterback hits. No, these aren’t Chandler Jones numbers, but it shows Allen is coming into his own in Year 4 of his young NFL career.
Zach Allen is turning into a force for the Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals defense is quietly becoming one of the best in football, with yet another solid outing against the Philadelphia Eagles. Losses never feel good, but for the 2-3 Cardinals, this loss stung the least. In a way, it gave us hope because of stellar performances from players like Allen.
And while you can call it Allen’s best performance of this still-young season, you can also expect similar results down the road, if not better. While I highly doubt Allen will ever put up Pro Bowl numbers, I have no doubt that he will remain in the Cardinals locker room long-term, putting up consistent production; something between six and eight sacks per season and between 45 and 55 tackles to go along with a few quarterback hits and highlight-reel plays.
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Allen is also part of a defense whose production was spot on from its younger crew members during Sunday’s loss to the Eagles. Isaiah Simmons led the team with 13 stops, while Byron Murphy chimed in with three tackles behind the line and 0.5 sacks. Overall, not only was it a good performance from Allen, but for several young Cardinals, this game is one to build on as they dive into a Week 6 outing against Seattle.
(Statistics provided by ESPN.com and Pro-Football-Reference)