Losing 35-16 is never fun, but the Arizona Cardinals have a few players who are busy silencing critics through the first four weeks of the season. Joshua Dobbs may be the first player you think about here, given his ability to thrive in Drew Petzing’s offense, which is showing the NFL universe he can be more than just an ordinary backup quarterback.
Dobbs has yet to throw a pick this season, and his 99.4 passer rating is currently 10th in the league among qualifying quarterbacks. Through four games, Dobbs’ rating is better than that of Dak Prescott’s, Jalen Hurts’, Patrick Mahomes’, Trevor Lawrence’s, and DeShaun Watson’s.
Yeah, and this guy was once viewed as an afterthought, having gone every which way in the league before he landed in Glendale. But Dobbs isn’t the only player who has spent time silencing critics. Here are three more Cardinals players who have played better than many thought they would.
Arizona Cardinals players who are silencing critics
1 - Zach Ertz
I can count myself among Zach Ertz’s critics, as I felt the aging tight end would make way for Trey McBride. But wow, as of Week 4, Ertz has 20 catches on 30 targets, and 136 receiving yards. While Ertz has yet to find the end zone, he has shown that he’s still a reliable pass-catcher with a knack for getting open.
Ertz may not remain in the desert much longer, but his performance should be enough to show that he still has a market if the Cards decide to move on from him following the 2023 season. He has a potential out in his contract, so it won’t be costly to the Cards like it was in the case of DeAndre Hopkins. Regardless, expect Ertz to continue silencing critics if he stays healthy in 2023.