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.
2 - Marquise Brown
So much for whether Hollywood Brown could replace Hopkins as the Arizona Cardinals WR1. While Michael Wilson looks like a future go-to receiver in the desert, it doesn’t mean Brown can’t solidify himself as a long-term answer in the passing game.
So far, Brown has 21 receptions on 32 targets for 239 yards, and 11.4 yards per reception. He has two receiving touchdowns and his 16 first downs is already nearly halfway to the 33 he snagged last season. But his 59.4% success rate jumps out more than anything, as it’s 11.5% higher now than it has been at any other time in his career.
Brown has always been a target for criticism because of his size, but it’s clear that the fifth-year talent is once again showing he plays bigger than his 5’9, 180 lb frame. If Brown keeps this pace going, he will end up with 89 catches, 1,015 yards, and between eight and nine touchdown receptions.
3 - K’Von Wallace
When you’re a veteran and you hit the waiver-wire, it’s a testament that the team you were playing for no longer finds you a good fit unless you ask for your release. Yet as someone who knows head coach Jonathan Gannon’s defense well, Wallace quickly found a landing spot in the desert, and has already started three games.
He has already reached a career-high in tackles, with 30 combined, including 16 solo and 14 assists. Wallace has also fared well in pass coverage, allowing 12 receptions on 17 targets for 127 yards. This equates to just 10.6 yards per completion, and 7.5 yards per target for a 92.0 passer rating.
He does have a 9.1% missed tackle rate, so that number needs to go down by a significant margin. However, Wallace’s solid play has shown us that he’s more than just a part-time starter or depth player. Look for him to continue filling in well for the injured Budda Baker until the former All-Pro safety can return from a hamstring issue.
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)