3 - Cardinals defense snags 15 interceptions, 45 sacks
Last season, Jonathan Gannon’s defense in Philadelphia recorded 70 sacks in the regular season, so it’s safe to assume he knows a thing or two about finding ways to pressure opposing quarterbacks. And while the Arizona Cardinals pass rushers aren’t a proven bunch, they showed us plenty of pass rush ability during the preseason.
Whether it was Zaven Collins, Dennis Gardeck, or Jesse Luketa, it seemed like all of the EDGE rushers found the quarterback. And if that translates to the regular season, expect the Cards to average nearly three sacks per game, and a total of 45 on the year.
But there is another byproduct: An effective pass rush will force opposing quarterbacks into making mistakes, and the Redbirds will take advantage. This will lead to the Cards snagging 15 picks, finishing Top 10 in the league for the category.
These above-average numbers by no means indicate the Cards will be a good team this year. They probably won’t: But that doesn’t mean they won’t make things exciting and give us a reason to watch them in 2023.
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)