If there wasn’t much optimism from some before the Arizona Cardinals win over the Denver Broncos last night, they should have some now. No, the Cards didn’t look great, but they also looked far from terrible against Russell Wilson and Denver’s starters.
For the team’s youngest players, this was an outing that they can build on, and that’s exactly what 2023 is all about. Enjoy solid performances, even if you don’t snag the W, and keep building until those Ws come.
Sure, they got one last night, but it’s preseason and the results don’t count. The takeaways, however, DO count, and we have plenty of them to share with you.
7 takeaways in Arizona Cardinals win
1 - Tuned in
Clayton Tune didn’t have a great performance overall, but he showed off a few likable traits including poise, resilience, and leadership. He looked so-so early (though the interception was on a tripping Rondale Moore), but steadily improved throughout the contest.
At this point, Tune looks like the backup to fill-in starter Colt McCoy, but you can’t deny the way he turned around his performance in the second half. Can Tune turn this into a legit quarterback competition in the final two weeks? If so, he needs to build on the way he looked in the second half.
2 - Zaven Collins Delivers Positive Returns
I’ve been asking the question all summer: How many players excel at one position before they are asked to switch to another one? Very few, but early in the game, you could see why head coach Jonathan Gannon and company wanted Collins on the edge as opposed to inside linebacker.
The 6’4, 260 lb third year pro was relentless, constantly getting in the backfield against the Broncos starting offense. Along with Dennis Gardeck, Collins contributed in making the aging Russell Wilson look uncomfortable early on.