The Arizona Cardinals may have lost this past afternoon, but the Redbirds look like they got some talent in guys like Michael Wilson and second-year tight end Trey McBride. Especially McBride, who enjoyed a remarkable performance despite the final score.
But McBride wasn’t the only young player who did a phenomenal job, as a plethora of rookies made their presence felt today. Some veteran players deserve recognition too, and we will talk about all of them in the following sections.
We also know who the starting quarterback will be next week, and we will break down why Joshua Dobbs did just enough to warrant perhaps one more game under center. Oh, and it may not be such a bad idea, considering who the Cards will be playing against.
3 takeaways in the Arizona Cardinals Week 8 loss
1 - Rookies once again show up
In the previous piece, we also discussed Michael Wilson’s solid performance, but he wasn’t the only rookie who showed up. Emari Demercado also had a good game, and though he didn’t reach four yards per carry on the ground, the rook still ran hard and racked up a serviceable 78 yards on 20 carries.
Dante Stills is looking more and more like a draft day steal as the 2023 season progresses. He had another five tackles today, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, and a tackle for loss. So far, the rook has recorded 21 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss, and a trio of quarterback hits, putting him on pace for some solid numbers as far as sixth-round picks go.
BJ Ojulari was another one whose play jumped out, as he logged two tackles, a tackle behind the line, a sack, and a quarterback hit. As the Arizona Cardinals second-round pick this past April, Ojulari was someone who, sooner or later, needed to enjoy a solid outing. Now let’s see if he can build on it in the coming weeks.
2 - Joshua Dobbs does enough to start another week
While Joshua Dobbs was terrible for a good portion of the game, he apparently did enough in the fourth quarter to win head coach Jonathan Gannon’s faith for what may be his final start of the season next week in Cleveland. But in a way, it makes sense, as Dobbs spent the preseason there and he knows the Browns very well.
On paper, Dobbs’ numbers didn’t look too bad, as he finished the game 25 for 37 with 208 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, plus a passer rating of 77.3. However, most of that production didn’t come until the Ravens built a 24-7 lead, even if Dobbs led a small comeback that did make things a little too close for comfort for the Ravens.
Either way, like it or not, the Arizona Cardinals like what they’ve seen with Dobbs, so he’s your guy for one more week. Let’s hope he knows the Browns defense well enough to give himself one more win before he presumably returns to the bench.
3 - Cardinals have a Big 3 on defense…for now
Even for a 1-7 team, the trio of safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson, plus linebacker Kyzir White, gave fans a reason to watch and at least show the Red Sea that no, the defense isn’t completely devoid of talent. If these three can stick around the desert long-term, that will be great, considering their respective performances so far this season, and especially today.
White led the team in total tackles with nine, and he also registered a tackle for a loss. Baker followed up with six tackles, and Thompson also finished the game with six, along with a pass deflection, and a stop behind the line.
With the influx of rookies making plays on the defensive side of the ball, even if someone like Budda Baker were to ultimately go elsewhere, it’s clear that the Arizona Cardinals have young talent brewing on defense. At the absolute least, White and Thompson should stay put, and that will pay this team dividends down the road.
(Statistics provided by ESPN.com and Pro-Football-Reference)