The Arizona Cardinals may have lost in a blowout tonight, but hey, it’s preseason, so who cares about the final score? The Cards starting defense actually hung in there for a second straight week, this time vs. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs starting offense, and that alone was a major win.
There were some major issues, however, with the Cardinals Second Team defense looking like a night and day difference from the First Team. Also, Isaiah Simmons was the one starter slash major role player who had an ultra tough outing.
On a positive note, the Cards may have found their RB2 for the season and their punter. So you can chalk those up as another pair of wins for the Redbirds tonight. Want a more in-depth look at the winners and losers from Preseason Week 2? Keep reading.
Winners and losers from Arizona Cardinals Preseason Matchup
Winner - Cardinals starting defense
The Cardinals starting defense held an aging Russell Wilson in check last Friday night, but that’s basically expected vs. the 12-year quarterback these days. What I didn’t see coming was how well they kept Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense in check. And wow, what an amazing collective effort, so much I wanted to credit (nearly) the entire unit.
Kyzir White’s play stood out the most. And while he only had a pair of combined tackles, his physicality was on full display, once separating an opposing receiver from the ball coming across the middle. White may not be a star, but he’s a solid player who, to be frank, just helps teams win football games, and that’s all you need.
Krys Barnes, the projected starter next to White, was another one who jumped out, recording four combined solo tackles and one behind the line. Both linebackers are in their first respective seasons with the Cardinals, and in the early going, they look like sensational signings.