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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Howard Balzer

Cardinals’ Week 3 defensive, special teams snap counts, observations vs. Lions

In the Arizona Cardinals’ 20-13 loss to the Detroit Lions, 21 players participated in at least one of the 68 defensive snaps and 36 played at least one of the 23 special teams snaps.

The first number after each name is snaps and the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.

Arizona Cardinals Week 3 defensive, special teams snap counts

Defensive linemen

Bilal Nichols 42/62, Roy Lopez 41/60, L.J. Collier 33/49, Dante Stills 30/44, Justin Jones 22/32, Khyiris Tonga 14/21

Injured reserve: Darius Robinson (eligible to return)

The triceps injury suffered by Jones affected the rotation in the line. He had played 67 percent of the snaps against the Rams, while Lopez played 42, Nichols 40 and Collier 38. Those players had their snaps ratcheted up along with Stills, who had been inactive against the Rams. It was precipitous that Stills was active. He had six tackles (two solo) with one for loss and added a sack.

Tonga had four tackles (one solo), but suffered a knee injury late in the third quarter. Nichols and Lopez each had three tackles and Collier two. Nichols had two solo with one for loss, while Lopez had one solo.

Linebackers

ILB Kyzir White 68/100, ILB Mack Wilson Sr. 59/87, OLB Zaven Collins 37/54, OLB Dennis Gardeck 32/47, OLB Julian Okwara 26/38, OLB Xavier Thomas 13/19, ILB Krys Barnes 8/12, ILB Owen Pappoe 8/12

Inactive: OLB Jesse Luketa, OLB Victor Dimukeje

Injured reserve: BJ Ojulari

White led the defense with 10 tackles although there was only one solo. Wilson has been a dynamo and had eight tackles (three solo, one for loss), plus a sack and quarterback hit. Collins registered four tackles (three solo, one for loss). Gardeck, who had three sacks against the Rams, had four tackles (two solo, one for loss), while adding an interception and pass defensed.

With Dimukeje inactive, Okwara saw his snaps increase from 29 percent against the Rams to 39 Sunday.

Defensive backs

S Jalen Thompson 68/100, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting 68/100, S Budda Baker 66/97, CB Star Thomas V 55/81, CB Garrett Williams 42/62, CB Max Melton 13/19, S Dadrion (Rabbit) Taylor-Demerson 2/3

Did not play: CB Kei’Trel Clark, S Joey Blount (both played only on special teams)

Inactive: S Darren Hall

Injured reserve: CB Elijah Jones (eligible to return)

Thompson had nine tackles (three solo, one for loss) and Baker had seven (four solo). Baker missed two snaps in the second quarter with an unannounced injury. Murphy-Bunting had seven tackles (three solo), while Thomas had three (two solo) and Melton added one solo. None of the defensive backs had a pass defensed.

Special teams

LB Krys Barnes 19/83, LB Owen Pappoe 19/83, WR Zach Pascal 16/70, RB/RS DeeJay Dallas 16/70, S Joey Blount 16/70, CB Max Melton 15/65, S Dadrion (Rabbit) Taylor-Demerson 14/61, TE Elijah Higgins 13/57, LB Dennis Gardeck 13/57, TE Tip Reiman 12/52, LB Julian Okwara 10/43, P Blake Gillikin 8/35, LS Aaron Brewer 8/35, CB Kei’Trel Clark 7/30, K Matt Prater 6/26, WR/RS Greg Dortch 5/22, LB Mack Wilson Sr. 5/22, RB Emari Demercado 4/17, DL Roy Lopez 4/17, DL Bilal Nichols 4/17, S Budda Baker 4/17, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting 4/17, T Paris Johnson Jr. 3/13, G Evan Brown 3/13, C Hjalte Froholdt 3/13, G Isaiah Adams 3/13, C/G Trystan Colon 3/13, DL Dante Stills 3/13, CB Garrett Williams 3/13, T Jackson Barton 2/9, TE Trey McBride 2/9, CB Star Thomas V 2/9, G Will Hernandez 1/4, DL L.J. Collier 1/4, LB Dennis Gardeck 1/4, LB Kyzir White 1/4, LB Zaven Collins 1/4

Prater had field goals of 42 and 45 yards plus three touchbacks on kickoffs. Gillikin averaged 52.0 yards on five punts with a net of 44.0. Dortch had two fair catches on punt returns and let one bounce at around the 14-yard line that was downed at the 2.

Pappoe had two special-teams tackles (one solo), while Melton and Dallas had one solo. Dallas had no kickoff returns as Lions kicker Jake Bates had four touchbacks.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on SpotifyYouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

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