The Arizona Cardinals will get back a very important player on defense as they face the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday afternoon. Defensive lineman J.J. Watt, who missed the season opener with a calf injury is expected to play, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Buy Cardinals TicketsWatt, though, will be playing on a snap count to work him back in.
If last week’s playing time for tight end Zach Ertz, who also was playing after coming back from a calf injury, is any indication of how Watt will be used, he can be expected to play about 35 snaps against the Raiders.
Watt’s physical presence was missed the last half of last season and in the season opener.
When he played the first seven games of the season last year, the Cardinals were undefeated and had a top-five defense, even though he had almost no contribution statistically.
With him in the lineup, it will give the Cardinals their full rotation of defensive linemen. He, Zach Allen and Rashard Lawrence will likely start, while Leki Fotu, Michale Dogbe and Jonathan Ledbetter will rotate in.
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