ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals LB Kareem Martin picks off Jared Goff

Dec 3, 2017, 3:32 PM | Updated: 3:41 pm

Cardinals linebacker Kareem Martin isn’t a small man.

But he’s limber.

At 6-foot-6 and 272 pounds, the edge rusher made the play of what was otherwise a gut-kick of a first quarter for Arizona against the Los Angeles Rams. The Cardinals lost a challenge on the opening play Sunday, dropped a potential pick and recorded two interceptions by quarterback Blaine Gabbert, the second coming just after Martin made what appeared to be an opportunity for his team to get back into it.

However, about that play by Martin: It was very good.

Martin rushed the Rams’ right tackle, then as he pulled off the lineman to chase running back Todd Gurley in coverage had the wherewithal to see quarterback Jared Goff attempting to loft a pass over him.

That’s a hard thing to do considering Martin’s height. Martin leapt and nabbed the pass attempt out of the air, giving the Cardinals the ball on their 39-yard line.

It didn’t lead to any points, but it was a nice moment for Martin, the outside linebacker who is trying to make a name for himself with Markus Golden out for the season.

Arizona trailed 16-0 after the first quarter before a drive led by running back Kerwynn Williams got his team within 16-7 midway through the second quarter.

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