ARIZONA CARDINALS

Defense, special teams key to Cards success

Sep 21, 2012, 7:51 PM | Updated: 9:10 pm

The Arizona Cardinals are off to a great start, thanks in large part to the play of their defense and special teams.

NFL analyst Ron Jaworski was on with Arizona Sports 620’s Gambo and Burns and agreed that the Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the NFL.

“You see tremendous energy and that coincides with tremendous discipline,” Jaworski said. “That’s why they are one of the best defenses in the league.”

Jaworski said that the defense began to emerge last season, but people are just now starting to notice.

“When you look at Calais Campbell and Darnell Docket in their 2-4-5 look, they get extreme pressure on the quarterback. They win inside,” Jaworski said. “Then you watch these linebackers move off the edge. We hear about Daryl Washington all the time, but Paris Lenon playing at a high level and Sam Acho playing at a high level.”

He also praised how well the defensive players “understand their roles.”

“They understand where they are supposed to be and they understand where their responsibilities are,” Jaworski said.

The Cardinals special teams may be even more dominant than their defense, but they don’t always get the attention they deserve.

“We as media hype, sometimes look at individual players, maybe a unit of each game,” Jaworski said. “Very infrequently do we talk about the significance of special teams.”

Jaworski attributes both of the Cardinals victories to the play of their special teams so far.
Last week against the New England Patriots, the Cardinals won after Patriots’ kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed a 42-yard game winning field goal.

“There is no doubt in my mind, he (Gostkowski) was worried about pressure up the middle.” Jaworski said. “This guy was 38-for-38 inside the 40. When you got big Calais Campbell out there, and you’re thinking about him.”

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

17 hours ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

20 hours ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

2 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

2 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

2 days ago

Defense, special teams key to Cards success