Andy Isabella, KeeSean Johnson show signs for Cardinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury has manipulated his wide receivers’ roles by the week.

Two games ago, rookie sixth-round pick KeeSean Johnson was a healthy scratch for the first time. On Thursday against the San Francisco 49ers in a loss, veteran Damiere Byrd didn’t dress.

It’s been a process to both teach Johnson and fellow rookie wideout Andy Isabella, all while keeping them involved. And it hasn’t been easy on them.

“Me and Andy, we both talked about it, just this week, coming in,” Johnson said after the Cardinals’ 28-25 defeat. “We knew we were going to get our opportunities so we were just talking about, let’s take advantage of it. Let’s make some plays and let’s both get in the end zone. It happened tonight.”

Johnson caught a third-quarter touchdown that pulled Arizona within a score, while Isabella broke loose for an 88-yard catch-and-run that, after a two-point conversion, pulled the Cardinals within a field goal.

While Johnson has seen regular reps in some games, the speedy Isabella has been used primarily on scripted plays on opening drives and as the occasional decoy. His ability to stretch defenses vertically has helped get others open, but Isabella himself had seen more action on jet sweeps than he’d been targeted through the air.

Until Thursday, the rookie out of UMass had more rushing attempts (three) than catches (two). He’d only played 41 offensive snaps before adding 13 against San Francisco.

Isabella beating man coverage, catching a Kyler Murray pass with a defensive back in his vision and then cutting back to outrun defenders was a breakthrough.

Andy Isabella showed off that UMass speed last night 👀 pic.twitter.com/CoHfDLU0am

— ZooMass (@ZooMass) November 1, 2019

“I was a little surprised almost by it when I caught it because I thought he was going to get a hand on it,” Isabella said of his 88-yard touchdown catch.

“When I cut it back, I saw the guys, two guys overplayed it. I cut it back and I thought, ‘oh, I got a shot,’ but my legs almost gave out on me. I made it in there.”

That made for a small victory amid a loss to start the Cardinals’ back half of the 2019 schedule.

It meant a lot to Johnson and Isabella, two players who spent so much time together in the receivers room and hotel rooms during rookie camp and training camp.

“It’s really dope, especially about talking about it and both motivating each other from day one. We’re both here and we both got our first touchdown the same day,” Johnson said.

More playing time because of a blip of success, however, is no given.

The good news for the rookies is that Kingsbury, with his weekly shuffling of roles, remains committed to their development even if they’ve only taken a few baby steps toward becoming no-doubt NFL players.

“Midway point, they’re not really rookies anymore in our eyes and they have to continue to develop and get better,” Kingsbury said Friday.

EXTRA POINTS

— Friday after watching film, Kingsbury attempted to avoid criticizing the individual play of cornerback Patrick Peterson. According to the grades on Pro Football Focus, Peterson was tagged with allowing 112 receiving yards and a touchdown against the 49ers.

As for if blown coverage on a Dante Pettis touchdown for 21 yards showed a lack of effort on Peterson’s part, Kingsbury had this to say: “I don’t think it was an effort deal as much as he was confused and it was (a) paralysis by over-analysis situation.”

— Kingsbury confirmed that running back Alfred Morris’ release was more about the Cardinals believing starting back David Johnson can return from an ankle injury next game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

— Running back Chase Edmonds is unlikely to play against the Bucs, Kingsbury said. He is still dealing with a hamstring issue.

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