Cardinals DT Robert Nkdemdiche inactive to begin 2017
Sep 10, 2017, 8:49 AM | Updated: 1:03 pm
Arizona Cardinals' Robert Nkemdiche warms up during an NFL football training camp Saturday, July 29, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
One will play. One won’t play.
The Arizona Cardinals two listed players as questionable heading into their season opener in Detroit: left guard Mike Iupati and defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche.
Iupati will play despite being limited all week in practice because of a hurt triceps, while Nkemdiche will miss Week 1. He, too, was limited in practice but a calf strain won’t allow him to be in uniform on Sunday against the Lions.
The remaining inactives are dollar linebacker Deone Bucannon, quarterback Blaine Gabbert, wide receiver Chad Williams and linebacker Scooby Wright plus offensive linemen Will Holden and Ulrick John.
Bucannon had already been ruled out with reinjuring his ankle.
Wright, by the way, was elevated to the active roster from the practice squad late Friday.
For the Lions, tackle Corey Robinson (foot) and running back Zach Zenner (back) are out due to injury.
The others not in uniform for Detroit include wide receiver Jared Abbrederis, running back Tion Green and cornerback Teez Tabor plus offensive linemen Zac Kerin and Storm Norton.
Defensive end Ziggy Ansah (knee) and wide receiver Kenny Golladay (ankle) are active after being listed as questionable on the final injury report.
Early kickoffs have not been kind to the Cardinals, especially last season. They went 0-4 in such games in 2016.
“We’ve got to get off to a good start and there are no excused about 10 a.m. and all that crap. We all know the schedule,” head coach Bruce Arians said. “So yeah, we’ve got to get off to a good start and we’ve got to get off to a good start in those games. You don’t want to get behind on the road in a domed stadium for sure.”
