Focal points of Cardinals-Buccaneers Week 6 matchup from the numbers

PHOENIX — After losing to the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. the Cardinals return home to University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 6 to face Tampa Bay. Arizona looks to improve its record to 3-3 on the season.

This week, the Cardinals and Buccaneers meet for the 20th time and Arizona enters the contest with a 10-9 advantage in the all-time series. The Cardinals enter this week’s game on a two-game winning streak against the Buccaneers, which includes a 40-7 victory in Week 2 last season.

Following this week’s game, the Cardinals won’t play again in their home venue until Week 10 when they host the Seahawks.

Arizona is 5-3 all-time at home against the Buccaneers, who are making their third-ever visit to University of Phoenix Stadium and second in two seasons.

The Cardinals’ newest addition All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson will make his Arizona debut this week. Peterson was acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday. With adding Peterson, the Cardinals now have two — Larry Fitzgerald and Peterson — of the three active players with 100-plus career touchdowns.

Here are some of the key statistics heading into the matchup.

CARDINALS

Carson Palmer passed for 304 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 124.9 rating in the last meeting between the two teams. In the past four games at home, he has 1,300 passing yards (325 per game), eight touchdowns and one interception for a 97.6 rating. He is aiming for his seventh game in a row at home with 300-plus passing yards. He has 291 career touchdown passes, tied for 12th most all-time (Hall of Famer Warren Moon).

Per Pro Football Focus, Palmer is ranked 20th overall at the position with an overall grade of 74.8. He is 30th in short passes and eighth overall at getting the ball out at an average time of 2.45 seconds.

The offensive line is shuffling the deck again this week with left tackle D.J. Humphries, left guard Alex Boone, center A.Q. Shipley, right guard Earl Watford, and right tackle Jared Veldheer. We could see other options because of the concern with Humphries and Boone’s conditioning. If they get the running game going, it would go a long way in getting the right field position and scoring touchdowns in the red zone.

Adrian Peterson has looked very good in practice the last couple days. I spoke to some players in the locker room and they were impressed. I also contacted a scout and gave me a scouting report on AD. “Tireless worker, runs angry, given the right opportunity he’ll excel,” he said. Also mentioned that he “loves football.”

Peterson should get the start and could get about 15-20 touches, with more carries than receptions.

Running back Andre Ellington led the team and tied a career-high with nine receptions last week.

He’s been targeted 24 times in the last two weeks, including 15 receptions for 151 yards. He’s become the third-down back and upgraded the passing game as another weapon for it.

Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has 17 catches for 217 yards (72.3 per game) and four touchdowns in the past three meetings. He is trying for his third game in a row at home with a touchdown catch.

Fitzgerald has 14,716 career receiving yards & needs 16 yards to surpass Steve Smith Sr. (14,731) for the seventh most in NFL history.

Bruce Arians needs to get Fitzgerald the ball early and often to get the crowd into the game. He has been targeted 52 times in the last five games. As I mentioned in the past, with good pass protection, you should take your shots down the field with Fitzgerald.

The Cardinals’ sellout streak at University of Phoenix Stadium currently sits at 118 consecutive games. Arizona has sold out every game played on their home field (including preseason and postseason). Having a sellout crowd on hand has given the Cardinals one of the NFL’s most distinct advantages.

According to the NFL, the Cardinals rank sixth in home win percentage since 2013, with a record of 24-9-1. In 11-plus seasons at University of Phoenix Stadium, the team’s home win percentage is .517 while it was a lowly .347 in their 18 seasons at Sun Devil Stadium.

Linebacker Chandler Jones aims for his third game in a row versus Tampa Bay with a sack. In the past seven games, he has eight sacks and two forced fumbles. He has 28.5 sacks since 2015, tied for the second-most in the NFL.

Now that Markus Golden is out for the remainder of the season, it puts more pressure on Jones. The Cardinals would like to see more impact plays when the game is on the line. Going forward, he’ll be seeing more double teams and running backs will chip off the edge. The Cardinals’ defensive coordinator should move him around more to keeps teams guessing.

Cornerback Patrick Paterson has three interceptions in two career meetings. He’ll cover wide receiver Mike Evans, a big, physical receiver.

Per Pro Football Focus, Peterson’s effect on wide receivers in 2017 through five games is clear:

Lions’ Marvin Jones: Two receptions, 37 receiving yards, one touchdown
Colts’ T.Y. Hilton: Four receptions, 49 receiving yards
Cowboys’ Dez Bryant: Two catches, 12 receiving yards
49ers’ Pierre Garçon: Four catches, 36 receiving yards
Eagles’ Alshon Jeffery: Three catches, 31 receiving yards

Safety Tyvon Branch led team with 10 tackles last week. He has 21 tackles and two passes defensed in two career meetings. He is shooting for his third game in a row at home with nine-plus tackles. He is tied for the NFL lead with 46 tackles.

Through five games, Branch has been the most consistent player on defense. On last week’s long touchdown, a miscommunication in the secondary was the mistake. Justin Bethel was playing zone and thought he would have over the top help.

BUCCANEERS

Quarterback Jamies Winston passed for 334 yards and a touchdown for a 86.7 rating last week. Winston is trying for his fourth game in a row with 300-plus passing yards. In his past three games versus the NFC West, he has 894 passing yards (298 per game), eight touchdowns and three interceptions for a 102.4 rating.

Last year, Winston had four interceptions against the Cardinals. He has more talent around him with the skill and talent at receiver and tight end.

Running back Doug Martin rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown in Week 5. He has a rushing touchdown in three of his past four games.

The next player up is expected to be covered by Patrick Peterson in the marquee individual matchup of the game.

Wide receiver Mike Evans has four receiving touchdowns in his past six games. In the past 11 games on the road, he has 65 catches for 976 yards (88.7 per game) and six touchdowns. Since 2014, he is fifth in the NFL with 29 touchdown catches.

He’s been targeted 40 times this year with 24 receptions and two touchdowns. In the last three years, Evans has 361 targets and 184 catches for 2,803 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.

Peterson will play the cat and mouse game with Evans at the line of scrimmage.

Wide receiver DeSean Jackson led the team with 106 receiving yards last week, his 33rd career 100-plus yard game, and fourth most among active players. Has 174 receiving yards (87 per game) and a touchdown in the last two meetings.

Jackson has excellent speed that allows him to rack up yards after catch. The defense cannot let him in behind them or it will be trouble.

Tight end Cameron Brate is looking to have his fourth game in a row with a touchdown. Since 2016, he leads all NFL tight ends with 11 receiving touchdowns.

There is a lot of talk about rookie tight end and first-round pick O.J. Howard. Brate has become a weapon in the Buccaneers offense despite being an undrafted player.

Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy had a sack in Week 5. He has 34.5 sacks since 2013, the most among NFL defensive tackles.

He’s a beast on the inside and because of his explosion, you are often forced to put two bodies on him. He’ll exploit the middle of the line.

Defensive end Robert Ayers has four sacks in past five games against the NFC West. He’s familiar with the division and is a situation player rusher who can disrupt the pocket.

Linebacker Kendell Beckwith leads NFL rookies with 36 tackles. If he were to reach eight-plus tackles Sunday, it would be his fourth straight game doing so. He led the team with a career-high 14 tackles in Week 5.

Even with Beckwith’s play as a rookie, the focus has been on veteran linebackers Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David, who are both thumpers. Alexander, though, was ruled out of the game.

Cornerback Brent Grimes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in his past nine games on the road. He has 18 tackles in two meetings at Arizona. Since 2013, he leads the NFL with 70 passes defensed.

Grimes, 35, is playing like a Pro Bowl player while his counterpart Vernon Hargreaves is off to a slow start in his second season. The Cardinals should attack Hargraves and the safeties.

Some numbers are courtesy of the NFL Media and the Arizona Cardinals.

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