Chandler Jones records 4 sacks as Cardinals defense shines vs. Giants
Oct 20, 2019, 1:31 PM | Updated: Oct 21, 2019, 7:36 am
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones entered Sunday’s contest with 4.5 sacks on the season.
He nearly doubled that total against Daniel Jones and the Giants offensive line.
The linebacker was an absolute menace, recording a total of five tackles, three for loss, four sacks and a fumble in the team’s 27-21 victory over the Giants.
No awareness from Daniel Jones.pic.twitter.com/UwshlcUfPk
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 20, 2019
The defense, which came into the Meadowlands as one of the worst in the league against the pass, found success on the Giants’ first drive of the game.
All told, the unit accounted for eight sacks, an interception and two fumbles.
“Defensively, we were phenomenal,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury told 98.7 FM Arizona Sports Station’s Paul Calvisi after the game. “You get [Patrick Peterson] back, just gave us all some more swagger, some more confidence. And Chandler Jones, he and [Terrell] Suggs, tremendous effort by the defense.”
It took only four snaps for Chandler Jones to put his hands on the game, sacking the rookie signal caller to bring up a 3rd-and-long situation.
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Things would go from bad to worse in a hurry for Daniel Jones on the very next play.
Looking for WR Golden Tate, the QB went back to pass, finding LB Jordan Hicks instead for the team’s first interception of the season.
For Chandler Jones, his sack was just the beginning.
His four-sack outing marks a career-high for Chandler Jones, and is the first such game by a Cardinal since Bertrand Berry went after then-Giants QB Kurt Warner in 2004.
“When you’re rushing the passer, it’s like a game of chess, honestly,” the linebacker told reporters after the game. “I think early in the game I got into him a little bit more, I was throwing a lot of power rushes and he started to sit down early.
“Once I got him to sit down early, I just started running the edge.”
Walking out after a four-sack kinda day. 😤 @chanjones55 | #RedSea pic.twitter.com/hXylhUfBdu
— Lisa Matthews (@LisaMatthewsAZ) October 20, 2019
He wasn’t the only Cardinal to step up when needed either.
Although the defense found success, the game still came down to the fourth quarter, with the Giants threatening Arizona’s lead.
But just as it looked like the scoreboard was about to change, veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson made a crucial impact on the outcome of the game.
In his return from a six-game suspension, Peterson looked like he hadn’t missed a beat, rocking the quarterback and forcing a fumble late.
Patrick Peterson was a man on a mission 😤 @P2 pic.twitter.com/9OFKYWvC3e
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) October 20, 2019
The CB finished with seven tackles (second on the team) and a sack in the winning effort.
More than one game ball to give out today! pic.twitter.com/nZmebvWN7C
— Arizona Cardinals ⋈ (@AZCardinals) October 20, 2019
Both Peterson and Chandler Jones were given game balls from their head coach for their efforts on the gridiron.
Adding to the sack total was Terrell Suggs, who has now taken down 75 different quarterbacks over the course of his career. Only Reggie White (77), Julius Peppers (77) and Bruce Smith (76) have more.
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