Cardinals pass rush has chance to make statement, quiet noise vs. Lions

TEMPE — Throughout the offseason and leading up to last week, questions swirled around the Arizona Cardinals’ pass rush.

And although the Cardinals proved naysayers wrong in Week 2 behind a five-sack effort spearheaded by outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck, Arizona faces a whole other tier of offensive linemen against the Detroit Lions this Sunday.

It’s like going from algebra to calculus in the matter of a week.

Unlike the injury-riddled Los Angeles Rams offensive line that was missing multiple starters, the Lions enter Week 3 pretty much intact. Starting left guard Graham Glasgow is listed as questionable, though head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Friday that “he should be good.”

That means Gardeck and the rest of Arizona’s pass rushers are going to get the full brunt of a cohesive O-line that’s one of five other units to allow just two sacks through two weeks. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Detroit’s sack rate of 2.3% allowed is lowest in the league.

The offensive line play has helped the Lions turn in a top two offense (413 yards per game) and passing game (262 yards per game). Can’t forget about Detroit’s top 10 rushing attack (151 yards per game), either.

But for as good as Detroit’s line looks on paper, there is potential for the Cardinals pass rushers to apply pressure on Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the Lions have allowed the fifth most pressures (29) among teams who have yet to play in Week 3. They’re 17th in quarterback pressure rate (32.6%), just two spots ahead of the Cardinals (32.8%).

For a Cardinals defense, they’ve got to continue to be advantageous when pass-rushing opportunities arise. While Arizona is among the bottom six teams in total pressures (18), it’s tied for the fifth most sacks (seven) in the league.

A big piece of those totals has come from Gardeck alone, who has four pressures and three sacks on 38 pass rush attempts to go along with four tackles for loss and three QB hits.

And much like he did in his three-sack performance against the Rams, Gardeck will be counted on once more to be among Arizona’s biggest tone-setters defensively.

“He really did an extraordinary job (last week) executing the rush plan to a tee and still setting up his rushes,” outside linebackers coach Robert Rodriguez said on Friday. “It’s not that easy to do. I think there’s a nuance to it. Some guys just rush like crazy. Other guys have to be a little bit smarter.

“It’s cool that he puts on display his talent and his ability but also his intelligence, so it’s a whole lot of fun to watch him execute that.”

It can’t all be on Gardeck’s shoulders in the outside linebackers room, though.

Zaven Collins, who should have another sack on the year and is “lightyears ahead” of where he was last year in Rodriguez’s eyes, must continue to make positive strides and have them show up on game day.

Zaven Collins vs. Jackson Barton. #AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/PpzaSL6LOG

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 19, 2024

Rookie Xavier Thomas on the other hand has to get up to regular season speed after standing out in the preseason.

“Immediately out of the preseason, we made it clear with him, ‘There’s a difference between sacks in the NFL and preseason sacks in the NFL. The thing is you put on display you can rush at this level and you can handle what we’re giving you,'” Rodriguez said.

“I’ve seen growth from him just in these last three weeks that I’m really still encouraged by him, but I’m not going to put a number or a cap on him because he can exceed it or it can crush him. I don’t want to put that line on top of him. Let’s just let Xavier be Xavier.”

If last week’s victory didn’t already, a win against the Lions would firmly put the Cardinals on the NFC’s radar. Generating consistent pass rush and getting home on Goff are two big ways in making that become a reality.

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