Cardinals coaches address lack of pressure on opposing QBs: ‘Got to do a better job collectively’
Oct 15, 2024, 6:20 PM
Through six weeks, the Arizona Cardinals have struggled to overcome external doubts about about their ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks, and Sunday provided another example when Green Bay’s Jordan Love looked all too comfortable throwing for 258 yards and four touchdowns.
The Cardinals entered the season in a tough spot without much of an experienced pass rushing corps plus injuries to edge rusher BJ Ojulari and defensive lineman Darius Robinson. Preseason questions about the group have not been alleviated, as the Cardinals rank last in the NFL in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric (pass rusher able to beat his block within 2.5 seconds) and 30th in pressure rate.
For the defensive coaching staff, the issues of getting home are the result of a combination of factors from technique and scheme.
“I’m always going to look at ourselves first,” head coach Jonathan Gannon told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday.
“How can we devise a plan that puts our players in better position to make plays. Then from there is when can we throw the different bullets of scheme or to actually pressure and put more than four into the rush? What is the coverage structures look behind it to make the quarterback hold the ball a little bit more. We’re all connected in passing downs to do a better job.”
Arizona has two sacks in its last three games. The problems won’t automatically fix themselves with more heat, even if it presents opponents with a different look.
Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis was succinct in his answer of why Arizona’s blitz rate remains so low, saying it depends schematically on the opponent.
The Cardinals only blitz 15.1% of the time, less often than in 2023 (22.5%) and the second-lowest rate in the NFL ahead of the Buffalo Bills. Gannon said bringing pressure against Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, Arizona’s next opponent, is typically a no-go, as his stats are better when blitzed versus four-man rushes.
“There’s times (Sunday) that we pressured and it worked. There were other times where we pressured and it didn’t work,” Gannon said. “So there’s kind of live by the sword, die by sword if you want to rip a bunch of pressures.
“I think in the four-man rush mechanics, we just got to detail it out a little bit better from the coaches, make sure that we’re lining up the right way, whether they’re called games, or games on the move or one-on-ones. We just got to do a better job collectively.”
That collective effort relies on the coverage to hold up, as shown in a back-foot touchdown throw by Love with the blitz in his face to receiver Romeo Doubs.
Jordan Love lofts it up and Romeo Doubs adjusts for another touchdown!
📺: #AZvsGB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/3Tq0RyHxVh— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
Opposing quarterbacks have completed 71.4% of their throws with two touchdowns and one interception when blitzed by the Cardinals this season, while against normal rushes they’ve completed 71.8% for eight touchdowns and four picks.
There is only so much that can be done internally aside from improved execution along with growth from some younger players.
Recent tweaks to Arizona’s edge rusher snap counts include increased reps for Jesse Luketa in the past two weeks to fill in alongside Dennis Gardeck, Zaven Collins and Julian Okwara. The quartet has a combined six pressures and four sacks this season.
Young corners will continue to receive opportunities behind them, as second-round rookie Max Melton’s snaps have gone in each of the past three games.
Cardinals DC: Run defense ‘got to be better’
The Packers ran for 179 yards on 38 carries against Arizona, although, running back Josh Jacobs was largely held in check with 64 yards on 18 carries (3.4 per rush). Green Bay ran the ball with seven carriers, and they broke out six runs for 11 or more yards, twice for 16 yards.
“It was just more so self-inflicted things,” Cardinals linebacker Krys Barnes said after reviewing the tape. “There’s good flashes that pop up throughout the tape where we know we can do it. Then there’s plays where it’s like, maybe it’s a couple things here, a couple things there, and it’s big gash, an explosive play.
“So for us to be able to minimize those explosive plays, it comes down to making sure we’re on our job and comes down to all 11 being on the same page of where we’re supposed to fit, supposed to be aligned, that type of thing.”
The Cardinals rank 27th in run stop win rate this season, per ESPN, giving up 153 rushing yards per game.
“Got to be better from a technique standpoint, to knocking back the line of scrimmage, fits on the second level, schematically, getting people in the right spot to be able to make plays, it wasn’t where it needs to be,” Rallis said. “It’s got to clean up at every level, coaching and playing.”
Nick Rallis said the Cardinals’ run defense has to get better from a players and coaches standpoint. pic.twitter.com/i5rWkNVeJn
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) October 15, 2024
Arizona’s defensive line depth has been tested and will continue to be, as veteran defensive tackles Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols are both on injured reserve. Robinson’s upcoming return should help, but the exact game is to be determined.
The Cardinals now prepare for a physical team that has had success on the ground this season.
The Chargers run the ball at the third-highest rate in the NFL at 52.4%. Running back J.K. Dobbins is enjoying a bounce-back season after tearing his Achilles in Week 1 of last year with the Baltimore Ravens. Dobbins is eighth in the NFL with 5.4 yards per carry.
L.A. already went through its bye week and came out healthier along the offensive line with star left tackle Rashawn Slater and 2024 first-round pick right tackle Joe Alt returning after dealing with injuries.
“They play a physical brand of football, that’s for certain,” Rallis said. “They’re great up front. They play good as a unit, and they got some really good offensive linemen, a good back and obviously a quarterback that can sling it.
“They do believe in being able to establish that run game, and that’s going to open up the rest of the offense. It’s as simple as you better be ready to come play with motor and violence.”