ESPN writer: Carson Palmer one of the best against the blitz

The Arizona Cardinals, a team that loves to blitz, happen to also have a quarterback who performs well against the blitz.

That’s what ESPN staff writer Sheil Kapadia pointed out in an article on Tuesday that lists the five best and five worst quarterbacks against the blitz. He notes that Carson Palmer – an excellent blitz QB – plays for a Cardinals team that now boasts Chandler Jones and led the NFL in blitz rate last year.

While it remains to be seen what Jones’ exact role will be in Arizona, the pass-rushing philosophy on his new team varied greatly from his old team in 2015. No team blitzed more than the Cardinals (45.1 percent of the time) last season, yet they ranked just 20th in sacks per dropback.

The Patriots, meanwhile, blitzed less (19 percent) than any defense, yet they had the second-best sack rate (7.3 percent).

Jones’ former teammate, Tom Brady, joined Palmer, the Bengals’ Andy Dalton, the Panthers’ Cam Newton and the now-Texans’ Brock Osweiler as the NFL’s five best quarterbacks against the blitz.

Here’s what Kapadia wrote about Palmer:

The 36-year-old has had success against the blitz. He led all quarterbacks, averaging 8.45 yards per dropback against pressure looks last season. Palmer completed 65 percent of his passes (second) and averaged 9.35 yards per attempt (third). Over the last three years, no quarterback has produced a better average yards per dropback (7.62) than Palmer. His success hasn’t stopped opposing defensive coordinators from sending pressure. Only three quarterbacks were blitzed more than Palmer in 2015.

Palmer registered a 4.4 sack percentage last year, and once was the league leader in that category with the Bengals in 2005.

He’ll face Brady’s Patriots for Week 1 on Sept. 11, though Brady himself may not play due to a pending appeal of his Deflategate suspension.

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