Previewing the Arizona Cardinals Defense
Over the last two seasons, the Arizona Cardinals have been able to field a steady unit under defensive coordinator Vance Joesph.
They ranked 11th in both yards and points allowed just last season, forcing the 7th most turnovers in the NFL.
That same defense wasn't going to look the same this season after losing key talents like linebacker Jordan Hicks and new Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Chandler Jones.
Even taking that into account, Cardinals fans probably didn't think their defense would get steamrolled by the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1.
There aren't many better ways to put it after the Cardinals allowed the Chiefs to rack up 44 points and 488 total yards of offense.
Whether it was through the air or on the ground, the Chiefs got pretty much anything they wanted for the whole game.
For the Cardinals, when you can't rush the passer or stop the run, those are the results that you're going to live with most often.
Against the Raiders, they won't be getting any sort of a break with the weapons the silver and black have at their disposal.
They could find more success going at Raiders quarterback Derek Carr if the Raiders offensive line doesn't improve from their first week struggles.
Defensive end Zach Allen and outside linebacker Markus Golden will be the two tasked with providing that pressure.
Having former Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt available would add a welcome complement, but after missing Week 1 with a calf injury, he's not a sure bet to play.
At linebacker, young players Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins offer athletic upside but have shown to be exploitable, especially in coverage.
In the secondary, former Raider cornerback Trayvon Mullen could be in line to make his Cardinals debut along side Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker.
None of it may matter if the Cardinals can't rebound from the effort they showed last week.
Especially since the game is in Las Vegas, it's a recipe that could lead to the Raiders having their first explosive offensive showing of this young 2022 NFL season.
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