Week 2 defensive, special teams snap counts for Cardinals

The Cardinals had a whopping 85 defensive snaps. Here is how the playing time was divided against the Panthers.

In the Arizona Cardinals‘ 27-22 win over the Carolina Panthers, 20 players participated in at least one of the 85 defensive snaps, while 37 players participated in at least one of the 22 special teams snaps.

Three played every snap on defense. Another two played snaps only on special teams. The Cardinals opened the game for their second consecutive week in their base defense with three down linemen, four linebackers and four defensive backs.

How was the playing time split up? Below are the individual snap counts grouped by position.

The first number after each name represents the number of snaps, and the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.

Arizona Cardinals defensive snap ocunts: Defensive linemenDante Stills 46/54, Darius Robinson (44/52), Dalvin Tomlinson (39/46), Calais Campbell (37/44), P.J. Mustipher (16/19), L.J. Collier (5/6, injured)Reserve/injured (eligible to return): Justin JonesReserve/physically unable to perform: Bilal Nichols, Walter Nolen III

The ageless Campbell outdid himself, registering a sack to seal the game for the Cardinals on his 37th snap of the game. He had one other sack in the fourth quarter, five tackles (four solo/two for loss) and two quarterback hits. Mustipher had three tackles (one solo), Tomlinson two (one solo/one for loss) and Robinson one solo. Stills had two assisted tackles plus a batted attempted pass in the fourth quarter. Collier left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury.

LinebackersILB Mack Wilson Sr. (85/100), ILB Akeem Davis-Gaither (53/62), OLB Jordan Burch (43/51), OLB Josh Sweat (42/49), OLB Baron Browning (41/48), OLB Zaven Collins (41/48)Did not play (except on special teams): ILB Owen PappoeInactive: ILB Cody Simon (injured), OLB Xavier ThomasReserve/physically unable to perform: OLB BJ OjulariReserve/injured: ILB J.J. Russell

Sweat was disruptive. He had a sack and forced fumble that was recovered by Collins for a touchdown. He also had three solo tackles with one for loss, plus a QB hit. Collins had one solo tackle and four QB hits. Wilson tied for the second-most tackles in the game with eight (four solo) while adding a quarterback hit and pass defensed.

The hit affected a Bryce Young pass that was intercepted by Baron Browning. Browning had two solo tackles and one for loss plus a QB hit and pass defensed. Davis-Gaither had five tackles (one solo) and a QB hit. Burch had two solo tackles.

Defensive backsS Budda Baker (85/100), S Jalen Thompson (85/100), CB Garrett Williams (72/85), CB Denzel Burke (67/79), CB Will Johnson (62/73), SDadrion Taylor-Demerson (44/52), CB Kei’Trel Clark (15/18), CB Max Melton (13/15)Did not play (except on special teams): S Kitan CrawfordInactive: CB Elijah JonesReserve/injured: S Joey Blount (eligible to return), CB Starling Thomas VReserve/non-football injury: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Unfortunately, the big story of the game was more cornerback injuries. Melton left with a knee injury in the first quarter, while Williams suffered a knee injury and Johnson a groin in the fourth quarter. While in the game, Wilson had seven tackles (five solo) and one pass defensed. Johnson had three tackles (two solo) and one pass defensed. Melton had two solo tackles, but did draw a holding flag, his third penalty in two games. The others were for holding and illegal contract in Week 1.

Thompson led the team with 10 tackles (six solo), while Baker had eight (four solo). Taylor-Demerson had four tackles (one solo).

Special teams snap counts

LB Owen Pappoe (17/77), S Kitan Crawford (16/73), TE Josiah Deguara (14/64), LB Akeem Davis-Gaither (14/64), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (14/64), TE Elijah Higgins (13/59), WR Simi Fehoko (13/59), CB Kei’Trel Clark (13/59), TE Travis Vokolek (12/55), K Chad Ryland (11/50), WR/RS Greg Dortch (8/36), LB Jordan Burch (8/36), CB Denzel Burke (8/36), P Blake Gillikin (7/32), LS Aaron Brewer (7/32), RB Bam Knight (6/27), T Kelvin Beachum (5/23), T Josh Fryar (5/23), G Evan Brown (5/23), G Isaiah Adams (5/23), C/G Jon Gaines II (5/23), C Hjalte Froholdt (5/23), LB Zaven Collins (5/23), T Paris Johnson Jr. (4/18), RB/RS Emari Demercado (3/14), CB Max Melton (3/14), DL Calais Campbell (2/9), DL Darius Robinson (2/9), DL Dante Stills (2/9), DL P.J. Mustipher (2/9), S Budda Baker (2/9), T Jonah Williams (1/5), WR Michael Wilson (1/5), TE Trey McBride (1/5, S Mack Wilson Sr. (1/5), CB Garrett Williams (1/5), CB Will Johnson (1/5)

Gillikin, playing with a back issue that had him limited in practice all week, had punts of 61 and 62 yards for a 61.5-yard average and 55.5 net. Ryland was perfect with field goals of 29 and 47 yards and three extra points.

Dortch had a 29-yard punt return that led to a touchdown at the end of the first half. He also had kickoff returns of 19 and 25 yards, while Knight had returns of 20 and 23 yards. Coverage allowed a 35-yard return by Trevor Etienne, but he had a total of only 54 yards on three other kickoff returns and a 12-yard punt return.

Clark had a solo tackle and one assist while Davis-Gaither, Deguara, Crawford and Pappoe had solo tackles. Davis-Gaither had the team’s first special-teams penalty of the season for an illegal block above the waist (10 yards).

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