See who all got playing time for the Cardinals against the Rams.
In the Arizona Cardinals‘ 45-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, 22 players participated in at least one of the 70 defensive snaps, and 33 players participated in at least one of the 31 special teams snaps.
Three were on the field for all of the defensive snaps: Cornerbacks Garrett Williams and Will Johnson, and Mike linebacker Cody Simon. The next highest was safety Budda Baker with 62.
Two defensive players were on the field only for special teams: Cornerbacks Kei’Trel Clark and Elijah Jones. Inside linebacker Owen Pappoe played defensive snaps for the first time this season (35) while still participating in his full complement on special teams with 27 snaps.
Tackle numbers can be misleading, especially when so many occur beyond the line of scrimmage as they did in Sunday’s game. But, we will present them anyway with a cautious eye, considering that the defense had no takeaways, no sacks, minimal pressure, two quarterback hits, no tackles for loss and two passes defensed.
How were the snaps divided up? Below are the individual snap counts for every player who got into the game defensively, grouped by position, as well as the snap counts on special teams.
The first number after each name is snaps and the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.
Arizona Cardinals Week 14 defensive snap counts: Defensive linemenDante Stills (48/69), Dalvin Tomlinson (37/53), Darius Robinson (35/50), P.J. Mustipher (32/46), Calais Campbell (23/33), Bilal Nichols (7/10)Inactive: Walter Nolen III (injured)Reserve/injured (eligible to return): L.J. Collier (practicing), Justin Jones
Mustipher was atop the tackles list among defensive linemen for the first time this season with seven (two solo). Campbell,. Who played only 23 snaps, had four tackles (two solo), while Stills had two (one solo) and both QB hits. Robinson had three assists, followed by Tomlinson and Nichols with one. Nichols left the game with a knee injury.
LinebackersILB Cody Simon (62/100), ILB Owen Pappoe (35/50), BJ Ojulari (32/46), OLB Jordan Burch (31/44),OLB Baron Browning (29/41), OLB Zaven Collins (28/40), OLB Josh Sweat (25/36), ILB Akeem Davis-Gaither (1/1), ILB Channing Tindall (1/1)Reserve/injured: ILB Mack Wilson Sr. (eligible for return), ILB J.J. Russell
Pappoe played his first defensive snaps of the season and led the team with nine tackles (five solo). However, coupled with Mike linebacker Cody Simon, who had three tackles (one solo), half came on pass plays. Four of Pappoe’s solos were on pass plays (gains of 4, 6, 9 and 10 yards) and one of his assists (12). The assists on run plays were on gains of 2, 5, and 18 and on a 12-yard pass play. The 2-yarder was on a Ronnie Rivers run with the score 45-17. He did have one pass defensed.
Simon’s solo stop was a 2-yard run when the score was 31-10 and the assists were on a run (four yards) and pass play (nine). Akeem Davis-Gaither, who entered the game third on the team with 68 tackles (30 solo), played only one defensive snap. Browning had six tackles (one solo), Collins had two solo tackles and Ojulari had one assistant. Sweat showed nothing on the stat sheet for his 25 snaps.
Defensive backsCB Garrett Williams (70/100), CB Will Johnson (70/100), S Budda Baker (62/89), S Jalen Thompson (58/83), CB Denzel Burke (38/54), S Kitan Crawford (29/41), CB Darren Hall (9/13)Did not play (except on special teams): CB Kei’Trel Clark, CB Elijah JonesInactive: CB Max Melton (injured), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (injured)Reserve/injured: S Joey Blount (eligible to return, but won’t), CB Starling Thomas VReserve/non-football injury: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
Thompson, who left the game with a hamstring injury, had seven tackles (three solo) while Baker had another quiet game with six tackles (three solo). Williams had six tackles (one solo), Burke five (four solo) and Johnson three (two solo) and a pass defensed. Hall also had three tackles (ono solo).
Special teams snap countsLB Owen Pappoe (27/87), S Kitan Crawford (27/87), CB Darren Hall (22/71), WR Trent Sherfield Sr. (20/65), LB Channing Tindall (20/65), TE Elijah Higgins (17/55), LB Akeem Davis-Gaither (17/55), TE Josiah Deguara (16/52), LB Jordan Burch (15/48), CB Kei’Trel Clark (14/45), TE Pharaoh Brown (13/42), DL Calais Campbell (11/35), DL Dante Stills (11/35), LB BJ Ojulari (10/32), LS Aaron Brewer (9/29), P Matt Haack (9/29), K Chad Ryland (8/26), WR/RS Jalen Brooks (8/26), DL Darius Robinson (7/23), DL P.J. Mustipher (7/23), LB Cody Simon (7/23), S Budda Baker (7/23), LB Zaven Collins (5/16), T Josh Fryar (4/13), G Isaiah Adams (4/13), C/G Jon Gaines II (4/13), C Hjalte Froholdt (4/13), C/G Hayden Conner (4/13), CB Denzel Burke (4/13), WR/RS Michael Wilson (3/10), T Paris Johnson Jr. (3/10), CB Elijah Jones (3/10), T Demontrey Jacobs (1/3)Reserve/injured (eligible to return): P Blake Gillikin
Ryland had another wide-right field-goal attempt miss, although it was from 63 yards at the end of the first half. With one second on the clock, the Rams called timeout before he kicked, and he hit it with room to spare down the middle. He then was slightly wide right on the one that counted.
Matt Haack punted five times for a 54.2-yard average and 45.0 net with two inside the 20.
With Greg Dortch placed on injured reserve Saturday, wide receiver Jalen Brooks was elevated from the practice squad and returned three kickoffs for 66 yards including one for 33. Wide receiver Michael Wilson was the punt returner, but he didn’t field any as two went for touchbacks and one was downed.
Pappoe, Tindall and Sherfield were credited with solo tackles, while Tindall also had two assists. Those with one assist were Sherfield, Higgins , Brown and, yes, long snapper Aaron Brewer.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.