The Arizona Cardinals didn’t beat around the bush when it came to revamping the front seven and pass rush this offseason.
Behind additions like Josh Sweat and his four-year, $76.4 million contract, plus Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson, the talent level along the line of scrimmage took a massive jump in the right direction.
And with a talent-lacking New Orleans Saints squad first up on the docket, a bloodbath in the backfield seemed inevitable.
Fast forward to Sunday’s 20-13 win over the New Orleans Saints, and that wasn’t the case with 14 total pressures as a unit, which tied for 11th in the league for Week 1.
The only Cardinal to get home on Saints starting quarterback Spencer Rattler was veteran Baron Browning, who tallied one sack. He and Sweat each had a QB hit. Sweat (four) and Browning (three) combined for half of the team’s pressures.
After that, the stats dropped off. And it wasn’t due to a lack of trying from the Cardinals.
“I think it was a function of how well they’re coached,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said postgame. “Kellen and their staff did a really good job of not letting us rush. That’s real in a game.
“But when they do that, you can’t give up explosives and you should keep the score down. That’s what we did.”
For the Cardinals, it was all about not letting the ball go over their heads and keeping the Saints in front of them. Rattler’s 4.7 yards per attempt and just one Saints play of at least 20 yards were good examples of that.
Taking what the defense was giving them underneath, the Saints didn’t allow much time for Sweat and others to get home.
Rattler’s ability as a runner also helped keep him upright.
Even against the pressure he saw on Sunday, it wasn’t the amount the Saints anticipated.
“Their defense today, they didn’t pressure as much as we thought they would. It was a shell fest,” Rattler told reporters postgame, referencing the shell defense Arizona played to keep the ball in front of them. “They took away the backend and did a good job with that.”
And when the Saints did take their shots, the Cardinals were largely there to defend them, whether it be rookie cornerback Will Johnson’s near interception or the pass breakup to end the game.
Getting more out of the pass rush is key for the Cardinals’ 2025 success, especially after seeing the resources used this offseason.
But if the game plan in the opener was about keeping points at a minimum by limiting explosives, that’s not a bad trade-off — as long as it’s working.
Much of the same on the way for the Arizona Cardinals’ pass rush in Week 2?
Bouncing back in the pass-rushing department seems doable against the Carolina Panthers next week.
That is, until seeing quarterback Bryce Young’s 4.4 yards per attempt on 18-of-35 passing. He took just one sack in a 26-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had 16 pressures (tied for sixth most) on the afternoon.
And that’s before mentioning two interceptions and a lost fumble.
Similar to what was on display against New Orleans, the Panthers settled for quick, underneath looks more times than not.
Every game is different, but it’s something to keep in mind.
