NFC West: Biggest question for each team in 2020
Arizona Cardinals: Will the defense step up like the offense did in 2019?
In 2018, the Cardinals finish dead last in the league in total offense, as well as rushing yards and passing yards. It was the first time since the 1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers that an NFL team achieved such a dubious feat. And that was a league with only 28 franchises.
Arizona also finished that season with an NFL-low 225 points. Hence the decision to bring in former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim’s decision to use the first overall pick in 2019 on Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Kyler Murray. The Cardinals would score 361 points, ranked 21st in the league in total yards (10th in rushing) and the young signal-caller walked away with NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Then there was the Cardinals’ defense. Vance Joseph’s unit allowed the most total yards in the league and the second-most yards through the air. This despite a pass rush that included Chandler Jones, who finished with 19 sacks.
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The team was burned for 38 touchdown passes, 16 to tight ends, 16 to wideouts, five to running backs and one to Saints’ quarterback Taysom Hill. Those underneath coverage numbers are a big reason the team used the eighth overall pick on Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons (via Lex Pryor of USA Today).
So will it be bounce back time for the Arizona defense in 2020? Stay tuned.