As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, scouting the Arizona Cardinals’ defense.
ALEX’S SCHEME REPORT
CARDINALS RUN DEFENSE
The run defense has struggle throughout the season. They’re tied for 27th in yards per carry allowed at 4.5 and have given up a whopping 16 rushing touchdowns, 30th in the league. They’ve also allowed 41 runs of 10-plus yards, 25th in the league.
It’s a base 3-4 front but they’re a hybrid model. As Mike Tomlin mentioned during his Tuesday press conference, and has become more popular around the league this season, the Cardinals will play two main fronts. A 3-4 and a 5-1, the latter when they go in nickel. In their standard 3-4, the two off-ball linebackers are No. 10 Josh Woods and No. 51 Krys Barnes. In their 5-1, Woods is the lone off-ball player. They’re looking to win up front and not let the line work to the second level. Sometimes it works when their big people, like NT Roy Lopez, can occupy blocks. But they’re vulnerable to being run down the middle and if the running back can get into the second level, he’s going to make plays.
They do defend perimeter runs a lot better than they do interior runs. If I’m Pittsburgh, I’m keeping the ball between the tackles this weekend and getting downhill. The Cardinals have some speed and they do a nice job spilling runners wide on tosses.
Some stats. Their leading tackler is LB Kyzir White with 90 on the season. But that’s all he finishes with, as White is out for the year with a biceps injury that really stung their defense. He’s a talented, athletic player, a former college safety, and manned the middle of that defense well. Safety Jalen Thompson is their active leader with 55 while CB Marco Wilson has a high number of tackles, 52. Safety Budda Baker. their best player, has 50 stops.
The Cardinals have also played a ton of people. With injuries, trades (sending LB/S Isaiah Simmons to the Giants) and a 2-10 team definitely rebuilding, Arizona has had 26 different defensive players log at least 50 snaps this season. And 23 of them have played at least 1o0. It’s a clown car of names that pop out each week and there’s a lot of non-household names along this defense. Lot of young guys or those seeing serious NFL defensive action for the first time.
Some more stats. The Cardinals have one of the league’s worst defenses, allowing 26.8 points per game this year. Only the Washington Commanders have allowed more. Arizona has given up at least 20 points in 11 of 12 games this year. In five of them, they’ve allowed 30 or more, tied second-most of any team (again, the Commanders are “first” with seven such games). If there’s a week for the Steelers to score, it’s this one. I know we’ve said it before but this time, it’s for real.
They struggle situationally too. Arizona is 23rd in red-zone defense (59.3 percent) and is dead last on third down (47 percent).
CARDINALS PASS DEFENSE
It’s not a whole lot better here. Opposing quarterbacks are completing 70.2 percent of their passes this season. Not only is that the worst figure in football, it would be the worst mark allowed by a defense since the 2019 Los Angeles Chargers. The 7.7 YPA given up is tied for 26th, their 21 touchdowns allowed are 29th, and their 14 takeaways are only slightly better at 20th in football. They’ve allowed 34 completions of 20 or more yards, tied-17th in the league. To be a little fair, they’ve yet to have their bye and their numbers could look slightly better once they get a week off like most teams in the league at this point.
To their credit, they can get after the quarterback, their 32 sacks on the season just outside the top 10, though their pressure rate is among the league’s lowest. Their sack leader is Dennis Gardeck, an underrated rusher whose numbers have waxed and waned throughout his career. He has five this year and is an athletic and high-effort player who can drop into coverage. Eight Cardinals have at least two sacks so they’re getting pressure from a lot of different people, and they creatively rush and blitz.
On 3rd and obvious pass distances, they’ll use an Amoeba front like Dick LeBeau would use with one (or sometimes zero) players with their hand down. They want to stress protections and try to get free rushers. They’ll send defensive backs from the field and boundary side, though the boundary is more common.
Overall, they play more zone than man. Coverages vary but you mostly see Cover 2 and Cover 4. They will lock the backside corner in MEG (man everywhere he goes) coverage against 3×1 on third down. Against the Los Angeles Rams and throughout their tape, they’re vulnerable to the screen game, especially when offenses can counter their blitz. The Rams hit them on running back screens while the Houston Texans used wide receiver tunnel screens to success.
Against bunch and stacked looks, especially near the goal line, they’ll play triangle and boxes over it. So 3 over 2 and 4 over 3. Like here, though they still allow the touchdown over the middle to TE Tyler Higbee.
Finally, they seem oddly prone to allowing throws to the flats/sideline in two-minute drills. Not huge chunks of yardage allowed but they have been giving them up when most defenses would force offenses to burn clock over the middle.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Pittsburgh Steelers got back in the win column last week against the Cincinnati Bengals and look to make it two straight against the Arizona Cardinals in Pittsburgh this Sunday. The Cardinals bring a 2-10 squad into town as one of the league’s worst teams this season, and that specifically applies to their defense. Arizona is ranked second-worst in football in points allowed this season (27 PPG) and have the 15th-ranked pass defense along with the 30th-ranked rush defense in football.
Defensive Line
Along the defensive line for Arizona is No. 93 Jonathan Ledbetter, who starts as one of their 3-4 defensive ends. The 6-4, 282-pounder is in his first season as a full-time starter, having been a rotational player for the Cardinals last season. He’s a better run stuffer than pass rusher, having 37 total stops, one tackle for loss, and 1.5 sacks on the season. He does a good job controlling gaps and fighting off blocks in attempt to control the line of scrimmage.
Playing alongside Ledbetter is NT No. 98 Roy Lopez, who came over from Houston this offseason and does his best work eating up blockers and filling gaps as a certified run stuffer. Arizona’s other starting defensive lineman is No. 55 Dante Stills, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The rookie is Arizona’s best interior pass rusher, having 3.5 sacks on the season along with five tackles for loss as an athletic, aggressive defender who can defeat blocks with effort as well as finesse.
Linebackers
The outside linebackers are headlined by former UDFA No. 45 Dennis Gardeck, who has become quite the player for the Cardinals’ defense. A star defender at my brother’s alma mater at Sioux Falls, Gardeck earned a spot on the roster in 2018 and hasn’t looked back, becoming quite the pass rusher for Arizona while also starring on special teams. He has five sacks in 2023 along with 39 total stops, seven tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup. Gardeck plays with his hair on fire every play, flying to the football with incredible pursuit in a strong, compact frame.
Opposite of Gardeck is former first round pick No. 25 Zaven Collins. Collins plays both inside and outside for Arizona’s defense, having the size and strength (6-4, 260 pounds) to rush off the edge as well as the speed and athleticism to play on his feet in the box. He became a full-time starter last season and has started all 12 games so far in 2023, posting 30 total tackles, five TFLs, 3.5 sacks, a fumble recovery, an interception, and two pass deflections.
Backing up Collins and Gardeck are rookie No. 18 BJ Ojulari, who has four sacks as a rotational pass rusher; No. 97 Cameron Thomas, a defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid who creates good pressure; No. 52 Victor Dimukeje, who also has four sacks and has started five games this season; and No. 43 Jesse Luketa, who has played 95 snaps on defense for the Cardinals, tallying eight total tackles but no sacks or tackles for loss.
Starting at inside linebacker for Arizona is No. 10 Josh Woods. Woods has been a journeyman himself, starting out as a former UDFA with Chicago in 2019 and playing in Detroit for a couple of seasons before coming to the Cardinals. Woods is in his first season as a starter, playing inside while occasionally lining up on the edge himself as a defender who plays the run, rushes the passer, and covers backs and tight ends. He has 44 total stops on the season but can get caught on blocks if he isn’t allowed to run free to the football or doesn’t have a good angle of pursuit.
No. 51 Krys Barnes came over from Green Bay this offseason and has started two games for Arizona. He’s played well, tallying 28 total stops, two TFLs, five pass breakups, and one interception. Barnes has represented himself well in coverage despite allowing a high completion percentage and is a decent run defender, who gives good effort in pursuit of the ball. The Cardinals also have No. 47 Zeke Turner, a converted safety who has logged a start this season while posting 17 total tackles, as well as No. 44 Owen Pappoe, who is in his rookie season and has logged four total defensive snaps.
Cornerbacks
No. 33 Antonio Hamilton has been dealing with a groin injury this week, leaving his status for Sunday up in the air. Still, the 6-0, 195-pound cover corner has started five of 10 games played this season, posting 27 total tackles, five pass breakups, and an interception. Hamilton has good long speed to carry receivers up the sideline but doesn’t have the quickness to cover nuanced route runners well across the field. No 24. Starling Thomas IV is also questionable to go as he’s dealing with an ankle injury, but the rookie has started three of eight games played this season, posting 15 tackles and two pass breakups.
Fellow rookie No. 13 Kei’Trel Clark has also been thrust into a starting role for Arizona, starring at Louisville as a favorite of our own Owen Staley for the site. Th sixth-round pick has started six games both inside and outside for Arizona and has racked up 40 total stops, two TFLs, and four pass deflections, being a physical, feisty corner who mixes it up in the run game and has a nose for the football.
No. 20 Marco Wilson was Arizona’s starting for the first 11 games of the season, but he was benched last week against the Rams and his status for Sunday remains unclear. No. 21 Garrett Williams starts in the slot for Arizona as the rookie has started four of six games played this season with a pick and two pass breakups on his resume.
Safeties
The star of the Cardinals’ defense is No. 3 Budda Baker, who does it all for Arizona. The Pro Bowl safety plays with incredible tenacity, flying in from the secondary to aid in run defense by flying the alley. He shows non-stop effort in pursuit of the football, throwing his body in there to make the tackle. He’s lacked the splash plays he has had in the past, but he’s still a talented player you must account for at all times.
Opposite of Baker at safety is No. 34 Jalen Thompson, who has developed into quite the player himself for Arizona. Thompson leads the Cardinals in picks this season with three along with five pass breakups, a forced fumble, 55 total tackles and a tackle for loss. He’s a willing tackler who also does a good job roaming the back end of the secondary, using his speed and instincts to take him to the football. Behind the two starters are No. 32 Joey Blount and No. 36 Andre Chachere. Blount is more of a special teamer with Chachere playing more of the snaps earlier in the season in sub-packages as Arizona’s third safety and injury fill-in.
