Redbird Recap: 2024 Week 1 Cardinals 28 - Bills 34
The Bills absolutely shellacked the Dolphins. Not something you will normally see as an opening line in a Cardinals column, but because of illness I find myself writing this article with the benefit of seeing the Bills in not only the contest against our Redbirds, but against a team which had playoff, or even Super Bowl aspirations before their 2nd week game, and may still despite setbacks (Best wishes to Tua Tagovailoa). This gives us a point of comparison and contrast, particularly offensively, that we wouldn’t have otherwise that tells us a number of things about this Cardinals team.
Firstly, it gives us less reason to worry about MHJ. Not only did the Bills demonstrate on Thursday, that their Cover 2 based 4-2-5 scheme manages to limit the success of some of the best receivers in the league, but if we go back to the Cardinals All-22 we can see that many times MHJ was getting open. I don’t precisely know why Kyler Murray wasn’t able to get his new WR1 the ball in week 1, but I did notice a general discomfort in clean or clean-ish pockets, and hesitation to follow his progressions. I should mention that despite giving up 4 sacks- most of them at the hands of Kelvin Beachum who had to come in after the injury to Jonah Williams, the Cardinal’s O-line generally held up well against the pass rush, and even better in the run game. Paris Johnson Jr, Evan Brown, Hjalte Froholdt and Will “Mijo” Hernandez, and Jonah Williams all handled their business on Sunday, and could be one of the best Cardinals O-lines I have ever seen once Jonah returns.
Now I could hypothesize on Kyler’s comfort level with certain receivers, as his #1 target of last year, Greg Dortch, seemed to be able to get the ball even on intermediate or deep routes (when not being interfered with…zebras), but the fact remains that K1 was often pulling the ball down to run, or abandoning his reads for the check down or shorter routes far too early on many plays last Sunday. He only had 2 completions of 10 yards or more for this one.
I need to point out here that while officiating was poor in general for this one with some bad calls or no calls, in favor of either team, ultimately it did not decide the outcome. While that last PI no call was heartbreaking, we had plenty of other better chances to put the Bills away earlier.
Other encouraging things to come out of the Cardinals passing game was a healthy target share for Trey McBride, the most spectacular of which was one of Kyler’s few deep shots this game, off by just a few inches. The other tight ends held up well against the run and on shorter passing routes as needed, and while Michael Wilson also seemed to get lost in Kyler’s love of the short game this week, he seemed to be open often enough for me to notice on the broadcast, even before I pulled out the All 22. There is a PFF chart being shared around the internet that derides the Cardinals as having the worst average separation for week 1, but I don’t see it and Next Gen Stats seems to back me up, we had at least league average separation from most of our receivers. What I do see when I watch the film are players that are open when given time, but who are all too often cutting their routes off short because the ball has already gone to the flat or a quick hitch.
https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/stats/game-center-index -you’ll want to navigate to week 1’s game.
Next, the Birdgang’s own Angry Runner may not have had the yard per carry average of a Devon Achane, but James Conner was able to get timely yards and especially in the first half, looked dominant whenever his O-line gave him a good lane. I was particularly impressed at how efficient the Redbirds were in 12 and 13 personnel formations. Those times when you just tell your opponent “I’m running the ball,” and then run it anyways and do so with power and success are one of the things that makes me love the game of football.
Conner added to his numbers on the ground by being a trusted, if overused, checkdown option for Kyler. With Kyler Murray’s legs added to the equation and rookie Trey Benson finding his place, this is a run game that can be dangerous every week and give us a powerful short yardage game.
Speaking of Kyler- he protected the ball well against this Bill’s defense, not throwing a single interception. We can compare that to Tua’s 3 in fewer minutes in spite of a great game the prior weekend. Why did that happen? Well, before he was forced to leave the game, Tua, under Mike McDaniels game plan had been throwing to his less familiar targets, especially as they neared the Red Zone, and for him that resulted in those picks, maybe that is the reason why Drew Petzing and Kyler stuck to mostly familiar old hands and quick short passes when crafting the game plan?
While we need to find our deep and intermediate passing game moving forward this season, this offensive showing, with a chance for a win at the end if either of two pass interference penalties is called, was a good way to start the year against a tough Bill’s Defense.
Now when we look at the defensive side of things for the Arizona Cardinals, we see it is still a work in progress. The good news? For the most part the change to the interior defensive line is already a success compared to the disaster that was last year’s group. Rejoice, for we can finally meet league average standards against the run game, by only giving up 130 ground yards on Sunday- we managed to be 18th in the league. Roy Lopez is the starting Defensive tackle that sets the example for this team, on and off the field, I very rarely saw him making a mistake on the All-22 and the coaches sing his praises. His high motor is evident at all times.
Dante Stills is the DT I am most excited about, however, as he is quietly working towards being a disruptive force on the interior line, and while he is still stuck in the rotation, I see him climbing up this depth chart by season’s end. Stills was the most consistent Cardinal in generating pressure on the QB last Sunday.
The Redbird’s pass rush is worrisome. While Zaven Collins has progressed in his second year at the position, and I only see him fail to set the edge when he is assigned to stunt inside instead, he has yet to build the consistency to be our star at the position. He at least has the size to be effective, unlike Dennis Gardeck, whose motor I love, but whose ability is hampered by the cruel laws of physics. Xavier Thomas was at least somewhat effective, though as a rookie his misreads of option plays are going to be far too common. Victor Dimukeje somehow played 13 snaps this game- I didn’t notice. He failed to impress me in preseason and I am still baffled at his presence on the roster.
While the pass rush and their loss of contain on quarterback Josh Allen and running back James Cook both was the most troubling thing to see last Sunday, the Cardinals struggles in coverage were the most bittersweet. Over-emphasizing coverage on Dalton Kincaid left us vulnerable elsewhere, and yet there were other plays where Kyzir white in particular failed to cover him at all. White was a bright spot at linebacker last year for us, always seeming to be in the right place- his week 1 performance was the near opposite resulting in multiple broken or abandoned coverages, and an inability to be effective against the run allowing himself to be driven away from the play. Owen Pappoe played reliably if unremarkably in his limited snaps at the position, but it was Mack Wilson that stood out here, slashing through the line against the run and mocking plays in coverage.
Our cornerback room is a tale of youth and growth, they are all still learning, and while that can be frustrating at times, like on Max Melton’s good play recognition and drive being followed up with a failure to wrap his tackle, or Sean Murphy-Bunting getting too handsy for two needless penalties, I see a lot of potential in this group. With Jonathan Gannon and Nick Rallis implementing more cover 1 man this year, it will be interesting to see who can stand out and earn it. I don’t have any particular notes here, good or bad, as outside of a few rookies with busted coverages and some general miscommunications they all seemed to at least be giving good effort on each play. I do need to go back into the All-22 and do individual evals here at some point, but the headaches and other ills have kept that off my priority list. Ultimately they gave up too many yards this week, and will need to improve in scheme, execution, and personal growth.
A bit of the good and the bad came from both safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson this week, as the two veterans of the backend, they were able to guide their guys to at least a respectable showing that kept the Cardinals offense in the game. It would have been nice if they and the rest of the Birdgang defense had been able to keep up the performance they were putting up in the early going of the first half, but the Bills’ adjusted well in the closing drive of half one and kept it going in the second half.
We flew into Buffalo, with low expectations on the National stage, some limitations in our offensive game plan, and a still extant talent deficit on defense and very nearly came out with a win. Cardinals fans are used to disappointment, but every once in a while we allow ourselves to hope. If we aren’t careful we might even start to ask ourselves, “Could the Cardinals be good this year?”
Week 1 Good Eggs:
Cardinals Offensive Line- As a whole this group performed admirably.Even #68 Kelvin Beachum, who came in at RT to replace the injured Jonah Williams and was the worst PFF graded lineman on the team, had moments of brilliance. They generally kept a good pocket in the passing game- though Kyler seemed to panic early and often despite this, and in the run game they were generally on the positive side of the line of scrimmage inflicting their will.
#25 OLB/DE Zaven Collins- While you won’t see it on the stat sheet necessarily, Zaven Collins had a very good game. With a pass deflection and a sack both taken away by the referees and solid run game work, the start of Zaven’s 2nd year as an Edge was generally a bright spot. That said, please stop sending Zaven on stunts and let him work the edge, those beefy guards shove the man around.
Honorable mention- #6 RB James Conner- Only 50 yards…but what a 50 yards. That first half was sublime.
Week 1 Bad Eggs:
#7 LB Kyzir White- As much as Kyzir seemed to be in the right place at the right time last year before his injury, this game was the total opposite. He was often washed out of the play against the run game, lost in coverage, or in one foolhardy attempt, completely abandoning coverage to attempt a sack on an already pursued Josh Allen.
Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing- Sorry Drew, but you have to figure out a way to pass in this league, yes even against a team that plays Cover 2 Nickel all game. Establishing our identity with the run is great, but we have to keep on the gas pedal while our defense finds its footing before next year’s talent infusion.
Dishonorable mention- #91 L.J. Collier- On roller skates all game, not looking to be a useful part of this defensive line rotation.
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