TEMPE — Throughout the offseason and leading up to last week, questions swirled around the Arizona Cardinals’ pass rush.

And although the Cardinals proved naysayers wrong in Week 2 behind a five-sack effort spearheaded by outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck, Arizona faces a whole other tier of offensive linemen against the Detroit Lions this Sunday.

It’s like going from algebra to calculus in the matter of a week.

Unlike the injury-riddled Los Angeles Rams offensive line that was missing multiple starters, the Lions enter Week 3 pretty much intact. Starting left guard Graham Glasgow is listed as questionable, though head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Friday that “he should be good.”

That means Gardeck and the rest of Arizona’s pass rushers are going to get the full brunt of a cohesive O-line that’s one of five other units to allow just two sacks through two weeks. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Detroit’s sack rate of 2.3% allowed is lowest in the league.

The offensive line play has helped the Lions turn in a top two offense (413 yards per game) and passing game (262 yards per game). Can’t forget about Detroit’s top 10 rushing attack (151 yards per game), either.

But for as good as Detroit’s line looks on paper, there is potential for the Cardinals pass rushers to apply pressure on Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the Lions have allowed the fifth most pressures (29) among teams who have yet to play in Week 3. They’re 17th in quarterback pressure rate (32.6%), just two spots ahead of the Cardinals (32.8%).

For a Cardinals defense, they’ve got to continue to be advantageous when pass-rushing opportunities arise. While Arizona is among the bottom six teams in total pressures (18), it’s tied for the fifth most sacks (seven) in the league.

A big piece of those totals has come from Gardeck alone, who has four pressures and three sacks on 38 pass rush attempts to go along with four tackles for loss and three QB hits.

And much like he did in his three-sack performance against the Rams, Gardeck will be counted on once more to be among Arizona’s biggest tone-setters defensively.

“He really did an extraordinary job (last week) executing the rush plan to a tee and still setting up his rushes,” outside linebackers coach Robert Rodriguez said on Friday. “It’s not that easy to do. I think there’s a nuance to it. Some guys just rush like crazy. Other guys have to be a little bit smarter.

“It’s cool that he puts on display his talent and his ability but also his intelligence, so it’s a whole lot of fun to watch him execute that.”

It can’t all be on Gardeck’s shoulders in the outside linebackers room, though.

Zaven Collins, who should have another sack on the year and is “lightyears ahead” of where he was last year in Rodriguez’s eyes, must continue to make positive strides and have them show up on game day.

Zaven Collins vs. Jackson Barton. #AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/PpzaSL6LOG

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 19, 2024

Rookie Xavier Thomas on the other hand has to get up to regular season speed after standing out in the preseason.

“Immediately out of the preseason, we made it clear with him, ‘There’s a difference between sacks in the NFL and preseason sacks in the NFL. The thing is you put on display you can rush at this level and you can handle what we’re giving you,'” Rodriguez said.

“I’ve seen growth from him just in these last three weeks that I’m really still encouraged by him, but I’m not going to put a number or a cap on him because he can exceed it or it can crush him. I don’t want to put that line on top of him. Let’s just let Xavier be Xavier.”

If last week’s victory didn’t already, a win against the Lions would firmly put the Cardinals on the NFC’s radar. Generating consistent pass rush and getting home on Goff are two big ways in making that become a reality.

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TEMPE — Much like the Arizona Cardinals, the Detroit Lions led by head coach Dan Campbell pride themselves on playing with violence and a high motor.

And much like safety Budda Baker, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson encapsulates exactly what his team is about.

The third-year pro is well on his way to a consecutive double-digit-sack season, entering Week 3’s matchup against the Cardinals with a league-leading 5.5 sacks.

Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Hutchinson’s 11 pressures and 67 pass rush attempts are both tied for the fifth most among league defenders through two weeks. He’s 17th with a quarterback pressure rate of 15.9%.

DENIED! Strip sack by none other than @aidanhutch97 🔥

📺: #TBvsDET on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/8PIsOuNg6C

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

“You have to be (aware of where he is at all times),” quarterback Kyler Murray said Wednesday. “He warrants that, he’s a great player. The things he has done in his short career are pretty impressive.

“He is who he is and he’s going to continue to be that guy for the rest of his career. We definitely have to be aware of him.”

And although he mostly lined up on the left end a majority of the time in Week 2, Hutchinson has the versatility to rush off both sides.

So, while right tackle Kelvin Beachum is expected to see a big dose of Hutchinson on Sunday, left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. could also be in for some action against the No. 2 overall pick out of Michigan.

“He is in a really good scheme. They give him some freedom and he’s got a skill set,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday. “Wherever he got drafted, you could tell why he got drafted that high.”

Hutchinson presents a big challenge for an Arizona offensive line that is coming off a stellar showing against the Los Angeles Rams.

He is far from the only Lion to watch, though, especially when looking at the offensive side of the football:

The Lions’ two-headed monster

Detroit has plenty of receiving weapons (more on them later), but the offense runs on a strong ground game behind the duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

The complementary backfield has been nearly an even split, with Montgomery (28) outpacing Gibbs (24) by just four carries. The difference in rushing yards is even tighter with two separating the former (126) and latter (124). Montgomery also has the lead in touchdowns (two) over his counterpart (one).

Montgomery brings added physicality to the position. Gibbs on the hand brings added shiftiness and ability as a pass catcher.

Among Lions pass catchers, Gibbs trails only wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) in catches with 11 for 56 yards.

More slot problems

The Cardinals came away victorious when it came to limiting slot wide receiver Cooper Kupp in their win against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2.

If they want to have the same result against the Lions, keeping the versatile Amon-Ra St. Brown in check could go a long way towards achieving that.

Cardinals safety Budda Baker on WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and the Lions offense as a whole: pic.twitter.com/nyMVCKB4vA

— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) September 19, 2024

After posting a lackluster stat line of three catches for 13 yards in Week 1, the four-year pro bounced back with an 11-catch, 119-yard showing in Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Don’t let his inconsistent start to 2024 fool you, either. St. Brown is coming off 11 games of at least 90 receiving yards on his way to 1,515 just a season ago.

Quieting St. Brown won’t fall solely on nickel corner Garrett Williams, either, with the wideout finding plenty of success lining up out wide.

“St. Brown’s a great player, a guy who can run the whole route tree,” Baker said Thursday. “An all-round great player and a player that of course we gotta understand where he is on the field. Ultimately whatever (defensive coordinator Nick Rallis) calls, it’s about doing our job and taking it one play at a time.

“St. Brown is a great player, but that offense is a great offense. It’s about understanding our rules and bringing our rules to the field as soon as we get the play calls in.”

Jamo

St. Brown may be quarterback Jared Goff’s favorite target, but it’s Jameson Williams who is pacing the team in yards (200) and receiving touchdowns (one) entering Sunday’s tilt.

Aside from his speed, what makes Williams such a menace is his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands.

Of his 200 receiving yards, 86 have come after the catch.

27-yard gain by matching Jameson Williams with an underneath linebacker

Amon-Ra and LaPorta push coverage downfield. Creates a void.

Ragnow 77 peels back to get just enough pic.twitter.com/sBmG3cwTkE

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) September 10, 2024

“He’s fast, very fast,” Baker said. “Can run the whole route tree. I would say the speed and the athleticism that he has when he catches the ball, he can get a lot of YAC.

“That’s definitely something that we understand and know. … He can run anything. He’s probably about (180 pounds). We understand that change of direction is very good.”

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker on what stands out about Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams: pic.twitter.com/uki26MFUT7

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 19, 2024

Don’t overlook LaPorta

Compared with those listed above, fellow playmaker and tight end Sam LaPorta is having a slow start to the year.

After reeling in 86 balls on 120 targets for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns, LaPorta has just six catches on eight targets for 58 yards in two games played this year.

“Last week it was [Amon-Ra] St. Brown. This week it’s LaPorta. Next week it’s going to be somebody else,” Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson told reporters Thursday. “That’s just the nature of the beast. … We’ve got a lot of weapons and it’s hard to guarantee someone five to eight targets every single game. That’s just not how it works.”

The Cardinals haven’t had much trouble against tight ends the past two weeks. Let’s see if they can keep that trend afloat for another game.

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TEMPE — Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch is finally getting the opportunity he’s fought for since entering the league in 2019.

A more consistent presence in the Cardinals offense as Arizona’s starting slot man, Dortch has already paced the team in receiving yards once (Week 1).

“When you have that role and you have that security — he’s a hungry dude anyways; he’s had to earn everything he’s received in his life — it’s definitely allowed him to just be himself,” quarterback Kyler Murray said Wednesday.

Where is Cardinals WR Greg Dortch’s confidence level at after stacking joint practices on top of his strong training camp?

“Confidence has always been high. … Hopefully when I play you can see it.” pic.twitter.com/c8LyT8gzvZ

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 16, 2024

Now up against a Detroit Lions defense in Week 3 that struggled mightily against Tampa Bay Buccaneers slot man Chris Godwin this past Sunday, there’s a real chance Dortch could find himself atop the stat sheet for a second time in three weeks.

All but one catch throughout Godwin’s 117-yard, one-touchdown performance came out of the slot. All six went for no less than 10 yards. That included a 41-yard TD, three more catches of at least 17 yards and four first downs gained.

Outside of Godwin’s performance, it was a relatively quiet day for some of the Buccaneers’ other playmakers. Mike Evans finished with three catches for 42 yards. Quarterback Baker Mayfield led Tampa Bay’s rushing attack with 34 rushing yards and a touchdown on five carries. Former Arizona State Sun Devil and running back Rachaad White accounted for 18 yards on 10 attempts.

Even if Dortch doesn’t put up Godwin-like numbers out of the slot in Week 3 — the Cardinals do have more pass-catching talent overall than the Buccaneers — there’s still a good chance he leaves a noticeable mark on the game after seeing what Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp did to Detroit in Week 1.

While Kupp caught half of his 14 receptions out of the slot, he didn’t explode yardage-wise behind 40 yards.

Most of those catches, however, came in early-down situations and helped put L.A. in more advantageous positions. Only one of the five catches to start a series went for at least five yards. His two second-down grabs resulted in first downs.

And much like Kupp and Godwin, Dortch brings added versatility and determination his signal-caller covets.

“You can throw him a bubble, you can throw him a hitch, you can throw him a fade. G can do it all,” Murray said of his wideout. “I love the stature that he is, because he’s inspiring to not only me, but smaller receivers around the world or young kids that want to say they can’t do it because they’re 5-foot-7, 5-foot-8, whatever it is, Greg’s doing it and he’s doing it at a high level.”

Another layer to Dortch’s game

You know what else the 5-foot-7 wideout can do that adds to the potential for a Week 3 impact?

Win 1-on-1 matchups. Or as Murray put it in June, the wide receiver is “unguardable” in such situations.

And that’s just what head coach Jonathan Gannon, who has the utmost confidence in Dortch’s abilities, is calling for against this Lions’ secondary.

“They have a really good back end. (Lions passing game Coordinator/DBs coach) Deshea Townsend’s a really good football coach. … They’ve got really good players,” Gannon said.

“We’re going to have to win some 1-on-1s if we want to make some plays, which I feel really good about.”

If the combination of Carlton Davis III, Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson and the rest of the Lions’ secondary aren’t careful — and don’t clean things up at practice this week — they very well could become the Dortchure chamber’s next victims on Sunday afternoon.

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TEMPE — Kyler Murray turned in one the best games of his career in the Arizona Cardinals’ dominant 41-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Completing an impressive 81% of his throws for 266 yards and three touchdowns for a perfect passer rating of 158.3, Murray was on one throughout Arizona’s home opener. Can’t forget about his 59 rushing yards on five carries, either.

The effort marked just the second time in NFL history a player put up at least 250 passing, 50 rushing yards and a perfect passer rating since Ken Anderson did so with Cincinnati in 1974.

It was also Hall-of-Fame worthy, with Murray’s game-worn jersey and game ball from Week 2 heading to Canton where they will be displayed at the Pro Football HOF.

But which plays from Sunday’s showing stood out the most?

A look at Murray’s top plays from Week 2 before turning the page to Sunday’s matchup against the Detroit Lions:

Not enough love

Murray had plenty of big-time plays that had a whole lot of people talking.

But it was a seven-yard pass to running back Trey Benson that really caught the eyes of his head coach and offensive coordinator when watching the tape back.

After finding wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. for a 32-yard gain, Murray kept the ball moving in the right direction with the dump off to Benson.

@BurnsAndGambo here’s the throw Gannon mentioned pic.twitter.com/t4NVYjgOeO

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) September 16, 2024

Most people would see it as a ho-hum play from the signal caller. Take a closer look, though, and you’ll see Murray’s knowledge of the system and game on display.

“He went from bubble to over-route to checkdown in less than a second for a (seven-yard) gain, because that’s where the ball should go,” head coach Jonathan Gannon told Burns & Gambo on Monday. “That’s pretty special. … That’s accelerated vision, that’s high IQ, that’s never being sped up, that’s playing extremely fast with 100% command.”

“The ability to play that fast in the pocket and get that quickly through a progression in a critical situation when you know protection’s not going to hold up forever is huge,” offensive coordinator Drew Petzing added. “Now, it puts a lot more stress on the defense of, ‘We can’t take away the first two reads and expect him to break down and run out of the pocket.'”

Vintage K1

OK, now it’s time for the real fireworks.

All three of Murray’s touchdowns were impressive in their own right. But the 18-yard touchdown strike to tight end Elijah Higgins to give Arizona an early 21-0 lead might take the cake for most impressive.

KYLER MURRAY ARE YOU SERIOUS?! 😱

📺: #LARvsAZ on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/gfHzqbrZ0w

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

Kicking off the second quarter with a bang, Murray did Murray things. After making Rams pass rushers miss on multiple occasions — looking at you Jared Verse — Murray bought himself a wealth of time before finding Higgins in the back of the end zone for the score.

Murray celebrating before Higgins secured the catch was the icing on the cake.

pic.twitter.com/Bi4c2XHkx1

— Kyler Murray (@K1) September 17, 2024

Per Zebra Sports, Murray held onto the ball for 8.55 seconds before the TD strike. Since the inception of Next Gen Stats (2016), that’s the seventh longest time to throw and third longest since 2019.

The catch meanwhile had a completion probability of 24.7%. That’s the lowest mark for a tight end in Week 2 and the 10th lowest among all pass catchers in 2024.

Giving the people what they want

Harrison’s one-catch effort on three targets in Week 1 was far from what many expected to see from the K1-MHJ connection.

Early on in Week 2, however, the two quieted the noise and gave everyone a glimpse of what’s possible.

Kicking off Sunday’s scoring barrage, Murray and the rookie pass catcher linked up for a 23-yard touchdown that raised eyebrows across the league.

On top of it being Harrison’s first touchdown of his NFL career, it was the way it all went down.

MARVIN HARRISON JR.’S FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWN HAS ARRIVED pic.twitter.com/EFquDWaM8V

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 15, 2024

Per Next Gen Stats, the touchdown grab had a completion probability of 13.7%, the most improbable score of the season.

That’ll happen when Harrison had just 0.7 yards of separation and 0.7 yards to work with when the ball got to him.

Chemistry building

Murray’s first touchdown to Harrison was something else.

His second TD strike to the rookie isn’t that far behind, albeit for a different reason.

Marvin Harrison Jr. we love you pic.twitter.com/GE6a9vVabw

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 15, 2024

Despite having running back James Conner and tight end Trey McBride as his first two reads, Murray rolled out to his right to find Harrison breaking his route down the field.

All Murray had to do was fire a dime on the run and let Harrison do the rest.

Scramble drill

While this one didn’t result in a touchdown like the last three, it was still a major play from Murray.

“You gotta be kidding me.”@K1 and @MarvHarrisonJr have many in disbelief in the first quarter 😱

📺: #LARvsAZ on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/bwBNmggHuB

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

Looking to keep the drive alive in the first quarter, Murray again made a pair of defenders miss before finding Harrison down the sideline as he drifted out of bounds.

Harrison again made a great read off his QB, breaking down the field for a wide-open catch. Had Murray put a little more juice on it, there’s a real possibility we’re talking about yet another touchdown between the duo.

“The one-off schedule play on third down I think was awesome, but we practiced that — scramble drill,” Gannon said postgame. “When you have a mobile quarterback, you practice that. The touchdown to start the game, they played a coverage and the safety was sitting low and that’s where the ball should go. That’s what happened in practice. That’s what happened today.”

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TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals did something on Sunday that they hadn’t accomplished in a decade.

They successfully defended their home turf against the Los Angeles Rams for the first time since 2014. Back then, the Rams were still in St. Louis.

Throughout Sunday’s 41-10 beatdown, it looked and felt like the Cardinals could do no wrong — even when they probably should have.

But what numbers truly tell the story of Arizona’s Week 2 victory?

A closer look at how the Cardinals bucked a trend no team wants to follow along with a few interesting nuggets from Sunday:

That’s just barbaric

If the Cardinals were going to have a chance on Sunday, their pass rush needed someone to rise to the occasion against a Rams offensive line wrecked by injury.

Enter Dennis Gardeck.

The veteran pass rusher came to play on Sunday, racking up six tackles, four of which were for losses, three sacks and three QB hits across 26 defensive snaps (50% of available reps).

Of his 16 pass-rush attempts, Gardeck generated four pressures for a 19% pressure rate. That comes in tied for 12th among NFL pass rushers in Week 2 ahead of Monday Night Football.

“There was a little bit of extra of, ‘Let’s go get after them and let’s let people know,'” Gardeck said postgame.

“It was cool, it was fun. I love playing football with my friends,” he added.

It truly was a full day of work for Gardeck, who also paid tribute to former Cardinals teammate Markus Golden. The recently retired pass rusher was in attendance for Sunday’s action.

Along with Gardeck, Zaven Collins and Krys Barnes got home on Matthew Stafford for a sack apiece to bring Arizona’s game total to five.

The success clearly didn’t go both ways, either, with the Rams accounting for just one sack on the afternoon.

Less than a yard

Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. finding the end zone twice on Sunday was a massive accomplishment without any added context.

But how he achieved the first one is pretty unreal.

Per Next Gen Stats, Harrison had just 0.7 yards of separation from his defender and was 0.7 yards from the sideline when the ball got to him.

Throw those numbers into the equation and you’ll come away with a 13.7% completion probability, making Harrison’s snag the most improbable touchdown of 2024 so far.

“That’s why we got him. He’s doing his thing,” running back James Conner said Monday.

“That’s why we got him. He’s doing his thing.”

Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner speaks on WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and his stellar Week 2 showing: pic.twitter.com/pxWvKFDZHP

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 16, 2024

Perfection

You thought this section was reserved for quarterback Kyler Murray, didn’t you?

Nope!

Instead, this part of the program belongs to head coach Jonathan Gannon. Not only did he notch his first divisional win on Sunday, he also got it done with his challenge flag.

With his successful first-quarter challenge on Sunday, Gannon is now 2-0 in his career.

After not challenging a play until Week 18 of last season, Gannon didn’t waste any time in 2024.

Deep dimes

OK. We’ve now entered Murray’s space.

The franchise signal caller turned in arguably his best game as a pro on Sunday. He completed 17-of-21 passing for 266 yards and three touchdowns for a perfect pass rating of 158.3.

He added another 59 yards on five carries.

But while everyone is talking about his impressive stat line, and rightfully so, it was his long-bomb ability that really stood out on Sunday.

Per Next Gen Stats, Murray completed all five of his passes of at least 20 air yards for 156 yards and three touchdowns. That perfect completion rate had a probability of just 0.3%.

After not seeing a pass go for more than 10 yards down the field a week prior, it was a promising sight to see for the high-powered offense.

“I got all the nicknames for him. Houdini, Superman, all that,” Conner said Monday. “When he’s rolling like that, we’re the best in the game.”

Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner on QB Kyler Murray’s (@K1) Week 2 performance:

“I got all the nicknames for him. Houdini, Superman, all that. When he’s rolling like that, we’re the best in the game.” #AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/fOmm51jsRT

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 16, 2024

Nice

With Arizona’s dominance on Sunday, the Cardinals now sit second behind only the New Orleans Saints (91) in points scored through two weeks with 69.

200-plus

The Cardinals turned in their fifth game of at least 200 yards rushing since last season with 231 yards on Sunday.

Detroit, Arizona’s Week 3 opponent, is the next closest with three.

Conner accounted for a majority of the ground work behind 21 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown.

It’s clear good things happen more times than not when Conner gets a healthy dose of carries.

Since joining the Cardinals in 2021, Arizona is 7-3 when the running back sees at least 20 rushing attempts. Across his career, Conner is 14-3-1.

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GLENDALE — It’s wild what a week can do. After being held to just one catch in Week 1, Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. lived up to his first-round billing in Arizona’s dominant 41-10 win at home over the Los Angeles Rams.

Nearly tripling his targets from a week prior, Harrison finished as the game’s leading pass catcher with four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. The next closest was tight end Trey McBride with six catches for 67 yards, while the rest of Arizona’s wide receivers room accounted for 42 yards on four catches combined.

The stats don’t tell the full story, either, with Harrison’s first score of the afternoon sporting a completion percentage of just 13.7%, per Next Gen Stats. He had just 0.7 yards of separation and was 0.7 yards from the sideline when he caught the ball. The 23-yard strike currently ranks as the most improbable touchdown of the year so far.

Talk about a bounce-back effort.

But while Harrison is deservedly getting his flowers after a huge home opener, the wideout seems more concerned with the plays he left out on the field than the ones he made. He did after all do all of his damage in the first 13 minutes or so.

“It was solid. I think the offense played a good game. They definitely executing in the run game and pass game as well,” Harrison said postgame. “I’m not going to lie to you. I saw (quarterback Kyler Murray’s) stat line. He had four incompletions, all of them were to me.

“I’m not very happy about that. Definitely gotta get that fixed and continue to build on our chemistry as the season goes on.”

He’s not wrong. While Murray walked out of State Farm Stadium with a perfect passer rating (158.3) behind 266 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-21 throwing, the signal caller’s only misses of the night were Harrison’s way.

It’s been a roller coaster beginning to Harrison’s NFL career. He went from nonfactor to unguardable in the span of a week.

But even with the peaks and valleys, the wideout remains even-keeled.

“You can never get too high or too low. Last week, I knew I couldn’t get too low. This week, I’m not going to get too high after a successful day,” Harrison said Sunday. “I try to approach each game with the same mindset, have the same preparation, the same routine. No matter how the results are.

“Obviously, if things are going bad, I have to change some things. I’ve never had a lack of confidence in myself or the rest of the team, so we will continue to get better each and every week and continue to grow.”

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Melton entered the week in concussion protocol after going down late in Arizona’s Week 1 loss to Buffalo. He did not practice on Wednesday before getting in limited work in the two days following.

He was listed as questionable before getting the green light on Sunday.

Melton gives Arizona’s secondary another premium option alongside Sean Murphy-Bunting, Starling Thomas V and Garrett Williams.

Those not suiting up for the Cardinals include cornerback Darren Hall, linebacker Jesse Luketa, defensive lineman Dante Stills, offensive lineman Jon Gaines II, tight end Travis Vokolek and wide receiver Xavier Weaver.

Weaver entered the matchup as questionable, with an oblique injury that held him out of Week 1’s action.

He practiced on a limited basis throughout the week.

The biggest surprise among Arizona’s inactives was Stills, who has served as a solid rotational piece along the defensive line.

With him inactive, look for L.J. Collier to take on a bigger role in the rotation.

As for the Rams, running back Cody Schrader, linebacker Brennan Jackson, offensive lineman Dylan McMahon, tight end Davis Allen and defensive lineman Tyler Davis are inactive.

Catch Cardinals-Rams at 1:05 p.m. on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 and ArizonaSports.com.

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Now, Arizona gets a Los Angeles team that’s had little resistance against the Cardinals over the years. Since Sean McVay got to town in 2017, L.A. has won all but two of its 14 divisional games against the Cardinals. There’s also that decisive Wild Card win in 2021.

Pull back the scope even further for the Cardinals and you’ll find a winless home mark against the Rams since 2014.

It’s safe to say L.A. has had Arizona’s number for some time. But with yet another regular season, comes the chance for the Cardinals to buck the trend in Year 2 of the new regime. That is if they make the right adjustments following last week’s loss.

A look at the biggest changes Arizona can make in hopes of successfully defending its home turf against the Rams:

Get Marvin Harrison Jr. the ball!

Even the Marvin Harrison Jr. haters couldn’t have expected the rookie’s Week 1 showing to be so rough.

Seeing just three targets come his way, Harrison walked out of Buffalo with one catch (and a drop) for four yards on the day.

It was clearly not the NFL debut anyone drew up for Harrison. And it’s a performance that cannot be repeated in Week 2.

While quarterback Kyler Murray got a lot of flak for “missing” the No. 1 wide receiver near the end of the game, the wideout struggled to get open more times than not. Sometimes that was due to the coverage the Bills deployed on the rookie, throwing an addition defender his way. Other times, Harrison just couldn’t finish his routes thanks to Arizona’s short passing attack and Buffalo’s pass rush.

So, what changes can be made in a week’s span?

Yes, Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray was practicing on Friday (this time without the leg sleeve). #AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/vwJArSlOKf

— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) September 13, 2024

For one, they can get Harrison on the move pre-snap. That didn’t happen at all last week, with head coach Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing opting to utilize the wideout primarily at the X. Moving him to the slot and/or at the Z will at least give the defense different looks of the No. 1 wide receiver.

It’s also on Harrison to think less and just play, something he admittedly didn’t do consistently throughout Week 2.

As for Murray’s role in all this, he’s got to find the right spots to force the issue at times, with or without added reps.

The connection with Murray and Harrison should improve with every week, especially since these first two are the very first instances of them playing in a game with one another.

Go deep(ish)!

You know what was missing in the Cardinals’ loss to the Bills last week? Successful down-the-field shots.

Only three times did Murray attempt a pass of at least 20 air yards, all incompletions and none going Harrison’s way. Still, Murray finished middle of the road (14th) among starting quarterbacks in deep ball percentage at 9.7%. Another four passes came in the intermediate range (10-19 yards). Only one was caught, albeit for a touchdown.

Taking what the Bills were giving it, the Cardinals offense stuck primarily to short passes.

Not having that deep presence allowed Buffalo’s secondary to focus on keeping everything in front of them.

In Week 2, that’s gotta change.

Taking a few more chances deep (or at least intermediately), especially with Harrison, is crucial in keeping the Rams defense on its toes.

On top of Jared Goff and the Lions scoring on one of their two deep balls throughout last week’s win over the Rams, the QB had seven in the intermediate range.

Now, not all of them hit, but a couple of those turned into chunk plays.

Can’t have a chance at explosives unless you take some shots.

Pressure makes Ws

The Cardinals had little success rushing the passer against a stout Bills offensive line last week.

This week, however, Arizona’s pass rush has a golden opportunity to prove some naysayers wrong against a Rams O-line riddled by injury.

While the prognosis for the line improved Friday, with McVay now expecting starting right tackle Rob Havenstein and right guard Kevin Dotson to play on Sunday, the line is far from 100%.

Starting guard Steven Avila and tackle Joe Noteboom are on injured reserve, while Alaric Jackson is nearing the end of his two-game suspension.

Those injuries and the suspension played a big role in Los Angeles’ lackluster pass protection, with Stafford being the fifth-most pressured QB (14) in Week 1, per NFL Next Gen Stats. And while the Lions came out of the matchup with the win, they managed to sack Stafford just twice.

If not for Stafford (and his 49 pass attempts) putting the team on his back, the Lions likely would have avoided overtime and walked out of Week 1 with a decisive win.

Still, getting double-digit pressures would be a big step up for a Cardinals pass rush that had just six a game ago.

If there was ever a time for Zaven Collins to show why he received an extension this offseason, it’s this weekend.

It’s not just on him, though, with Dennis Gardeck and Xavier Thomas needing to produce off the edge in Week 2.

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Among the handful of holdovers from the Kliff Kingsbury regime, Whipple has held many titles since coming to Arizona in 2019.

They include:

– Offensive quality control coach (2019)
– Assistant wide receivers coach (2020-21)
– Co-pass game coordinator (2022)
– Pass game specialist: wide receivers (2023)
– Pass game specialist: tight ends (2024)

This week, Whipple is once again adding more onto his plate, stepping in for Autry Denson as Arizona’s running backs coach against the Los Angeles Rams.

“Autry Denson will not be at the game. He’s got a family matter,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Friday morning. “Him and his family are in our prayers. He’ll be back Monday. Spencer Whipple will take over his responsibilities on game day.”

In addition to the above list, Whipple’s unofficial roles include exceeding expectations as interim play caller for a 2021 game when Kliff Kingsbury tested positive for COVID-19 and serving as a fill-in RBs coach midway through 2022. The latter came after James Saxon was fired having pled guilty in a domestic battery case and assistant running backs coach Don Shumpert was let go.

It’s those emergency appointments and Whipple’s behind-the-scenes work of scouting the league that stand out.

Whipple’s versatility, a trait that Gannon covets, are incredibly valuable to not only the new regime but also the coach.

“Especially early on in your career, no matter where you’re at, you want to get exposed as much as possible,” Whipple told Arizona Sports in August. “Just being around different positions and soaking in that knowledge and getting around other coaches. Not just the football knowledge but the teaching methods of each coach is a little bit different. Everybody does it a different way.

“Just being able to document those things so I can infuse those into my own style to create some ways of how I want to teach and coach. I’m just really fortunate to be in all those rooms and be moved around and exposed to all those different things.”

Who’s the pinch hitter for Spencer Whipple, the Cardinals’ pinch hitter?

Serving as Arizona’s fill-in running backs coach this weekend isn’t the only title Whipple will be adding to the resume this month.

He and his wife expecting a baby girl that could potentially arrive at any time just two weeks out from the due date.

“It’s always something you think about and just the excitement. It’s always kind of in the back of your mind,” Whipple said of becoming a dad. “You’re passionate about the job, you’re working for yourself and your wife and now you have a baby daughter that you’re trying to be the best as you can be each day — whether you’re coaching or not — just to be in that right frame to raise them.”

As for the preferred arrival timeline?

“The tail end of that three-game home stretch would be nice, so I’m not getting on a plane to go somewhere,” Whipple said.

Let’s hope the Cardinals have a backup plan for their backup plan this weekend.

Just in case.

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To the relief of quarterback Kyler Murray (and all the other NFL quarterbacks not named Matthew Stafford), defensive tackle Aaron Donald and his 16 sacks, 26 tackles for loss and 34 QB hits against the Cardinals opted for retirement this offseason after 10 seasons and eight First Team All-Pro nods.

Breakout wide receiver Puka Nacua, fresh off a record-setting rookie season of 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns, is missing his first game as a pro after getting placed on injured reserve this week.

L.A.’s starting offensive line meanwhile is banged up to the point where only one member of the unit has practiced this week.

But even with all the injuries and the future Hall of Famer hanging it up, the Rams, who were a tough out for the playoff-contending Detroit Lions, still have plenty of firepower at head coach Sean McVay’s disposal for the Cardinals to contend with in Week 2.

“They’re still obviously well coached,” quarterback Kyler Murray said Wednesday. “They have a lot of great young players up there that play super hard. … Well coached, play super hard. Those things are unmatched.”

A look at the biggest menaces for the Cardinals in their Week 2 matchup against the Rams:

Still that dude

On top of his ability to beat the Cardinals through the air, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen rumbled his way into two more rushing touchdowns in his team’s 34-28 win over Arizona last week.

Unlike their Week 1 foe, the Cardinals don’t have to worry too much about Stafford doing Allen-like things in the run game.

But where Stafford lacks with his legs, he more than makes up for with his arm.

“He can deal it man. He’s tough as all get out, very accurate, sees it, never sped up,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday. “Through the course of my career, because I was in his division for a long time, he makes some ‘wow’ plays, some eye-popping plays, he stays on time, he’s on schedule. He’s a really good football player.”

Stafford’s had the Cardinals’ number since joining forces with the Rams, posting a 4-1 mark that includes three multi-touchdown games and two outings of at least 280 yards since 2021.

A known thorn in Arizona’s side, Stafford enters Sunday’s matchup coming off a strong showing in the Rams’ overtime loss to the Lions. He had the second-highest passing yardage in Week 1 behind 317 yards to go along with a touchdown and an interception on 69.4% throwing. Only Miami Dolphins signal caller Tua Tagovailoa threw for more yards (338) last week.

“I like going against Stafford. He’s a guy who can have those amazing no-look passes, a guy who can move the underneath defense to where he wants them to go so he can throw it to whatever target he wants,” safety Budda Baker said Thursday. “The ball comes in very fast, has a zip. Top three quarterback I believe watching on film. Great quarterback and excited to go against him.”

But as mentioned higher up, Stafford and the Rams are dealing with some serious injury concerns along the offensive line. If there was ever a time to dial up more pressure against the NFC West foe, it’s this week.

Save from a 63-yard catch-and-run that really should have been nothing more than a short gain, Stafford was held largely in check when the Lions got into the backfield. Across Detroit’s 11 pressures, Stafford completed six-of-10 passes for 91 yards and a sack, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

Unlike the Cardinals, who registered three pressures in each of the two halves in Week 1, the Lions kept the pressure on throughout the game.

Regardless of pass-rushing talent, the Cardinals must be able to exploit a depleted Rams O-line to have any shot at throwing Stafford off his game.

Kyren the Cardinals killer

Don’t let his pedestrian 2.8 yards per carry give you any second guesses. Third-year running back Kyren Williams is a problem, especially for the Cardinals.

Two of the running back’s best games of the year came at Arizona’s expense last season, with Williams rushing for at least 143 yards and scoring one touchdown on no fewer than 16 carries.

And although he was held out of the end zone as a runner in the second matchup of the season, Williams scored twice through the air on the Rams’ way to victory.

“He did a great job against us last year. Of course it’s a new group, new team, new players,” Baker said. “That’s the No. 1 thing is to ultimately stop the run.

“He’s great at running those stretch opens, pitches. Whatever they ask him to do, to block, he does a great job at it and does it a high level.”

Kupp’s never empty

No Puka, no problem?

Yes, losing Nacua is a tough blow for the Rams. They do, however, still have one of the top receiving threats in the game in Cooper Kupp.

And if you needed a refresher, take a look at what he did last Sunday.

Making up for the loss of Nacua, Kupp reeled in a league-leading 14 catches on 21 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. That’s right, 21 targets.

That’s only 10 fewer than what the eight Cardinals pass catchers who recorded a target saw in their Week 1 loss to the Bills.

The Cardinals secondary, not only nickel corner Garrett Williams, are going to have their hands full on Sunday with a wide receiver who lines up across the formation and frequently goes into motion.

L.A.’s new Verse

The time has *potentially* come. After jawing with one another while on with Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo, the opportunity is there for Jared Verse and Trey Benson to face off on the gridiron.

As Verse put it, he was going to knock the paint off Benson’s helmet, much to Benson’s refusal.

All jokes aside, the rookie Verse is coming off a strong Week 1 showing where he registered one sack on six pressures (tied for fifth in the NFL), a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits in his NFL debut.

Last week against the Lions, Verse lined up exclusively on the left side. If that’s the case in Week 2, he’ll draw Paris Johnson Jr. more times than not.

This has the makings of a really good battle in the trenches.

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Getting extra attention and limited looks throughout the 34-28 loss in Buffalo, Harrison recorded one reception for four yards to go along with an early drop on just three targets.

The rookie, who failed to create much separation in his debut, did the opposite of what he came to do as Arizona’s No. 4 overall pick this past April.

“It wasn’t great. I need to do a better job of helping the team win, helping the offense,” Harrison said Wednesday. “That’s why they brought me here is to help the team, help the offense go. I got to do a better job of that going forward.”

“I was thinking a lot. Definitely thinking a lot out there,” he added. “I think thinking less and just going out there and playing will definitely come with reps.”

But while Harrison’s debut was far from what he or anyone else surrounding the team envisioned, the sky isn’t falling for the young pass catcher or the Cardinals.

Both he and quarterback Kyler Murray know it’s a matter of time before they start clicking in live action, especially when it comes to trusting his new weapon deep down the field.

After all, this was the first time the duo had any sort of game reps together.

“Nothing changes. We have the utmost confidence in what we’re capable of,” Murray said Wednesday. “If you went back and watched the game, I think they were doing a good job of making sure that he wasn’t going to be singled up or not be singled up for the majority of the game. I’ll never lose confidence in Marv. It was his first game. We have to continue to get better and we will.”

“I think that comes with time and you’ve seen it with guys like I played with like (DeAndre Hopkins),” the signal caller added on forcing the issue. “He’s a guy that was one of those where it didn’t really matter who was over there. If you just give him a chance, he’s going to go up and get it. … It was my first game with Marv. We didn’t get a lot of reps in the preseason — we didn’t get any. We have to go out there and prove that we’re capable of that.”

More game reps with Murray and NFL experience overall — two things he could have gotten more of this preseason, though respects Gannon’s decision to sit the pair — can go a long way in making sure a performance like Week 1 remains an anomaly.

“It’s totally different.”

Marvin Harrison Jr. knows he and Kyler Murray will take time to develop a feel for each other during the regular season. pic.twitter.com/NsdyJ24jZ5

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 11, 2024

Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing can also lend a hand in helping generate mismatches by putting the wideout in motion, something that didn’t happen throughout Sunday’s loss.

“He’s one of our top players. He’s certainly on the forefront of our minds in terms of getting him the ball,” Petzing said Tuesday. “I think they did some good things to take him away and I certainly could have called some plays differently to get him a little bit more involved early. But I thought it was a good start and we certainly have some work to do ahead of Week 2.”

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TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals’ prospects of stealing one on the road against the Buffalo Bills went from rolling to stolen on Sunday.

Flying high to a 17-3 lead at one point in the second quarter, the Cardinals offense eventually came crashing down to Buffalo in the second half of Sunday’s 34-28 loss.

Beyond rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. failing to see a target in the final two quarters — and only having three on the afternoon — the Cardinals offense just didn’t have an answer for a Bills pass rush that turned up the heat.

It was a big reason why the Cardinals offense was held to just a field goal in the second half. Losing starting right tackle Jonah Williams to a knee injury at the end of the first quarter didn’t help, either.

After getting four pressures (one sack) on Murray in the first half, Buffalo’s defense accounted for nine in the second. The late effort included three sacks, one of which was a strip of the franchise signal caller.

The uptick in the second half led to a 34.2% pressure rate. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, when a team is between 32% and 40%, the defense has a win percentage of 56%.

The Cardinals pass rush, meanwhile, was stymied in the second half after registering a pair of sacks, one being a strip-sack, and three pressures in the two quarters prior. There could have been a third, too, had it not been for a questionable roughing the passer call on Zaven Collins in the second quarter.

Going up against dual-threat quarterback Josh Allen, the defense posted three pressures across the final two quarters but came away empty handed.

Instead, Allen made something happen to keep drives alive, whether it be a 25-yard pass to running back James Cook on third-and-long or a five-yard scramble for a first down on fourth-and-two.

That led to a 20% pass rush rate, which has a defensive win percentage of just 33%.

“I thought we had enough opportunities, especially in known pass, to affect him,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday when talking about getting initial pressure on Allen.

“I think we gotta capitalize on more opportunities, whether that be a game, getting on the right person as a low cross or a checkdown or bringing him down or not fouling. A free runner, get him on the ground. We’ve got to collectively coach and play a little bit better.”

Next up for Arizona’s pass rush is the far less mobile Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford behind an offensive line already beaten up by injury.

The opportunities should be there in Sunday’s home opener at State Farm Stadium. Can the Cardinals defense capitalize?

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TEMPE — The Cardinals offense was the biggest reason why Arizona came close to upsetting the Buffalo Bills at home on Sunday. Rookie and No. 1 wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., however, had little to do with that.

Held to just one catch for four yards on three targets, the rookie was ineffective and underutilized.

It was a shocking NFL debut for all the wrong reasons.

And while head coach Jonathan Gannon believes “the ball went where it should” given what the Bills defense gave the Cardinals offense throughout the defeat, he knows that can’t be a repeat performance.

After a disappointing NFL debut, how does @AZCardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon plan to get Marvin Harrison Jr. more involved in week two?

🎧: https://t.co/3zqo7WF6cc pic.twitter.com/175mzI3C8Y

— The Burns & Gambo Show (@BurnsAndGambo) September 9, 2024

“The game plan with how they wanted to play us dictated a lot of his involvement,” Gannon told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday. “They kind of took some of that away. We planned for that — or maybe there was a couple other plans — but no question we got to get him going. We got to get him a little bit involved, but they did some things that took him away and put a lot of resources to him.”

Across his 33 routes ran, Harrison rarely appeared to be the first read for quarterback Kyler Murray with the Bills clouding the rookie with a safety more times than not.

Instead of Harrison getting a healthy dose of targets, it was wide receiver Greg Dortch (eight targets on 23 routes ran) and tight end Trey McBride (nine targets on 31 routes ran) getting the bulk of the looks.

The offense has to take what the defense gives it at times. It also has other play-making options to consider. But there was also a handful of missed opportunities between the quarterback and wide receiver. And that’s without including the viral shot of Harrison wide open down the field.

Some of that included not allowing deeper plays to develop and instead focusing on shorter pickups with other pass catchers. There’s also the fact of just giving the 6-foot-4 wideout the chance to make a play. That’s why you drafted him No. 4 overall after all.

As for how Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing can get Harrison more involved moving forward, especially if more teams deploy a similar look, there are multiple avenues to consider.

“There’s different ways you can align him and deploy your people, that’s one thing,” Gannon told Burns & Gambo. “I think another thing is to get him on the move a little bit.

“I’m not going to give away all our secrets right now, but there’s ways to do that. Week 1 we wanted to leave him at X and play, so we’ll have some stuff for him if people want to do that to him the whole game.”

‘Marvin will be fine’

For a rookie that has generated as much hype as Harrison heading into Year 1, Sunday’s forgettable showing — that included a surprising drop — can leave a mark and impact the psyche.

That is unless you’re Harrison, says his head coach.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said Marvin Harrison Jr. will be “perfectly fine” after Week 1’s showing:

“He’ll be fine. Marvin will be fine. He’ll get back at it and go to work. Nobody’s going to put more expectations and pressure … on him than himself.” pic.twitter.com/q08vWpf1St

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 9, 2024

“He’ll be fine. Marvin will be fine,” Gannon said Monday. “He’ll get back at it and go to work. Nobody’s going to put more expectations and pressure … on him than himself.”

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Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.’s long-awaited NFL debut didn’t live up to the hype in Sunday’s 34-28 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Instead of leading Arizona’s pass catchers after four quarters in Buffalo, Harrison found himself at the bottom of the stat sheet with just one catch for four yards.

Even more glaring than his output were the limited targets (three) that went his way. He did not see a pass go his way in the second half and didn’t help his stat line with an uncharacteristic drop early on.

So, what gives?

For one, the Bills weren’t taking any chances with the young pro, scheming up a defense to better limit Harrison’s big-play ability.

“They were clouding him,” head coach Jonathan Gannon told Paul Calvisi postgame. “When they were playing shell, they were playing forms of cloud to him, two-man to him, swiping to him. Credit to Buffalo there.

“They obviously were trying to take him away,” Gannon added while talking to reporters. “But we had a bunch of guys catch balls, so that’s how our offense is gonna be built. The ball should go where it should go depending on the coverage.”

That’s not to say there weren’t opportunities for Harrison to leave his mark on the game, especially late with the game on the line.

Down 34-28 on Buffalo’s 39-yard line with 1:10 left to play, Harrison had nothing but green grass and the end zone in his vicinity.

Wide open is an understatement.

Marvin Harrison Jr. was so wide open for a game-winning touchdown CBS couldn’t even fit a Bills defender in the frame

(Kyler Murray did not throw to him) pic.twitter.com/77hEMZYzwD

— Christian D’Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 8, 2024

But instead of walking in for a potentially game-winning touchdown, all the rookie could do was watch quarterback Kyler Murray find Greg Dortch for a seven-yard gain.

Yes, a first down was picked up, but it could have been so much more if Murray — who was avoiding pressure throughout the play — had seen his No. 1 option down the field.

“When you play football, there’s a lot of stuff moving around, you’re moving fast. You don’t see everything,” Murray told reporters postgame.

“I wouldn’t say (the Bills) were taking him away,” the signal caller added when talking about Harrison’s lack of production. “As a quarterback going through your reads, sometimes the ball goes to him. It’s not my job. Obviously, I have a sense and a feel for the guys when they aren’t getting the ball and when they are getting the ball, but I leave that up to (offensive coordinator Drew Petzing). He tells me, ‘Don’t worry about that type of stuff. Just keep playing your game and get the ball where it’s supposed to go.'”

Whatever the reasoning may be, not getting your premier pass catcher involved on a consistent basis — whether you’re the quarterback or the coordinator — cannot happen moving forward. Sunday must be the floor for Harrison in 2024.

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It marked the first return in the NFL’s new kickoff format.

With Arizona’s defense struggling to keep quarterback Josh Allen at bay and the Cardinals’ offensive inconsistencies in the second half, Dallas provided a much-needed spark late.

This is what the powers-that-be envisioned with the new KO rules. And why the #AZCardinals wanted DeeJay Dallas. pic.twitter.com/ymjbnV7R1q

— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) September 8, 2024

Down 31-20 after Allen’s second rushing score of the afternoon, Tyler Bass kicked off and Dallas did the rest.

Catching the ball at the five-yard line, Dallas looked like he was shot out of a cannon as he made multiple defenders miss with rookie Max Melton and Emari Demercado serving as lead blockers.

“(Special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Jeff Rodgers) called a great return,” Dallas told Cardinals sideline reporter Paul Calvisi postgame. “The guys blocked it up and we read the ball off the wind. I caught it, made a couple moves and housed it.”

A successful two-point conversion further cut into Buffalo’s lead, making it just a three-point difference.

Known more for his special teams capabilities, Dallas was among Arizona’s few free-agent additions this offseason that received a three-year deal.

The score would be for naught, though, with the Bills scoring a field goal on the ensuing drive before stopping Murray and the offense.

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Arizona Cardinals starting right tackle Jonah Williams will not return against the Buffalo Bills due to a knee injury.

Williams went down on the final play of the first quarter. He was able to walk off under his own power but didn’t return in the 34-28 loss.

In place of Williams is veteran swing tackle Kelvin Beachum, who made 48 starts at right tackle for the Cardinals from 2020-22.

“Beachum is like the glue that keeps all this team together, honestly,” Will Hernandez said in August. “How many more guys can you actually name in the league right now that have been playing for 13-plus years. That comes with a lot of value.

“It’s a lot of indirect value, because a lot of what he knows, he transfers it to guys and transfers to me as well. This is my seventh year and feel like I’m learning so much talking to him on and off the field.”

Williams is among the newcomers to the Cardinals’ offensive line in 2024 after spending the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals.

He was brought in to start at right tackle with Paris Johnson Jr. making the move to the left side in Year 2.

Initially, Arizona didn’t miss a beat despite Williams’ injury, with the Cardinals orchestrating a 12-play, 70-yard scoring drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown from running back James Conner.

Beachum, however, gave up two sacks and more hurries in the loss.

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After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Cardinals set the tone early on in the drive behind playmaking running back James Conner.

Conner did it both through the air and on the ground, getting the first six touches of the drive.

That included a pair of catches, one going for 22 yards on a second-and-seven look.

The drive nearly came to an end, though, with quarterback Kyler Murray unable to pick up a first down on third and 13. But a Buffalo roughing the passer call gave the Cardinals a new set of downs that they would not take for granted.

Going Conner’s way once more for a five-yard run before taking a sack, Murray capped off the drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Michael Wilson.

FIRST ONE OF THE SEASON GOES TO @mikewilllyy!! pic.twitter.com/cmVZyuNJ3i

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 8, 2024

Arizona’s first drive of the year went 70 yards in 13 plays for the score and took 7:13 off the clock.

Aside from Conner and Wilson, Greg Dortch also came down with a catch in the opening possession.

Arizona’s defense picked up where the offense left off, with Roy Lopez strip-sacking Josh Allen four plays into Buffalo’s opening drive. Cardinals newcomer Justin Jones recovered the rock.

The offense couldn’t find pay dirt for a second straight time, but did see a Matt Prater 29-yard field goal go through the uprights.

The Cardinals wouldn’t be held out of the end zone for long, though, ripping off another 13-play scoring drive that spanned 71 yards and 7:07. And while he didn’t see nearly as many touches, Conner made the most of the one he got, turning it into a three-yard TD.

Before Sunday, Arizona hadn’t scored on each of its first three offensive possessions of a season since 2006 against the San Francisco 49ers.

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Both entered the weekend as questionable.

Reiman was a limited participant throughout the week of practice with an ankle injury. The 2024 third-rounder is expected to have a meaningful role as Arizona’s primary blocking tight end across from playmaker Trey McBride.

Tip back. ⬇️ https://t.co/b6sqYL3C62 pic.twitter.com/QzeQrT7IOu

— Cardinals Corner (@AZCardsCorner) September 4, 2024

Blount picked up a back injury during the week after getting a full workload in on Wednesday. He did not participate Thursday before practicing in a limited capacity on Friday.

The safety has been mainly used as a special teamer since joining the Cardinals last season. He appeared in 11 games for Arizona in 2023.

Outside of those two and Xavier Weaver, who will not play Sunday due to an oblique issue, the Cardinals did not have any other players on the Week 1 injury report.

Which Cardinals are inactive for Week 1?

Those not suiting for the Cardinals in Week 1 include Weaver, cornerback Darren Hall, linebacker Jesse Luketa, offensive lineman Jon Gaines II and tight end Travis Vokolek.

As for the Bills, safety Cole Bishop, linebackers Joe Andreesen and Eddie Ulofoshio, defensive ends Javon Solomon and Dawuane Smoot and offensive linemen Sedrick Van-Pran Granger and Ryan Van Demark.

The Cardinals take on the Bills at 10 a.m. Catch all the action on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 and ArizonaSports.com.

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The regular season begins Sunday for the Arizona Cardinals. But before the ball goes live in their season opener against the Buffalo Bills, it’s time for one final record prediction for the year ahead.

Just because head coach Jonathan Gannon doesn’t like to look too far ahead, doesn’t mean we can’t!

Arizona Cardinals’ 2024 record prediction

Week 1: at Buffalo Bills

The Cardinals are taking on arguably their toughest challenge at quarterback this regular season right out of the gates in Josh Allen.

He’s a problem through the air and on the ground with or without star wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who now resides in Houston.

Buffalo’s defense, however, has some questions to answer in the secondary following the departures of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.

I smell a high-scoring upset (not just chicken wings) in Buffalo.

Result: Win

Week 2: vs. Los Angeles Rams

Quarterback Kyler Murray and the Cardinals don’t have to worry about Gannon-certified “war daddy” Aaron Donald. Ernest Jones IV and his 145 tackles aren’t around, either. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are back for another round of catching footballs from quarterback Matthew Stafford.

This one could be a shootout.

Result: Loss

Week 3: vs. Detroit Lions

The Lions are where the Cardinals want to get to in the next year or two.

After climbing out of the NFL gutter, Detroit is in the Super-Bowl conversation under head coach Dan Campbell. And wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is no joke.

This is going to be a good litmus test to see just where the Cardinals rank.

Result: Loss

Week 4: Washington Commanders

Kliff Kingsbury’s and Jayden Daniels’ return to Arizona! The former Cardinals head coach and Arizona State quarterback have since teamed up in D.C.

You know the Cardinals (and their fans) are going to be extra amped for this one, especially those who played under Kingsbury during his Arizona tenure. It’s going to show on the scoreboard.

Result: Win

Week 5: @ San Francisco 49ers

There’s no more drama in the Bay Area after Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams and the 49ers worked everything out contract-wise.

The Super Bowl contenders would have been a tough out regardless of their statuses.

Result: Loss

Week 6: @ Green Bay Packers

Coming off a tough battle in San Francisco, the Cardinals have another strong NFC foe in the Green Bay Packers.

They’ve experienced some change, with starting running back Aaron Jones now lining up for the Minnesota Vikings, but still bring enough talent to get the job done at home.

Result: Loss

Week 7: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Head coach Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL, but can he turn things around in Year 1?

Justin Herbert is dangerous, but the Cardinals take this one.

Result: Win

Week 8: @ Miami Dolphins

Miami presents a high-powered offense that is going to be tough for any defense to contend with, let alone Arizona.

Tyreek Hill could be in store for a big day.

Result: Loss

Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams could be a force to be reckoned with down the line.

He’s also a rookie quarterback bound to make mistakes. I think defensive coordinator Nick Rallis is going to get creative in this one.

Result: Win

Week 10: vs. New York Jets

This one comes down to quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

If he’s healthy and doing some of the things he’s known for on the field, Arizona’s young cornerbacks room could have some trouble against the old vet and a supporting cast that includes running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

The defense that features cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams is another beast.

Result: Loss

Week 11: Bye

Week 12: @ Seattle Seahawks

New head coach, same Seattle. The elements could play a factor in this one. But even then, Arizona should still have the upper hand.

Result: Win

Week 13: @ Minnesota Vikings

No matter who was the quarterback, be it rookie JJ McCarthy or Sam Darnold, this one remains circled as a Cardinals W.

This is going to be a rough year for Minnesota.

Result: Win

Week 14: vs. Seattle Seahawks

Well, that was fast.

Unlike in Seattle, quarterback Geno Smith and Co. figure things out for the series split.

Result: Loss

Week 15: vs. New England Patriots

Another rookie quarterback (probably)? Even with the questions surrounding Arizona’s defense, it should have a good day against a franchise fresh into its rebuild post-Bill Belichick.

Result: Win

Week 16: @ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have done themselves zero favors over the last couple years and it shows on their roster.

This is one the Cardinals can’t lose.

Result: Win

Week 17: @ Los Angeles Rams

After getting some time to work through the wrinkles of a post-Donald world, head coach and mastermind Sean McVay should have some answers.

Another tough divisional matchup for Arizona.

Result: Loss

Week 18: vs. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers could very well be resting players ahead of the playoffs at this point in the season.

Still, they have enough coaching and depth to get the job done.

Result: Loss

Final record: 8-9

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Buffalo, however, remains firmly in the contender conversation behind a coaching staff led by head coach Sean McDermott and a high-caliber roster that has since been reloaded to complement Buffalo’s returning playmakers.

A look at the big names to watch in the Cardinals’ Week 1 matchup against the Bills, beginning at the very top:

Josh Allen, QB

There’s not much Bills quarterback Josh Allen can’t do. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound signal caller can beat you in all areas.

Since 2020, Allen has thrown for at least 4,283 yards and 29 touchdowns on 65.5% passing. That included three straight seasons of at least 35 scores or more. His passer rating hasn’t dipped below 92.2 since 2019.

He’s also coming off a career-best 15 rushing touchdowns to go with 524 yards on 111 carries. If Allen finds a lane, he’s taking it. And for a bigger signal caller, the QB has some speed in the open field.

.@JoshAllenQB turned on the BURNERS for the 52-yard rushing TD 🗣️

📺: #PITvsBUF on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/rnjmj1Pg4j pic.twitter.com/WUzjBV8d99

— NFL (@NFL) January 15, 2024

There are similarities and differences to Kyler Murray that he himself noted.

“Josh (and I are) similar in abilities of being able to run, throw and do it all in that sense,” Murray said Wednesday. “He’s probably eight inches taller than me. He’s a dog, though. A dog. A great player, great quarterback. Obviously (he’s) done a lot of great things in this league.

“We’re both striving to win the Super Bowl, though, so I look forward to being able to compete against him. Obviously have done it once. Know he’s going to bring his best game, so we’ve got to do the same.”

The big thing with Allen is his ability, though, is his ability to avoid going down.

A ton of credit goes to an offensive line that brings a lot of the same faces to the starting lineup in 2024, but Allen has a knack to stay upright. Among starting quarterbacks, the signal caller was sacked a league-low 24 times.

That total marked the lowest in his career and the third 20-sack season in a four-year span.

“That’s partly because of his O-line. They played with each other I think the whole year, continuity there,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday. “They’re good, they’re well-coached and then when you do get in the backfield a little bit, he’s got the ability extend plays, make you miss, run away from you, run through you.

“We just have to be on it. That’s knowing your opponent. That’s going to be a big-time challenge for us, so we have to do it well if we’re going to win the game.”

For the Cardinals, it’s going to be all about keeping him as contained in the pocket as possible. If Allen can get out and create in chaos, whether that’s with his arm or his legs, that’s when he causes the most headaches.

He’s not without his misfires, though. In all but three games last season, Allen threw an interception, totaling 18 on the year. That was the second-highest mark in the NFL behind only Sam Howell (21).

Capitalizing on his miscues is going to be huge if the Cardinals want to have a shot at the upset.

James Cook, RB

After playing third fiddle in Buffalo’s rushing attack to Allen and former Bill Devin Singletary as a rookie, Cook got his feature-back moment in 2023. He didn’t disappoint, either, amassing 1,122 yards (fourth most in the NFL) and a pair of touchdowns on 237 carries.

Cook added another 445 yards and four scores on 44 catches (54 targets).

He certainly lived up to the Cook name last year, providing that similar spark his older brother Dalvin brought to the league.

“Little Cook. I like him, I like him a lot. I remember playing his brother in 2020-21 and he was doing a lot of good things against us,” safety Budda Baker said Thursday. “He’s a great running back. A running back that can between the tackles and run outside the tackles as well. They like to scat him a lot as well.

“He’s a Jack-of-all-trades running back. … Very excited to go against him and see what he’s got, because he’s got a lot of juice on film. Never gone against him.”

Cook isn’t going to find the end zone at nearly the same clip as Allen, but he’s plenty capable of punishing an Arizona run defense that was one of the worst in the NFL last year.

Dalton Kincaid, TE

Someone’s gotta step into the targets left behind by Diggs and fellow pass catcher Gabe Davis. Could that someone be second-year pro Dalton Kincaid?

The tight end posted a strong rookie season behind 673 yards and two touchdowns on 73 catches. Only Diggs and Davis posted more yards than Kincaid last year.

He’s not the only tight end to worry about, either, with Dawson Knox another option Buffalo intends to utilize on game day.

“(Kincaid’s) a really good player. You could tell they wanted to get him the ball last year,” defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said Tuesday. “You assume they’re going to do it again because he’s a really good threat in the receiving game and he’ll get in there and block. I think the tight end room in general is a really good tight end room.”

Keon Coleman, WR

Coleman joined the Bills this past NFL Draft as a second-round pick out of Florida State.

The 6-foot-4 pass catcher is expected to help fill the void left behind by Diggs and Davis after catching 11 touchdowns in his final collegiate year.

There are bound to be rookie mistakes that the Cardinals secondary could potentially capitalize on, but it sounds — and looks — like Coleman is going to be an important part to the offense moving forward.

What. A. Catch. 😱@JoshAllenQB | @KeonColeman6 | @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/ia2VfnMCsZ

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 4, 2024

Ed Oliver, DT

Ok, enough about the offense. On the other side, defensive lineman Ed Oliver presents a tough challenge for Arizona’s offensive line on Sunday.

With Leonard Floyd and his 10.5 sacks from 2023 now in San Francisco, Oliver is Buffalo’s premium weapon up front. He’s also coming off a career-best 9.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 16 QB hits and 65 total pressures last year.

Oliver is now tasked with helping lead a new-look Buffalo defense that ranked fourth in sacks (54) and second in total takeaways (30) last year.

“They’re very well coached and don’t give up a lot of big plays,” Murray said Wednesday. “(The) front’s very good. They’re going to do what they do. Obviously, the back end is different guys, but I think the coaching and the rapport that the guys have I think that’ll take over.

“I don’t really expect to see any difference. I’m going out there expecting the best Bills defense that we’re going to get so yeah, I’ll be prepared.”

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