In a game that quickly spiraled out of control for the Arizona Cardinals, their 45-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams wasn’t just about the scoreboard-it was also a revealing snapshot of a defense stretched thin and a special teams unit trying to hold the line. With 22 players rotating through 70 defensive snaps and 33 contributing on special teams, the Cardinals threw nearly everything they had at the Rams. It just wasn’t nearly enough.
Let’s break down what we saw on Sunday-snap counts, standout efforts, and areas where Arizona came up short.
Defensive Ironmen and Rotational Chaos
Three players went the distance on defense: cornerbacks Garrett Williams and Will Johnson, along with Mike linebacker Cody Simon. That trio logged all 70 defensive snaps-no small feat in a game where the Rams offense kept the pressure on. Safety Budda Baker wasn’t far behind, playing 62 snaps (89%).
The Cardinals leaned heavily on their depth, but the results were mixed. There were no takeaways, no sacks, and only two quarterback hits. That’s a tough stat line for any defense, especially one trying to establish a physical identity.
Defensive Line: Quiet Day in the Trenches
Snap Leaders:
- Dante Stills (48 snaps, 69%)
- Dalvin Tomlinson (37, 53%)
- Darius Robinson (35, 50%)
Notables:
- P.J.
Mustipher led the defensive line with seven tackles (two solo)-his most productive outing of the season.
- Calais Campbell, in limited action (23 snaps), chipped in four tackles (two solo).
- Stills added two tackles and both of the team’s quarterback hits, while Robinson, Tomlinson, and Bilal Nichols combined for modest contributions.
Nichols exited early with a knee injury, further thinning a unit that’s already dealing with injuries to Walter Nolen III and others.
Linebackers: Pappoe’s Debut, Simon’s Steady Hand
Snap Leaders:
- Cody Simon (62 snaps, 100%)
- Owen Pappoe (35, 50%)
Owen Pappoe saw his first defensive action of the season-and he made it count. The rookie led the team with nine tackles (five solo), though many came after the Rams had already moved the chains. Still, it was an encouraging first showing in a game where the Cardinals needed someone to step up.
Simon, the defensive signal-caller, had a quieter day with three tackles (one solo). His best play was a solo stop on a 2-yard run when the score was already 31-10. The rest of the linebacker group rotated heavily, but impact plays were few and far between.
BJ Ojulari, Jordan Burch, Baron Browning, and Zaven Collins all saw between 25-32 snaps, but only Browning showed up consistently on the stat sheet with six tackles (one solo). Josh Sweat, meanwhile, logged 25 snaps without registering a stat.
Secondary: Heavy Workload, Limited Results
Snap Leaders:
- Garrett Williams (70 snaps, 100%)
- Will Johnson (70, 100%)
- Budda Baker (62, 89%)
- Jalen Thompson (58, 83%)
Williams and Johnson stayed on the field all game, and while they combined for nine tackles, the defense still gave up chunk plays in the passing game. Johnson managed a pass defensed, one of only two on the day for Arizona.
Thompson, who exited with a hamstring injury, had seven tackles before leaving. Kitan Crawford and Denzel Burke rotated in, with Burke notching five tackles (four solo) in just over half the snaps.
Darren Hall saw limited action defensively but made his presence felt on special teams.
Special Teams: Mixed Bag, Missed Chances
Top Snap Getters:
- Owen Pappoe and Kitan Crawford (27 snaps each)
- Darren Hall (22)
- Trent Sherfield Sr. and Channing Tindall (20 each)
Special teams had its moments, but also its misfires. Chad Ryland missed a 63-yard field goal attempt wide right at the end of the first half-but it came after the Rams iced him with a timeout.
His first swing was dead center with plenty of distance. The second, the one that counted, drifted just wide.
Punter Matt Haack was solid, averaging 54.2 yards per punt with two pinned inside the 20. With Greg Dortch on injured reserve, Jalen Brooks stepped in as the kickoff returner, totaling 66 yards on three returns, including a 33-yarder. Michael Wilson handled punt return duties but didn’t get a chance to make a play-two kicks were touchbacks and one was downed.
Tackles on special teams came from several contributors, including Pappoe, Tindall, and Sherfield, who each logged solo stops. Tindall added two assists, while others like Elijah Higgins, Pharaoh Brown, and long snapper Aaron Brewer chipped in with one assist apiece.
Final Thoughts
This was a game where the Cardinals threw bodies at the problem, but the Rams had all the answers. The snap distribution tells a story of a team searching for combinations that work-on defense and in the third phase-but not finding enough traction to slow down a surging opponent.
Owen Pappoe’s debut on defense was a bright spot, and Matt Haack continues to flip the field when called upon. But the lack of pressure, missed tackles, and soft coverage in key moments made for a long afternoon in Los Angeles.
The Cardinals now face a critical stretch-not just for wins and losses, but for evaluating who can be part of the long-term defensive core. Sunday's snap counts gave us a glimpse into that process. Now it's about turning reps into results.