GLENDALE - The Cardinals came out of last season with a defense that had too many ugly stretches, and the preseason hasn’t done much to quiet the concern.
Arizona went through a major coaching overhaul heading into 2025, changing almost everywhere except at defensive coordinator, where Nick Rallis was kept in place. That decision raised eyebrows at the time, but the 33-year-old remains an intriguing name in coaching circles.
So far, the preseason has looked a lot like the problems the Cardinals were trying to leave behind. In two of their games, Arizona allowed more than 30 points.
The numbers tell the story clearly. Through the preseason, the Cardinals have allowed 25.6 points per game, given up six sacks, surrendered 139.7 rushing yards per game and 229.7 passing yards per game, and forced just two turnovers. Opponents have converted 61.1% of their third downs.
It’s still preseason, and those games come with reserves facing reserves, so there’s only so much weight to put on the results. But there are two areas Arizona has to clean up before its Sept. 13 season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers: stopping the run and getting off the field on third down.
Run defense was already a sore spot. The Cardinals finished 25th in rushing yards allowed last season, and the front seven had trouble keeping backs from breaking free.
Injuries took a toll on what had been a solid unit through the first eight weeks, but the issues went deeper than health. Tackling and point-of-attack play were inconsistent, and those same flaws showed up again in the three preseason games, when Arizona allowed nearly 140 rushing yards a game.
Third down has been even worse. A 61.1% conversion rate by opponents would land among the worst in NFL history over a full season.
That kind of failure has a way of draining a defense, and Arizona already dealt with that problem last year as it struggled to finish drives on both sides of the ball. The offense appears better equipped there now, but the defense has still allowed 23 first downs on third downs.
Penalties and short passing concepts have repeatedly put the unit in bad spots.
If the Cardinals can keep opponents in front of them and stay disciplined in those moments, it would go a long way toward helping Rallis’ defense in the season ahead.
In Other News...
Cardinals Collapse Put Their Quarterback Gamble In A Tougher Spot
The Cardinals preseason loss to Dallas did more than just fill a line in the standings. Even with most of their starters resting, Arizona gave up 34 points and 413 total yards to a Cowboys group built around backup players, a rough showing that put a spotlight on the kind of depth issues teams hope to avoid this time of year. It also served as a reminder that the offseason quarterback picture is already under a brighter-than-usual lens, with Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck all part of the conversation.
Mike LaFleur pointed to a poor week of practice as part of the problem, and the game did little to ease the pressure around a roster trying to find some stability. The defensive concerns are obvious enough, but the bigger question may be how much support the quarterbacks will actually have if the rest of the team cannot hold up its end. For a club already weighing its options under center, a lopsided preseason setback does not make that decision any easier. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Still Have Key Week 1 Jobs Up For Grabs
With one preseason game left before the roster gets trimmed to 53, the Cardinals are still sorting out a few of the most important Week 1 decisions. Mike LaFleur is expected to settle on Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, while Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier appear set to share the workload at running back, giving Arizona a clearer picture of the top of the depth chart even as the final shape of the lineup remains in flux.
Plenty of other jobs are still being sorted out on both sides of the ball, and the last exhibition outing figures to matter for more than just fringe roster hopefuls. Several projected starters and rotation spots are still tied to game-plan needs and how players perform in live action, which means the Cardinals are entering the finish line with a few questions still open and a lot of the meaningful decisions still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Raised A Tough New Question About Trey Benson
Josh Sweat is officially back in the fold for Arizona after the Cardinals activated the outside linebacker from the physically unable to perform list, clearing the way for him to resume working with the defense as camp moves forward. The corresponding roster move was a notable one on the other side of the ball, with the team waiving running back Trey Benson with an injury designation, a transaction that immediately changes the look of Arizonas backfield depth chart.
For a player the Cardinals have been trying to develop, the timing adds another layer of uncertainty around where Benson fits next. The move does not close the door on his future with the team, but it does put his status in a far different place than it was when camp began, and it raises an obvious question for a roster that is still taking shape: how much room is left for Benson once the Cardinals get everyone healthy and start sorting out the real depth behind the starters? [Read more 🡒]