3 Takeaways From Arizona Cardinals Preseason Game (Week 2)
WR Group Better Than Expected
Of the many question marks around the 2018 Arizona Cardinals, one of the most talked about things is the lack of depth, talent, and experience at wide receiver. Through two preseason games, it seems like the group is ready to prove people wrong.
Specifically, the Cardinals’ group of wide receivers played very well on Friday against the Saints — especially with Rosen and Bradford throwing to them. Besides catching pretty much everything that came their way, the receiving corp also blocked well and drew some big penalties. One of the biggest plays of the game came in the second quarter when J.J. Nelson drew a 40-yard defensive pass interference. This play set up another impressive play from the offense, a 13-yard touchdown strike between Arizona’s two most prominent rookies — Christian Kirk and Josh Rosen.
Roll the tape…
The rookie connection!@josh3rosen finds @ChristianDavon2 for the @AZCardinals TD. #AZvsNO https://t.co/sOxRQxu6ow
— NFL (@NFL) August 18, 2018
Speaking of Kirk, this guy looks like a true baller. Kirk caught a team-high four passes for a team-best 49 yards. Six passes came his way but the two he didn’t catch came on poor throws from Rosen. In addition, he showed a nice burst of speed on a nine-yard punt return.
Another guy who stood out was Chad Williams, making three nice grabs and proving he can gain yards after the catch. He finished with three catches for 44 yards.
Brice Butler, a guy expected to have a breakout season, didn’t play because of injury but the remainder of the projected regular season guys looked good. Forecasting the regular season, I’d bet that Larry Fitzgerald, Butler, Kirk, Williams, Nelson, and maybe Greg Little make the 53-man roster.
It should be noted that on the other side of the field, former Cardinals’ receiver Michael Floyd caught one pass for the Saints.