Offensive and defensive formations for Arizona Cardinals against San Diego Chargers

It was a day later than I wanted it to be, but I got the charting done and put together.

Let's have a look at how the Arizona Cardinals lined up offensively and defensively against the San Diego Chargers.

The defensive looks are easier.

Defensive formations:

The Chargers ran 60 plays on offense. The Cardinals defense lined up in their new "big nickel" or "dime" package exactly half of those plays -- 30.

How does this grouping look? They go with two down linemen (no nose tackle) and three true linebackers -- two outside and Larry Foote on the inside. Deone Bucannon plays like a linebacker. The team call it the "dollar" linebacker spot. They also add Jerraud Powers in the slot. They have two linemen, three linebackers and six defensive backs.

Foote appears to be the guy that never leaves the field. If this grouping continues, we will never see Bucannon and Kevin Minter on the field at the same time. Bucannon plays where Minter would.

On 21 snaps, they played with their true base personnel -- a 3-4. They have three linemen (with the nose tackle in the game -- either Dan Williams or Alameda Ta'amu), four linebackers and the four defensive backs.

They also ran six snaps with a base look. They had three linemen, but had Bucannon in the game instead of Minter. That is the way they started the game. It was an interesting look. It was as if Bucannon were simply a linebacker.

They ran only one play of a true nickel with five DBs. It was one play with Minter in the game with Powers and only two down linemen. Interestingly enough, it was the fumbled snap play.

The other formation the Cardinals defense used twice was an eight-man front -- four linemen and four linebackers. The first time it appeared, Ryan Mathews waltzed in for a 20-yard TD. The next play was a nine-yard pass.

Offensive formations:

Arizona ran 65 offensive plays.

27 of those plays were with "11" personnel (three WRs, one RB, one TE). They ran the ball 10 times from that grouping. Carson Palmer dropped back to pass 17 times in that package, but scrambled twice.

The next most commonly used formation was "12" personnel (one back two TE, two WR). They used that package 20 times, running seven times and passing 13 times.

They went with "10" personnel (no tight ends, one back, four WRs) five times and passed on every attempt.

They went with "zero" personnel four times. In fact it was the first time I recall ever seeing true a true zero. They lined up with five receivers. Palmer dropped back four times, throwing three times and scrambling once. They have gone many times with an empty backfield, but it has almost always been in "11" personnel, as Andre Ellington and a tight end would line up wide.

Three times they went with "13" personnel (three tight ends). They ran twice and passed once.

They went with two backs and one tight end twice -- one pass and one rush. They went with two backs and two tight ends three times, rushing twice and passing once.

The best one? That was the one "clock" formation when they went for the kneeldown to end the game.

Other notes:

Of their 65 plays, Palmer lined up at shotgun 27 times. Seven of those times were with an empty backfield.