Arizona Cardinals Defense Finding its Edge

With the Arizona Cardinals offense still finding its legs on the season, it has been the defense that was the catalyst behind the big win on Thursday Night Football in San Francisco.

While shutting down a San Francisco offense is nothing to write home about, the fact that the defense has come alive the last two games, especially in stopping the run again and getting after the quarterback is important.

The Arizona Cardinals put up 73 points in their two victories this season, good for 36.5 points per game in their wins, but they have only put up 17.3 points per game in their losses.

The first two losses the team surrendered 23 and 33 points, before holding the Rams to 17. While 24.3 points per game given up on the defense is too many, if you told anyone before the season that the Cardinals would give up 24 points per game and lose, on average, by a touchdown, no one would believe you. Yet, that is what has happened in their three losses.

Somehow though, if the defense is finding their footing like it seems, then maybe that will take some of the pressure off of the offense, maybe that will allow the Cardinals to stop worrying about taking big shots every game and focus more and more on the ball control offense, and taking shots when the opportunity presents itself.

If Drew Stanton can lead the Arizona Cardinals to a 33 point output, then there should be no worries about the offense moving forward, especially if the defense has found their spark again.