Arizona Cardinals week four advanced stats

Another week, another loss for the Arizona Cardinals. Through four weeks, the Cardinals have matched their loss total from a season ago. They have a short week coming up, and a roster full of injuries.

This year we will begin to bring you some of those more advanced numbers. Revenge of the Birds and Pro Football Focus have partnered up this season to bring our readers some of the more interesting numbers from the teams games this season.

• Cornerback Marcus Cooper had a tough day in coverage. Cooper was targeted five times, allowing four receptions for 106 yards and two scores. Case Keenum’s passer rating while throwing against Cooper was 158.3.
• Chandler Jones lead the Cardinals in total pressures with six. He recorded one sack, one hit, and four hurries on 32 pass rush snaps. His 88.7 pass rush grade was the teams best.
• The Cardinals were their usual self blitzing on Sunday. They brought more than four rushers on 17 of the Rams 37 passing plays, a blitz percentage of 45.9. League average this season is 30.8%.
• Carson Palmer was much more efficient than in Week three, but still threw an interception, and was constantly harassed. Palmer completed three of his six deep passes (more than 20 yards downfield). Palmers 64.9% on all plays dipped to 54.5% when under pressure.
• Drew Stanton continued to be inaccurate. Of his nine aimed passes, only four were completed and two were picked.
• John Brown woke up on Sunday, making catches against six different covereage defenders, racking up 43 of his 144 yards after the catch.
• Larry Fitzgerald continued to move the chains. Fitzgerald was targetted eight times, getting six of them and recording 48 yards after the catch.
• David Johnson continues to be a focal point of the offense. Johnson caught all four of his targets for 36 yards after the catch. He also had 52 yards after first contact, forcing two missed tackles on his 17 carries.
• Markus Golden continues to keep pace with Jones. Golden recorded his fourth sack in four games, and a hurry to earn a 75.7 pass rushing grade.
• Case Keenum ignored conventional wisdom and targetted Patrick Peterson a team high seven times. Peterson yielded three catches for 48 yards, and a pass deflection.
• Calais Campbell was the team’s most productive run defender with an 86.1 run defense grade, and two run stops. Campbell added three quarterback hurries on his 29 pass rush snaps. He was a huge factor in Markus Golden’s sack.

Other Notes:

Carson Palmer is still the 30th ranked Quarterback in the NFL.

David Johnson is the top graded Runningback in the NFL with an 80.8. Matthew Jonse from Washington is close behind with a 79.9 grade.

Larry Fitzgerald fell from second to fourth following an outstanding week from Julio Jones and Michael Crabtree. Fitzgerald has an 84.0 grade on the season.

Jared Veldheer took a hit following an inconsistent Week Four. He fell from 26th to 32. DJ Humphries improved, becoming the 40th ranked tackle.

Mike Iupati is now the 12th ranked guard in the NFL. Evan Mathis is 30th, after missing week three.

A.Q. Shipley is the 11th ranked Center in the NFL. He’s average in both run blocking and pass blocking. I’m not entirely sure how after he seems to be a consistent weak spot on the line.

Patrick Peterson fell from fourth to eighth this past week. The Cardinals corners continue to fall in PFF’s rankings.

Tony Jefferson is the third ranked Safety. That could change with Harrison Smith’s performance on Monday Night Football.

Kevin Minter and Denone Bucannon are ranked 51 and 68 thus far this season. Both were a strong point of the Cardinals defense a season ago.

Chandler Jones is the eighth graded edge rusher in the NFL. His 82.3 pass rush grade moves him up to seventh.

What are your thoughts on this weeks grades? Comment below.

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