Arizona Cardinals week three advanced stats

The Arizona Cardinals were thrashed in their Sunday Morning game against the Buffalo Bills. With basic stats the Cardinals appeared to have dominated the game, but with the final score and some more advanced stats, the Cardinals were far from winning that game.

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.

If you are squemish please turn away now, because some of these stats may make you cry:

• Larry Fitzgerald caught seven of his 11 targets on Sunday. Most of the targets were short passes, as he was only targeted three times further than nine yards downfield.
  
• David Johnson was once again hard to bring down. Johnson forced four missed tackles on Sunday, bringing his season total to 15. 50 of his 83 rushing yards came after contact. He continues to put up his own numbers.
• Palmer threw seven passes further than 20 yards downfield on Sunday. Only one was completed, and three more were picked off.
  
• Mike Iupati was the lone bright spot on the offensive line. On 60 pass plays, he did not allowe a single pressure on Carson Palmer.
  
• Chandler Jones continues to live up to the hype. On his 35 pass rushing snaps he recorded a sack and four pressures on Bills Quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
  
• Patrick Peterson continues his elite play. Taylor targeted Peterson four times, allowing only two catches for 24 yards, while also recording a pick. So far this season, Quarterbacks have a rating of 29.2 when throwing in his direction.
• Markus Golden is holding his pace against Chandler Jones. Golden recorded his third sack of the season as well, as well as recorded three run stops. He's developed nicely in his second year.
• The other Marcus, Marcus Cooper was thrown at nine times, leading the team. He allowed five completions for 41 yards.
  

The Cardinals top performers all came on Defense. Kevin Minter and Tony Jefferson were ranked the highest at 83.9 and 83.5 respectively. Patrick Peterson was the third best played with a 82.4 grade. Calais Campbell and Chandler Jones rounded out the group with 80.3 and an 80.2 grade.

Offensively the grades were as you'd expect. Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson were the top rated players. Fitz finished with a 75.8 and Johnson finishing at 75.3. Iupati was the Cardinals highest graded lineman with a 74.3. He was the only lineman to not allow a pressure on 60 pass blocking snaps. Jaron Brown and DJ Humphries rounded out the Offensive top performers with a 71.6 and 71.3.

Carson Palmer was graded with a 31.6, his worst grade in the Arians era.

Through three games Carson Palmer is ranked 32 out of 36 graded players. His 49.7 grade is actually ahead of Ben Roethlisberger.

David Johnson is the top rated runningback. He currently leads all backs with a 87.1, seven points higher than the next best Runningback, DeAngelo Williams.

Larry Fitzgerald is still the second best Wide Receiver. He trails only Stefon Diggs.

Jared Veldheer is the 27th ranked tackle, and also the Cardinals best tackle.

Mike Iupati has climbed into the top 15 for Guards. His 80.6 grade is better than last weeks.

AQ Shipley has improved to 14th best Center. He sits at a 78.0 grade.

Tony Jefferson has slipped from one to two on the safeties list. He's graded with a 90.0, compared to Eric Weddle's 90.2.

Tyrann Mathieu is 26th on the safety list.

Three Cardinal cornerbacks are in the top 15. Patrick Peterson is fourth with 86.7, Tyvon Branch is 10th with a 82.5, and Marcus Cooper is 12th with an 81.9.

That's it for this week. Let us know if there is anything else you'd want us to take a look at.