2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 3-14
Cardinals defense
Every snap the Cardinals defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good+0.09 EPA a play allowed, 27th of 32, and 0.07 above what the offenses they faced usually manage (25th).
- How they playThey blitz on 24% of dropbacks, the 27th-most in the league, and get pressure on 19%.
- Where offenses find roomThrough the air: +0.17 EPA a dropback, 26th, softest deep right (+0.92 a throw).
- Who hurt themPuka Nacua (LA): 267 yards and +22.7 EPA on 24 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | +0.09 | 27th of 32 | 17th | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | +0.17 | 26th of 32 | 20th | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.02 | 26th of 32 | 20th | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 49% | 30th of 32 | 6th | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 11% | 24th of 32 | 27th | |
| Yards per play | 5.8 | 25th of 32 | 23rd | |
| Yards per carry | 4.7 | 26th of 32 | 20th | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 46% | 29th of 32 | 11th |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 4.8% | 28th of 32 | 14th | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 19% | 29th of 32 | 11th | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 11% | 29th of 32 | 11th | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.6% | 20th of 32 | 39th | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 65% | 26th of 32 | 20th | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 2.60 | 29th of 32 | 11th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 1.1 | 21st of 32 | 34th | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | +0.07 | 25th of 32 | 23rd |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Cardinals. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 3 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 12 against the Jaguars, 0.23 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average +0.03 a play elsewhere, the 3rd-toughest schedule of offenses.
at NOW 20-13-0.04usual -0.09
vs CARW 27-22+0.01usual -0.04
at SFL 15-16-0.06usual +0.10
vs SEAL 20-23+0.06usual +0.03
vs TENL 21-22-0.04usual -0.17
at INDL 27-31+0.15usual +0.07
vs GBL 23-27+0.12usual +0.11
at DALW 27-17-0.11usual +0.11at SEAL 22-44+0.07usual +0.03vs SFL 22-41+0.21usual +0.08
vs JAXL 24-27-0.19usual +0.05
at TBL 17-20+0.06usual -0.01
vs LAL 17-45+0.44usual +0.13
at HOUL 20-40+0.25usual -0.02
vs ATLL 19-26+0.05usual -0.03
at CINL 14-37+0.34usual -0.03at LAL 20-37+0.24usual +0.14Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is deep right: +0.92 EPA a throw against a league +0.34. The lockdown zone is intermediate right, +0.04 a throw (league +0.26). Completions against them run 1.0 points over expected, 18th-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 4.7 yards a carry against them, 26th of 32. The leak is off right tackle: 7.2 a carry and +0.17 EPA (league 4.6, -0.04).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 17.615th | 137.116th | +0.2619th-toughest | 19.014th-fewest24.614th-fewest30.215th-fewest |
| Tight ends | 8.430th | 68.630th | +0.5130th-toughest | 10.63rd-most13.82nd-most16.92nd-most |
| Backs, receiving | 5.622nd | 35.824th | +0.1324th-toughest | 22.43rd-most24.73rd-most26.93rd-most |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 17.014th-most17.014th-most17.014th-most |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puka Nacua | LA | 24 | 267 | 3 | +22.7 |
| Calvin Ridley | TEN | 10 | 131 | 1 | +11.8 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | 14 | 183 | 1 | +9.7 |
| Blake Corum | LA | 27 | 200 | 2 | +9.2 |
| Kyle Pitts | ATL | 9 | 57 | 1 | +8.9 |
| George Kittle | SF | 6 | 67 | 2 | +8.5 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-7+: offenses convert 26% against a league 26%. They are stingiest in 3rd down (-0.06 a play, league -0.05) and weakest in 2nd down (+0.14, league +0.02).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 483 | +0.12 | +0.01 | +0.11 |
| 2nd down | 341 | +0.14 | +0.02 | +0.12 |
| 3rd down | 201 | -0.06 | -0.05 | 0.00 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 64 | 73% | 60% | +13 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 51 | 47% | 44% | +3 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 86 | 26% | 26% | −0 pts |
| Red zone | 204 | +0.11 | 0.00 | +0.11 |
| Two-minute drill | 125 | +0.11 | +0.03 | +0.08 |
| When they lead | 427 | +0.11 | -0.01 | +0.11 |
| One-score game | 616 | +0.08 | +0.02 | +0.06 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 247 | +0.14 | +0.04 | +0.11 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 24% of dropbacks and average 4.3 rushers; 72% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow +0.21 EPA when they blitz and +0.15 when they do not.
They put 6.3 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 6%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 5.0 a carry; into eight or more, 1.7.
Offenses throw more than usual against them: 2 points over their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains +0.13 EPA against them on 21% of throws; screens +0.18.
48 defensive penalties for 321 yards, 31 of them first downs, the 18th-fewest. They miss 11% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 26th-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Josh Sweat leads the pass rush with 28 pressures and 12 sacks on 48% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94Dalvin TomlinsonDE | 49% | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 25 | |
| 55Dante StillsDT | 48% | 3 | 2 | 2 | 34 | ||
| 10Josh SweatLB | 48% | 28 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 29 | 4 |
| 25Zaven CollinsLB | 47% | 11 | 1.5 | 10 | 6 | 40 | |
| 93Calais CampbellDE | 46% | 18 | 6.5 | 16 | 9 | 41 | |
| 56Darius RobinsonDL | 44% | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 41 | |
| 52Jordan BurchLB | 44% | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 23 | |
| 79PJ MustipherDT | 27% | 1 | 32 | ||||
| 9BJ OjulariLB | 17% | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | |
| 97Walter NolenDT | 15% | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
Akeem Davis-Gaither plays 69% of the snaps with 116 tackles.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27Akeem Davis-GaitherLB | 69% | 116 | 2 | 4 | 56 | 107.1 | 7 | |
| 50Cody SimonLB | 49% | 75 | 2 | 0.5 | 3 | 41 | 86.3 | 13 |
| 2Mack WilsonLB | 45% | 57 | 3 | 3 | 34 | 83.1 | 8 | |
| 5Baron BrowningLB | 45% | 33 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 68.1 | 5 |
| 44Owen PappoeLB | 8% | 27 | 10 | 84.4 | 1 | |||
| 47Channing TindallLB | 0% | 8 |
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 71.9 passer rating on 26 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3Budda BakerS | 92% | 61 | 42 of 61 | 530 | 2 | 96.4 | 1 | 5 |
| 34Jalen ThompsonDB | 86% | 60 | 37 of 60 | 460 | 3 | 92.3 | 6 | |
| 0Will JohnsonCB | 62% | 61 | 40 of 61 | 447 | 4 | 96.5 | 10 | |
| 29Denzel BurkeCB | 58% | 54 | 33 of 54 | 370 | 2 | 81.6 | 3 | 11 |
| 21Garrett WilliamsCB | 48% | 35 | 28 of 35 | 293 | 5 | 108.6 | 1 | 5 |
| 16Max MeltonCB | 39% | 45 | 28 of 45 | 354 | 1 | 89.3 | 5 | |
| 42Dadrion Taylor-DemersonSAF | 37% | 26 | 16 of 26 | 206 | 71.9 | 2 | 6 | |
| 13Kei'Trel ClarkCB | 18% | 18 | 12 of 18 | 153 | 2 | 102.5 | 2 | |
| 30Darren HallCB | 13% | 12 | 10 of 12 | 141 | 1 | 134.6 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.