Arizona Cardinals Hope To Rebound Against Detroit Lions
By Danny Cox
An unfortunate non-call at the end of Monday night's game with the Seattle Seahawks helped add to an already frustrating game, but it wasn't the only reason the Detroit Lions lost. Now, they're the lone remaining team in the NFL without a victory, but they don't seem nearly as desperate for a victory as the 3-1 Arizona Cardinals, their opponents in week five.
That does not spell good news for the Lions. Not at all.
Season Record
After starting off the season with three straight victories, the Cardinals are now sitting at 3-1 after a 24-22 loss to the St. Louis Rams this past Sunday. It was a back-and-forth game, but turnovers absolutely killed the Cardinals as Carson Palmer threw one interception while running back David Johnson and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald lost fumbles.
Arizona Cardinals on Offense
Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald are always a dangerous combination, and the passing game is truly no joke. Palmer has a wide array of targets in John Brown, David Johnson, Malcolm Floyd and a host or others. The addition of running back Chris Johnson may be one of the most underrated free agent signings in 2015.
The Cardinals have a nice balance of the passing game and running game so the Lions are going to have to keep all of their eyes open on defense.
Arizona Cardinals on Defense
Seven sacks through four games isn't exactly breaking records, but the Cardinals are able to attack on defense from all spots on the field. Arizona also has seven interceptions and five forced fumbles, but unfortunately, they have no recovered fumbles so can't quite find the ball when it's on the ground.
Calais Campbell, Deone Bucannon, Kevin Minter, Alex Okafor...all big names for the Lions to watch out for and keep away from. In the secondary, they're going to want to stay away from Tyrann Mathieu who is easily one of the best young defensive backs in the league.
Arizona Cardinals' Players to Watch
Mathieu is who needs to be watched at all times, but even though he's having a quiet season so far, Patrick Peterson is always lurking. The cornerback can change the outcome of a game with one single move and before you realize it, he'll be in Matthew Stafford's line of vision before he even knew he was on the field.
Going back to Chris Johnson, he's truly one that a lot of teams missed out on. He has 302 yards on 68 carries through four games and two touchdowns. He also has 51 yards on four receptions and another touchdown in the passing game. Before the season, the Cardinals had next to no rushing game and now have one that is incredibly dangerous.
Outlook
As usual, the Detroit Lions look outmatched yet again, but that doesn't have to be the case. If they can cause the high-powered Arizona Cardinals' offense to make mistakes as the Rams did, then turnovers will happen, and an elusive first victory can be theirs. The Lions simply need to play to their strengths, realize where the strengths of the Cardinals lie, and play for a solid 60 minutes.
Danny Cox knows a little something about the NFL, whether it means letting you know what penalty will come from the flag just thrown on the field or quickly spouting off who the Chicago Bears drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). He plans on bringing you the best news, previews, recaps, and anything else that may come along with the exciting world of the National Football League. Danny is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
