For Patrick Peterson, Cardinals' Success Starts with Bruce Arians

When we reflect on games and weekly results, we often dig into numbers. We often look at advanced stats for deeper meaning beyond the dust cloud of each play. And we critically analyze the All-22 film, trying to see who did what and why.

That process will continue each week as the 9-1 Arizona Cardinals keep being both abusive defensively and amazing overall. But there seems to be something more driving the NFL’s best team, something unquantifiable.

I talked to two-time All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson about that and more. His answer wasn’t something but rather someone. Two someones: the head coach and defensive coordinator.

Bleacher Report: Todd Bowles is now in his second season as your defensive coordinator. How would you describe the mentality and identity of a Bowles defense?

Patrick Peterson: Having his aggressive style here in Arizona is something special, and it’s almost as though we didn’t miss a beat after he replaced Ray Horton, my first defensive coordinator. The two have the same mentality: We're going to be very aggressive and blitz a lot.

So I was in a system just like that. Coach Bowles is definitely one of the smarter defensive coordinators I’ve ever been around. He’s a student of the game. He’s played the game so he understands his players, and he knows how to put us in the best position to be successful.

B/R: He’s also one of the more creative defensive coordinators, using a lot of unique blitz packages and coverages. Is that energizing to be a part of as a player?

Patrick Peterson: No question. He has so many pieces he can put into this huge puzzle we have as our playbook and our scheme. That makes it very, very different, and very difficult for teams to catch a beat on us. We’re always showing something different every week.

Our third-down package is going to be different from last week, and we’re going to have a couple different blitzes in there.

B/R: Keeping opposing offenses off balance is always a focus then?

Patrick Peterson: Exactly. When a team doesn’t know what you’re doing it’s very difficult for them to move the ball. If we don’t give up those big, explosive plays that hurt us and put teams in position to score points, we always feel like we’ll have a pretty good opportunity to come out on top.

B/R: From Darnell Dockett to John Abraham, your defense has had to persevere through some potentially crippling injuries to still have only one loss after 10 games. What’s been the key element during the fight through that adversity?

Patrick Peterson: I think it all starts with our head coach. Coach [Bruce] Arians has been there and done that. He’s lost quarterbacks, and he’s been on good teams and bad teams. But at the end of the day what he always preaches to us is to respect the process. And our favorite slogan around here is “next man up.”

He does a great job of not only picking 5-star guys, he also picks great backups. To the point that if the starter goes down we won’t miss a beat, and that’s definitely showing this season.

We’re missing Darnell, but then you’ve got Frostee Rucker stepping in. We’re missing John Abraham, and then Sam Acho and Alex Okafor step into his spot. We’re missing Karlos Dansby, and Larry Foote comes in. We’re missing Daryl Washington, and Deone Bucannon came into his spot along with Kevin Minter.

We have so many pieces that can help our team win games. But the slogans around here are real: next man up, and respect the process.

B/R: Your defense is currently second in the NFL with 15 interceptions, again despite those early injuries. Is there someone who has really stepped up their play to be a difference-maker this season? Antonio Cromartie was a key free-agent signing.

Patrick Peterson: Cromartie has definitely been a huge addition to this defense. He’s playing lights-out football, and he’s silencing all those critics who were doubting him coming into the season saying he can’t stay healthy and he’s old. He’s been a true professional since Day 1, and he has helped me during his time here.

We’re happy to have him, but I also think it all starts with our defensive line. If we can’t put any pressure on the quarterback then for our secondary it’s like play seven-on-seven. We’d be nothing without those guys. Okafor is playing a big role, and you have Kareem Martin stepping in too, Calais Campbell having a great year, and Sam Acho coming off a foot injury to have a fine season himself.

We have a lot of guys who are stepping up and making plays when they need to.

B/R: As you look back on the season so far is there any one moment or game that sticks out as a point when the Arizona Cardinals turned a corner?

Patrick Peterson: We were always confident. But we really realized we’re a good football team early in the year when we played San Francisco. We hadn’t beaten those guys in the last three years.

It was only Week 3 (Cardinals won 23-14), but I believe it was a big step for our team because we hadn’t beaten them in so long and they made it to the conference championship in three straight seasons. To face a playoff team and play as well as we did, I think that’s when we sensed an opportunity to do something special, because last year we probably would have let that game slip away.

But now that we know how to win close games, stick together as a team, respect the process and play physical, smart football, I believe we can be unstoppable.

B/R: Over the past few weeks you’ve been matched up against Dez Bryant and Calvin Johnson, holding them to a combined 74 yards on seven receptions. Do you prepare differently for matchups against large-bodied, highly physical receivers?

Patrick Peterson: Not really. Those guys play into my game because I’m a big, physical cornerback.

I love to be physical at the line of scrimmage to disrupt the timing of the quarterback, and make a throwing window much tighter.

But those guys are great receivers, and it’s always a pleasure to go up against top-tier competition every week. That’s my job description: to go out there and shut down top receivers. As Tyrann [Mathieu] said on NFL Network, that’s why they pay me the big bucks.

B/R: But is there one receiver who stands out as your toughest challenge? It has to be Calvin Johnson, right?

Patrick Peterson: It’s between him and—this will probably be a shocker—Stevie Johnson, even though I’ve only faced him twice. He’s very elusive at the line of scrimmage, and he forces you to be patient. For some corners that’s difficult to do.

B/R: That’s interesting you mention Stevie Johnson. It’s often been said he’s unorthodox, running his routes like he’s a basketball player. He can create odd angles and set you up differently. Is that what makes him so difficult?

Patrick Peterson: I would definitely have to agree with that. He’s always coming up with something different, and he never shows you the same release. He has that one release where he jumps out very, very wide to the left or right and then tries to get back across your face.

He forces you to wait. Sometimes as a cornerback that’s tough because we want to get our hands on these guys and make sure they don’t get open, or get passes deep.

B/R: Has anything changed about the cornerback position during your time in the league? It seems now the most physical corners are also the most effective corners.

Patrick Peterson: I believe the league has definitely changed. For instance, in the '90s offenses focused on running and pounding. Then in the middle part of the last decade that’s when a number of great quarterbacks were drafted and the NFL turned into a passing league.

Now teams believe they need big corners on the outside because receivers are getting even bigger. General managers feel they have to get larger cornerbacks who also have speed and play a physical game. They can run and beat up receivers at the line of scrimmage, and make sure they throw off the timing of the quarterback.

That’s very important. If you want to win I believe you need two solid corners on the outside and some good pass-rushers. At the end of the day, defense wins championships, and offense sells tickets and scores points.

B/R: Lastly, I hear that Tide will be honoring some football legends. Can you give us some details on what to expect?

Patrick Peterson: I’m one of 32 color captains with Tide. We show the fans our pregame rituals and the colors of the game. For instance, last week we wore the all-red uniforms, so I tweeted out a picture.

This week I’m paying homage to a very important legend not only to me, but also to the Arizona community and organization. That’s Aeneas Williams.

We have something very special planned for him and for the fans. If you follow me (@RealPeterson21) and Tide (@TideNFL), you’ll see what we have in store for Aeneas.

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Peterson may find himself across from a deceptive Stevie Johnson again in Week 17, the last of four divisional games remaining for the Cardinals.

He'll face that individual challenge, and as a team the Cardinals will attempt to do what Arians said they're capable of after Carson Palmer's season-ending injury. As he told The MMQB's Peter King (via NFL.com), he believes they can win a Super Bowl with a backup quarterback.

Sure, he has to believe that. But why wouldn't he with this defense?