Chargers vs. Cardinals: Postgame Grades and Notes for Arizona

The Arizona Cardinals saw the preseason record drop to 0-2, as they lost 22-19 to the San Diego Chargers, thanks to kicker Josh Lambo's 47-yard field goal as time expired.

Had this been the regular season, this is one of those games that would have stuck with the Cardinals all week. A controversial defensive-holding call extended the Chargers' game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, drawing the ire of head coach Bruce Arians. 

Arizona's fourth-string quarterback, Phillip Sims, led a 10-point fourth-quarter comeback to tie the game, with running back Marion Grice scoring a touchdown, followed by a Chandler Catanzaro field goal with less than three minutes to play.

In a repeat of their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the first week of preseason, Arizona's starters looked impressive, opening up a 9-0 lead before the backups took over. Carson Palmer connected with John Brown on a first-quarter touchdown, while the defense ceded little ground to San Diego's Philip Rivers-less offense. 

Click ahead for the full breakdown.

Position Grades for Arizona

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

QB	C
RB	B+
WR	B-
TE	C
OL	C-
DL	B+
LB	C+
DB	B-
Special Teams	D
Coaching	INC (Preseason)

No Corey Peters, no problem for the Cardinals' defensive line. Missing their starting defensive tackle, the unit still managed to control the line of scrimmage throughout much of the game. 

Arizona's coaching staff opted to use a "committee" approach both at tackle and along the rest of the defensive line, giving the Chargers several different looks. The group showed their talent, depth and versatility.

The Cardinals running backs, led by Andre Ellington and David Johnson, also impressed. It helps to have room to run, but both backs looked lively. As long as the offensive line can do its job (a big ask), Arizona's running backs should be able to make plays.

It's not often you get to give a "D" to special teams, but this one was earned. Dave Zastudil dropped the snap on an extra point, while Chandler Catanzaro missed a 38-yard field goal. The always-amenable Bruce Arians was probably thrilled to give away four points. 

As for the offensive line, click ahead for the full rundown. 

Cardinals' Offensive Line Continues to Struggle

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

It seems inevitable at this point that the state of the offensive line is going be the theme of the Cardinals season.

The good news is the run blocking was much, much better, even without Mike Iuapati. The bad news is that the pass protection was much, much worse.

We'll start with the positives. 

Guards Ted Larsen and Jonathan Cooper both created room up the gut for Cardinals running backs to exploit. Andre Ellington and David Johnson combined for 78 yards on 15 carries, representing a massive improvement over last week's paultry effort.

Now for the negatives.

Drew Stanton and Carson Palmer spent a lot of time on their backs. San Diego's defense notched six sacks, all in the first half, and created pressure on numerous other occasions. Tackles Jared Veldheer, D.J. Humphries and Bradley Sowell all whiffed on outside pass-rush moves from Chargers linebackers. 

San Diego has some pass-rushing talent, but the Cardinals can't afford to have these breakdowns in the regular season. No team wants to see their quarterbacks punished, but the Cardinals have to be especially sensitive to pass-protection issues with Carson Palmer coming off a torn ACL.

The Hole in the Middle of the Defense

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General manager Steve Keim was likely to keep an eye on other teams' potential offensive line and cornerback cuts, but he should add insider linebacker to the top of that list. 

For the second straight game, Kevin Minter and safety (by trade, at least) Deone Bucannon handled the inside linebacker roles with the starting unit. Overall, they're a bit neutral, they won't dominate play, but they won't hurt you, either. 

Sean Weatherspoon, once healthy, will presumably compete with those two for playing time, meaning the Cardinals' inside linebacker rotation will comprise of:

• A player who's great against the run but struggles in pass coverage (Minter)
• A converted safety who needs to stiffen up against the run on early downs (Bucannon)
• A free agent who has played all 16 games in a season once (Weatherspoon)

That trio can get the job done, especially with creative scheming but hoping they'll be anything more than average as a unit is a bit much.

And what of the depth behind them?

Kenny Demens has seen his share of playing time, but he's done little of note in the preseason. Rookie Andrae Kirk looks overmatched. 

Arizona's in rough shape in the middle, and they're one injury away from having a major hole in the heart of their defense.

Rookie Recap

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

• RB David Johnson got his first taste of NFL action against the Chargers on Saturday night, and he didn't disappoint. Showing all the tools that made him a third-round pick, Johnson picked up 66 yards on 13 carries and another 15 yards on two receptions. Johnson could stand to be more direct as a runner, but he proved capable of running inside and outside. He's not a threat to start early in the season, but it won't be a surprise to see him cut into Andre Ellington's playing time. 
• D.J. Humphries did not have a good game. He barely got a hand on Jeremiah Attaochu in allowing a sack, earning an earful from Arians. Beyond that he was "nondescript," but it was not in a good way. He has a ton of talent, but right now it's just potential. Humphries hardly seems a threat to see the field this year. 
• Safety Harold Jones-Quartey made his claim for a roster spot, notching an interception and laying a big hit on Branden Oliver. He's going to be caught in a numbers crunch at one of Arizona's deeper positions, but performances like this will at least give the coaching staff pause before cutting him.
• We'll find out if second -ound pick Markus Golden can get to the quarterback, but for now you have to be impressed with his motor. He simply doesn't give up on plays.

Fantasy Impact

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As mentioned in the previous slide, David Johnson looked very good against the Chargers. It's still Ellington's show, but the veteran now needs to look over his shoulder. If you have the roster space in redraft leagues, Johnson's worth picking up as an Ellington handcuff.

Arizona's wide receiver situation is tough to figure out. They're deep and loaded talent-wise at the position, but it's hard to say any of the receivers are worth rostering.

Even without Michael Floyd's presence, Larry Fitzgerald wasn't much of a factor in the passing game, making just one catch for five yards.

Rookie J.J. Nelson again showed off his speed, hauling in a 57-yard pass from Carson Palmer. Barring injuries, he's still only the fourth option, but he's worth a flier in deeper dynasty formats.

John Brown, strange as it may sound, might just be the guy to own. He was targeted four times against the Chargers, picking up three receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown.