Cardinals vs. Raiders: Postgame Grades and Notes for Arizona
The Arizona Cardinals at last got a win this preseason, but it sure felt like a loss. Sloppy play from the Cardinals starters marred the team's 30-23 victory over the Oakland Raiders Sunday night.
Contrary to the first two weeks of the preseason, when Arizona's backups undid good work from the first-stringers, Sunday's winning performance yielded more questions than answers. It's all a bit like that scene from White Men Can't Jump.
Dominated by the Raiders defensive line, Arizona's offense failed to gain any traction in the first half. Facing constant pressure, Carson Palmer struggled to stay on the same page as his receivers, completing less than half of his passes and throwing two interceptions. A field goal was all the offensive starters could muster.
The Cardinals defense did what it could, keeping Oakland out of the end zone and holding it to five Sebastian Janikowski field goals.
While it won't alleviate head coach Bruce Arians' overall worry, Arizona's second- and third-stringers provided a much-needed boost in the second half, rallying the team from the 15-3 deficit. Rookie Cariel Brooks sparked the comeback with an 81-yard interception return for a touchdown, while the offense tacked on three more scores of its own.
Click ahead for the full recap.
Position Grades for Arizona
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| QB | D- |
| RB | C- |
| WR | D+ |
| TE | D- |
| OL | F |
| DL | A |
| LB | B |
| DB | B- |
| Special Teams | C+ |
| Coaching | D |
Note: Being the third week of preseason, grades only reflect the performances of the starting units.
When Oakland outplays you that thoroughly, you're going to see some bad grades.
An argument can be made the passing game deserved a lower grade, but Palmer and his receivers were still better than the offensive line. Palmer finished 8-of-22 passing for 103 yards and two interceptions in the first half. He didn't look sharp, although he didn't get much help from his receivers, nor did he have a ton of room in the pocket.
Calais Campbell and the defensive line remain the team's standout performers. They had seven tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and permitted just one yard on 12 Oakland rushing attempts in the first half. Defensive linemen in the 3-4 don't get a lot of love, but this group deserves all the plaudits thrown their way.
Arizona's linebackers are starting to make some noise and make some plays. Deone Bucannon and Alex Okafor made a nuisance of themselves. Questions linger about the inside linebacker position, but we're starting to see some signs of life from this group.
More Struggles for Arizona's Offensive Line
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It may only be the preseason, but the mere fact that the Cardinals offensive line has consistently remained a primary talking point is clear proof this is a significant problem, not that we didn't already know that.
The only disclaimer to what's below is that Oakland has a talented, aggressive defensive line, and Khalil Mack is a very, very scary football player. That said:
Palmer was sacked three times and was hit on two other occasions. Andre Ellington managed 19 yards on nine carries, while he and David Johnson were stopped behind the line of scrimmage once each. Three sacks, five total tackles for loss and two QB hits.
In one half.
Neither Jared Veldheer nor Bradley Sowell had any answers for Mack, nor did there seem to be much of a game plan in place to keep Palmer on his feet.
What do you say at this point? It's no good blaming the absence of Mike Iupati and Bobby Massie, because neither player will be playing to start the season.
Coaches don't like to play their starters much, if at all, in the final preseason game. Arians may have no choice but to send his offensive line out there Thursday night to see if the unit can get some positive momentum heading into the season.
Cardinals Backups Finally Step Up
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In a direct departure from Arizona's first two preseason games, it was the Cardinals backups who got the job done.
After surrendering leads to Kansas City and San Diego, Arizona's second- and third-stringers brought the Cardinals back from a double-digit deficit in the second half to earn the win.
Rookie Cariel Brooks started the comeback with an 81-yard interception return for a touchdown off a Derek Carr screen pass. Brooks remains a long shot to make the roster as the fourth corner, but he certainly earned himself some gratitude following the secondary's struggles earlier in the preseason.
Kareem Martin and Alameda Ta'amu, meanwhile, each notched a sack.
The defense did allow Oakland to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, so it wasn't a perfect performance, but it was a positive step for the group. There may not be a lot of depth for Arizona's defense, but the unit has a few players who can step in and help out.
Offensively, Drew Stanton, Phillip Sims and Logan Thomas all led scoring drives, with Thomas' drive turning out to be the game-winner. He took the offense 91 yards on just nine plays after the Raiders tied the game.
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Rookie Recap
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- Running back David Johnson and wideout J.J. Nelson each took a step backward against the Raiders. Johnson fumbled the first time he touched the ball, while Nelson didn't seem to be on the same page as Palmer. Johnson did redeem himself late in the second quarter and into the second half as a receiving threat.
- First-round pick D.J. Humphries doesn't appear any closer to figuring out the NFL game. Khalil Mack beat him badly on one play.
- As mentioned earlier in the slideshow, rookie corner Cariel Brooks had a pick-six, but he remains a long shot to make the roster.
- It's worth noting that UDFA Phillip Sims saw reps ahead of Logan Thomas in this game. Thursday's game will determine who wins the third QB/practice-squad job, but Sims appears to have made this a legitimate race.
Fantasy Impact
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Larry Fitzgerald was a focal point early in the game and the recipient of Palmer's first throw. He finished the night with two catches for 31 yards and was much more involved than in previous weeks.
John Brown still looks like the most impressive healthy wide receiver on the roster. His lone reception on the night came on a leaping grab over an Oakland corner. We won't know what Brown's role is until Michael Floyd returns, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he were to lead the team in receiving yards.
In case it wasn't already clear, we've officially reached the point where anyone drafting a Cardinals player ought to sign a waiver acknowledging the sorry state of the offensive line beforehand. It is no longer a matter of Arizona's offensive line being shaky. They're a hindrance.
For the IDP crowd, Calais Campbell deserves to be near the top of the defensive line rankings. He's been a monster during the preseason. He totaled five tackles, including three for a loss. Linebacker Alex Okafor is someone to keep an eye on during the season. He looks like a playmaker.
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