Cardinals vs. Bears: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for Arizona
The Arizona Cardinals upped their record to 2-0, with a 48-23 destruction of the Chicago Bears at Solider Field on Sunday.
In a game that was equal parts sloppy and explosive, the Cardinals had their foot on the accelerator from the opening kickoff, which David Johnson returned for a touchdown, to the final whistle.
Carson Palmer led the way with four touchdown passes, three of which were to Larry Fitzgerald, while the defense added a score to the aforementioned special teams touchdown.
The complexion of the game changed drastically in the second quarter when Bears quarterback Jay Cutler injured his hamstring trying to tackle Arizona safety Tony Jefferson after throwing an interception. Jefferson would elude Cutler and scamper into the end zone, while Cutler would immediately head to the locker room, done for the day.
Arizona took complete control of the game in the second half, extending what was an eight-point lead to 19 in the third quarter and tacking on one more score in the fourth quarter.
Click ahead for the full recap of Sunday's game.
Position Grades for Arizona
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| QB | A- |
| RB | B- |
| WR | B+ |
| TE | B |
| OL | B- |
| DL | A- |
| LB | B |
| DB | B |
| Special Teams | C+ |
| Coaching | B+ |
For the second straight week, we get a balanced and solid effort from the Cardinals. All three phases had a hand in the scoring.
The defensive line, as usual, earns top plaudits. Calais Campbell, Frostee Rucker and company choked off Matt Forte's running lanes while freeing up the linebackers and safeties to make plays in Chicago's backfield. Stellar job neutralizing Adam Gase's offense.
Carson Palmer shares top billing with the defensive linemen, orchestrating a nearly flawless attack. The only thing that kept Palmer from an "A" was the interception, which came on a pretty good play from Jared Allen. We'll have more on Palmer in the next slide.
From an individual standpoint, Larry Fitzgerald might very well be the star of the game. Via Fox Sports 910's Mike Jurecki, Sunday was Fitzgerald's first career three-touchdown performance. John Brown and Michael Floyd didn't provide much else, but they didn't have to, either.
Arizona's secondary looked like it might be in for a difficult day, badly blowing coverage on Joshua Bellamy's 48-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. It more than settled down after that play, with Tony Jefferson directly and indirectly changing the face of the game with a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown.
If there is one question mark to the above grades, it assuredly comes from the C-plus handed out to special teams. True, they supplied the game's opening pyrotechnics with David Johnson's kickoff return for a touchdown, but they gave most of those points back. J.J. Nelson's fumbled punt return led to a Chicago field goal, while Chandler Catanzaro missed an extra point.
Carson Palmer Wins Again
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It's almost alarmingly easy to overlook just how good a football team the Cardinals have been since the midway point of the 2013 season. Since dropping two in a row in 2013 to San Francisco and Seattle, the Cardinals are now 15-2 in games Carson Palmer started.
Narrowing the lens a bit further reveals Palmer has won his last eight starts, the longest current streak in the league.
Any concern over how the 35-year old Palmer would return from last season's knee injury is off the table after throwing seven touchdowns and only one interception over the first two weeks. He looks rejuvenated.
Can the offensive line keep him in the lineup? Palmer has been hit a few times this year, but he hasn't been sacked yet. It'll need to tighten up against better defenses, but it's off to a good start.
David Johnson: Weapon X
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The Cardinals' front office had high hopes for David Johnson when it selected him in the third round of the 2015 draft, but it probably didn't expect him to begin setting records two games into his career.
That's exactly what Johnson has done thus far. Per Mark Dalton of the Cardinals' Media Relations department, the rookie running back became the first player in NFL history to score a touchdown rushing, receiving and on a kickoff return in their first two games on Sunday afternoon.
Johnson sealed Arizona's Week 1 victory over New Orleans, with a 55-yard touchdown reception, and set the tone for Week 2, with a 108-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff.
There's no question Johnson is explosive; now it's up to Bruce Arians and the Cardinals coaching staff to integrate him into a playmaking role on offense. Johnson only saw five carries, but he made the most of his chances, racking up 42 yards and another score.
Arians may prefer to ease his rookies into the fray, but Johnson isn't giving him much of a choice in the early going.
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Defense and Special Teams Make Plays
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Arizona received touchdowns from both the defense and special teams against Chicago, and that could prove to be an important shift in the team's dynamic.
The league's best teams have game-changers all over the field. Heading into the season, it appeared the Cardinals lacked that kind of balanced dynamism.
Instead of Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson making all the plays, Deone Bucannon and Tony Jefferson are stepping up, while the front seven is showing signs of generating more pressure than a year ago.
If this keeps up, Arizona will be able to strike a much-needed playmaking balance between the three phases, and that could prove vital to the Cardinals' Super Bowl hopes.
Bruce Arians Underwhelmed with the Win?
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Every NFL coach preaches perfection during practices and training camp, but surely they realize perfection is impossible, especially during a game?
Perhaps not.
According to Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official website, Bruce Arians wanted more from his team Sunday.
"That was a very nice win, especially when you don’t play your best."
It's one sentence, and barely a complete thought, but it conveys so much about the team's mindset. Arizona blew out an NFC rival on the road, and still there's a sense of dissatisfaction seeping in following the game.
Arians is right, the Cardinals didn't play their best. And, frankly, the Cardinals will need to play their best to beat the likes of Green Bay and Seattle in the playoffs.
Arizona's expectations were sky-high heading into the season, and Arians has made it clear the standards are equally lofty. Perfection may not be attainable, but the Cardinals are certainly going to strive for it.
They'll get their next shot at perfection next Sunday at home, where they'll open their NFC West schedule against the San Francisco 49ers.
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