Arizona Cardinals: Winners and Losers at the Season's Quarter Mark

The Arizona Cardinals are 1-3 with more questions than answers, and they look destined for a high draft choice again. It's obvious that defense is a huge issue, once again, and the team will not even win the weak NFC West with the putrid defense they have.

That being said, there are still some positives on the team, but they have been few and far between. Noticeable names like Beanie Wells and Daryl Washington immediately jump out as winners, but Andre Roberts and the offensive line can be labeled losers. Read on for all the winners and losers on the Cards at the quarter mark of the season. 

Winner: Beanie Wells RB

Beanie Wells had a ton of questions surrounding him coming into this season, and I think it's safe to say he's answered most of them. Wells has silenced critics who wondered if he was good enough to be a featured back and those who said trading away Tim Hightower was a mistake. Beanie has played well with a suspect offensive line, and therefore should be given more credit for his performance.

Wells has 59 carries for 321 yards, five touchdowns, a 5.4 yards per carry average and a 107 rushing yards per game average. Plus, he missed a game and his stats are still solid. He's eighth in yards, first in touchdowns, sixth in yards per carry and second in rushing yards per game.

Wells has really grown up so far this season and looks to understand how important his play is to the team. Simply put, the team does better when Wells plays. Beanie Wells is easily the biggest winner of the season so far. 

Loser: Andre Roberts WR

Andre Roberts came into this season as the number two receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald and has struggled mightily. He can't seem to find open lanes and quarterback Kevin Kolb isn't even looking his direction any more, as Roberts wasn't targeted last game. 

Roberts is obviously not a number two receiver in the NFL, and should have never been placed in that spot. He is more of a Wes Welker, slot type receiver who gets a ton of catches and moves the chains regularly. He could flourish in that role but I'm not sure coach Ken Whisenhunt would use him like this. 

Winner: Early Docuet WR

Someone had to fill the second receiver spot left open by Andre Roberts, and Early Doucet has done his best to do so. Doucet has provided a nice complement to Larry Fitzgerald and has really stretched the field for the Cardinals. Doucet has the second most targets on the team, which is a good indicator he is the clear-cut number two receiver.

Doucet has 13 receptions for 217 yards and a touchdown in the first four games, and has been instrumental in converting for first downs with 10 first down receptions. It really helps keep the coverage off Fitzgerald when Doucet can be that reliable number two and, if Doucet can stay healthy, he will continue to produce. 

Loser: The Offensive Line

Everyone knew the offensive line was either going to be terrible or average. So far, it's not like expectations were high for this unit. Quarterback Kevin Kolb has been sacked 12 times in four games and flushed out of the pocket countless times more. It's never good when your quarterback is constantly out of the pocket and Kolb has been there a lot.

It's really surprising how well Beanie Wells has ran the ball considering the awful offensive line and, honestly, the line is lucky he is running so consistently because it looks good on their part. Still, the line needs to buy Kolb more time to find open receivers. 

Winner: Daryl Washington LB

Daryl Washington was my choice for breakout player and he has disappointed so far this season. Washington has great speed and instincts and perfectly fits the Cardinals high speed defense. He's already missed a game, so he's a little behind his teammates, but his 18 tackles, one sack and one interception has helped the team. His role with the team will only grow as the season progresses and I see no reason why he won't be one of the top tacklers. 

Loser: A.J. Jefferson CB

A.J. Jefferson won the starting cornerback job over Richard Marshall but has, so far, had a sub-par season. Too often has Jefferson been beat and, by the look of the slide picture, sometimes even gets his ankles broken. Jefferson let previously unheard of wideout Victor Cruz run all over him and needs to be more consistent.

There have been times where Jefferson made a key pass deflection but the moments where he made mistakes have been more significant. The cornerbacks are already bad enough, so every mistake is magnified and play needs to be more refined.