In the Arizona Cardinals' 18-16 win over the Los Angeles Rams, 21 players participated in at least one of the 58 defensive snaps, and 34 participated in at least one of the 21 special teams snaps.
How were those snaps divided up? We have the numbers below.
The first number after each name is their snap count, and the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.
Defensive linemen
- Walter Nolen III (35/60), Dante Stills (33/57), L.J. Collier (23/40), NT Roy Lopez (22/38), Darius Robinson (22/38)
- Inactive: NT Andrew Billings
- Injured reserve: Zach Carter (eligible for return), Kaleb Proctor
Stills and Nolen each had two solo tackles, with Still also having one for loss. Collier had one solo tackle, Robinson two quarterback hits and Lopez a pass defensed.
Linebackers
- ILB Mack Wilson Sr. (58/100), ILB Jack Gibbens (49/84), OLB Josh Sweat (46/79), OLB Zaven Collins (28/48), OLB Baron Browning (28/48), OLB Jordan Burch (16/28), ILB Cody Simon (8/14), OLB Eku Leota (2/3)
- Did not play: ILB Karson Sharar (played only on special teams)
Sweat had his best game of the season, which was likely linked to improved health and playing more snaps. His snaps percentage (79) was 20 higher than his previous best. Beginning with Week 1, his snaps were 29/53,
34/49, 24/44, 36/54, 39/59 and 46/79 Sunday. He filled the stat sheet with one sack, not including his sack on a Rams 2-point conversion because that is not considered an official play, four tackles (two solo/one for loss) and two QB hits.
Wilson and Gibbens ranked first and second in tackles. Wilson had nine with four solo, while Gibbens had seven and also four solos.
Burch had two solo tackles and Collins two assists. Simon played only eight snaps, but wrestled the ball away from tight end Tyler Higbee for a forced fumble at the Cardinals 22-yard line in the fourth quarter and added a solo tackle.
Defensive backs
- S Budda Baker (58/100), CB Denzel Burke (46/79), CB Max Melton (45/78), CB Garrett Williams (36/62), CB Kalen King (36/62), CB Kei’Trel Clark (25/43), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (18/31), S Kitan Crawford (4/7)
- Inactive: CB Starling Thomas, S Andrew Wingard (injured), S Wydett Williams Jr. (injured), S Jerrick Reed II (elevated from practice squad)
- Injured reserve: S Joey Blount, CB Will Johnson (eligible to return after Week 6, but will likely miss the remainder of the season)
Playing with a groin issue, Baker was his usual self, playing every snap and posting six tackles (four solo/two for loss), one sack, two QB hits and a pass defensed. Garrett Williams had six tackles (five solo), while Melton also had six tackles (three solo). Taylor-Demerson had three tackles (two solo), Burke one solo tackle and a recovery of Simon’s forced fumble and Clark had one solo tackle with the negative being a 26-yard pass-interference penalty.
King had more playing time than usual and had one assisted tackle, one QB hit and a pass defensed.
Special teams
- LB Karson Sharar (18/75), LB Cody Simon (18/75), WR Simi Fehoko (15/62), LB Jordan Burch (15/62), LB Eku Leota (14/58), S Kitan Crawford (14/58), TE Elijah Higgins (13/54), TE Teagan Quitoriano (13/54), K Chad Ryland (12/50), CB Kei’Trel Clark (11/46), P/Holder Blake Gillikin (9/38), LS Casey Kreiter (9/38), CB Max Melton (9/38), CB Kalen King (9/38), WR/RS Devin Duvernay (7/29), C/G Hayden Conner (6/25), G Jon Gaines II (6/25), G Isaac Seumalo (6/25), T Elijah Wilkinson (6/25), T Jayden Williams (6/25), T Jedrick Wills Jr. (6/25), T Josh Fryar (6/25), LB Zaven Collins (5/21), WR/RS Jalen Brooks (4/17), RB Evan Hull (4/17), TE Shawn Bowman (4/17), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (4/17), DL Dante Stills (3/12), LB Jack Gibbens (3/12), LB Baron Browning (3/12), DL L.J. Collier (2/8), DL Darius Robinson (2/8), S Budda Baker (1/4), NT Roy Lopez (1/4)
They weren’t long field goals, but hitting all six, including the game-winning 43-yarder will likely result in Ryland being the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. The others, in order, were 34, 30, 22, 38 and 27.
Gillikin punted three times for an underwhelming 41.3-yard average and 40.0 net, thanks to the cover team limiting the Rams to four yards on two returns. The other punt went out of bounds. His first punt was for only 36 yards.
Duvernay’s 40-yard kickoff return after the Rams’ first field goal resulted in kicker Blake Grupe exiting the game with a knee injury after he hit Duvernay with his shoulder near the sideline and crashed to the ground.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals Week 6 defensive, special teams snaps vs. Rams
