The Cardinals dropped their preseason finale to the Denver Broncos 38-12. It was a terrible all-around game on offense, defense, and special teams. The deadline to cut the roster down to 53 players is Tuesday at 4:00 P.M. ET. These players stood out, for good or bad reasons, in the Cardinals final game before the regular season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Winner: OLB Jesse Luketa. When they get to the reserve options at outside linebacker, a standout performance from Luketa could make the difference. Luketa was creating pressure, stepped in front of a screen pass for a near-interception, and also recorded a strip-sack of Zach Wilson. With an opportunity to make the team due to injuries at teh position, he’s made the most of that opportunity the past two weeks.
Winner: WR Xavier Weaver. The undrafted rookie has left quite the preseason impression. He made a couple solid catches on their first scoring drive, leading the team with 56 receiving yards on two catches. He has made the case to be an option as a reserve receiver and return man. He got the first half punt return opportunities.
Loser: QB Clayton Tune. Tune had an opportunity to separate himself in the backup quarterback battle, but did not have a great performance. Tune completed 12 of 18 passes for 119 yards, his final pass going for a Pick Six after having to relieve Desmond Ridder, who suffered a head injury and is likely under concussion protocol. Tune will likely start the season as the backup quarterback behind Murray, but the Cardinals could be looking at other potential options on the waiver wire when teams make roster cuts.
Loser: OLB Cam Thomas. Thomas was playing late in the contest, which is a possibility that the coaches need to get more tape. With Luketa and Xavier Thomas having a solid preseason, that’s pushed Thomas firmly into the bubble. Thomas recorded a sack in the game.
Loser: CB Jaden Davis. Davis had an all-time bad rep in the fourth quarter. With the Cardinals trailing 24-12, the Broncos had gotten to the Cardinals 46. Wilson unleashed a deep ball towards the goal line, which was slightly off-target. Davis attempted to close, but completely whiffed on the pass or the receiver, as Brandon Johnson was able to score a touchdown on the play. He had a couple nice plays in the game, but that one miss could get him cut.
Notable Observations
- Rookie defensive lineman Miles Murphy flashed a couple nice plays in the game. In the first quarter, he had penetration on a run play that got a short gain and in the fourth quarter batted down a pass in the third down to force a punt.
- Desmond Ridder had arguably his best preseason performance, but it ended with a head injury. He was struck high on a hard hit from Broncos outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman, knocking off his helmet and his head struck left tackle Christian Jones, who later was carted off the field from the play after getting his left leg rolled up in the collision.
- The Cardinals defense struggled for much of the game, as far too often Zach Wilson looked too comfortable in the pocket. They also allowed a touchdown on Jarrett Stidham’s only drive of the game.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
