Arizona Cardinals Week 18 defensive snap counts, observations

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In the Arizona Cardinals' 37-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, 21 players participated in at least one of the 75 defensive snaps, and 33 players participated in at least one of the 28 special teams snaps.

Two were on the field for all of the defensive snaps: safety Jalen Thompson and cornerback Denzel Burke. Safety Budda Baker missed four, Mike linebacker Cody Simon six and inside linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither 11.

Ten defensive players and punter Blake Gillikin ended the season on injured reserve.

How were the snaps divided up? Below are the individual snap counts for every player who got into the game defensively, grouped by position, as well as the snap counts on special teams.

The first number after each name is snaps and the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.

Arizona Cardinals Week 18 defensive snap counts: Defensive linemen

Darius Robinson (46/61), Dalvin Tomlinson (39/52), L.J. Collier (33/44), Zach Carter (32/43), Dante Stills (27/36), Calais Campbell (25/33)
Inactive: P.J. Mustipher
Reserve/injured): Bilal Nichols, Walter Nolen III

The improving Robinson had four tackles (two solo/one for loss) and a quarterback hit. Stills had three tackles (one solo). Campbell, Collier and Carter had two tackles (one solo) with Collier contributing a QB hit.

Linebackers

ILB Cody Simon (69/92), ILB Akeem Davis-Gaither (64/85), OLB Baron Browning (36/48), OLB Jordan Burch (35/47), OLB Zaven Collins (32/43), OLB BJ Ojulari (31/41), OLB Josh Sweat (19/25), ILB Owen Pappoe (12/16)
Inactive: ILB Austin Keys
Reserve/injured: ILB Mack Wilson Sr., ILB J.J. Russell
Did not play (except on special teams): ILB Channing Tindall

Sweat didn’t play many snaps thanks to a knee and ankle injury that had him limited in practice Friday after not practicing the previous two days. But he had his career-high 12th sack of the season to go with two tackles (one solo and for loss) and a QB hit. Simon was third on the team with eight tackles (five solo). Davis-Gaither had five tackles (two solo). Pappoe had two tackles (one solo) and a pass defensed in only 12 snaps. Burch had two assists, while Collins and Browning had one. Ojulari had a QB hit.

Defensive backs

S Jalen Thompson (75/100), CB Denzel Burke (75/100), S Budda Baker (71/95), CB Will Johnson (38/51), CB Elijah Jones (37/49), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (28/37), CB Jaden Davis (1/1)
Inactive: CB Max Melton (injured)
Did not play (except on special teams): CB Darren Hall, ILB Channing Tindall
Inactive: CB Kalen King
Reserve/injured: S Joey Blount, CB Kei’Trel Clark, S Kitan Crawford, CB Starling Thomas V
Reserve/non-football injury: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Thompson led the team with 10 tackles (three solo), but missed out on an interception. Baker was next with nine tackles (seven solo/two for loss). Burke had six tackles (one solo) and also nearly had an interception. Playing the first significant snaps of his career because of Johnson’s knee injury, Jones had three assists, two passes defensed and a near interception. Taylor-Demerson had one solo tackle).

Special teams snap counts

LB Owen Pappoe (24/86), CB Darren Hall (23/82), LB Jordan Burch (21/75), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (17/61), TE Josiah Deguara (16/57), CB Elijah Jones (16/57), TE Elijah Higgins (15/54), TE Pharaoh Brown (15/54), LB BJ Ojulari (14/50), CB Jaden Davis (13/46), DL Calais Campbell (11/39), DL Dante Stills (11/39), K Chad Ryland (9/32), WR/RS Steven Sims (9/32), LB Akeem Davis-Gaither (8/29), WR/RS Xavier Weaver (7/25), LS Aaron Brewer (7/25), P Matt Haack (7/25), DL Dalvin Tomlinson (7/25), LB Cody Simon (7/25), LB Channing Tindall (6/21), S Budda Baker (6/21), WR/RS Jalen Brooks (5/18), T Josh Fryar (4/14), T Demontrey Jacobs (4/14), C Hjalte Froholdt (4/14), G Isaiah Adams (4/14), G Jon Gaines II (4/14), C/G Hayden Conner (4/14), RB Emari Demercado (3/11), LB Zaven Collins (3/11), WR Tejhaun (2/7), RB Michael Carter (1/4)
Inactive: K Joshua Karty
Reserve/injured: P Blake Gillikin

Haack punted twice for a 54.5-yard average, 50.0 net and one inside the 20, but had the play of the game with a 28-yard pass to Demercado on a fake punt. For the record, his passer rating was 118.8! Ryland had field goals of 45 and 56 yards. Sims returned two punts for 27 yards with a long of 18 and added 49 yards on three kickoff returns.

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