Arizona Cardinals Week 1 defensive, special teams snap counts, observations

In the Arizona Cardinals‘ 26-14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, 20 players participated in at least one of the 55 defensive snaps and 34 participated in at least one of the 24 special teams snaps.

How was that playing time divided up? We have the numbers below.

The first number after each name is their snap count, while the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.

• Walter Nolen III (36/65), Dante Stills (32/58), NT Roy Lopez (26/47), Darius Robinson (19/35), L.J. Collier (19/35)
• Inactive: NT Andrew Billings
• Reserve/injured: Zach Carter (eligible for return after Week 4), Kaleb Proctor

Lopez led the group with four tackles (two solo), but Stills was the most disruptive. His sack on fourth-and-goal from the three-yard line ended a Chargers possession and kept the Cardinals in front 10-7 late in the first half. He also had one solo tackle for loss, a quarterback hit and pass defensed. Nolen, Robinson and Collier had one assisted tackle, but Nolen faced numerous double teams during the game.

• ILB Mack Wilson Sr. (55/100), ILB Jack Gibbens (54/98), OLB Josh Sweat (29/53), OLB Baron Browning (27/49), OLB Zaven Collins (27/49), OLB Jordan Burch (21/38), OLB Eku Leota (8/15)
• Did not play: ILB Karson Sharar, ILB Cody Simon (both played only on special teams)

Gibbens led the team with seven tackles (five solo) and added a half-sack and QB hit. Wilson was one behind with six tackles and two solos, but what stood out was a pass defensed when he separated Chargers WR Ladd McConkey from the ball with a crushing hit. McConkey left with a rib injury after having five receptions for 82 and a touchdown.

Burch showed up in the first game of his second season with a sack, three solo tackles (one for loss) and a QB hit. Collins had three solo tackles, while preseason standout Leota played only eight snaps, but contributed a QB hit.

• S Budda Baker (55/100), S Andrew Wingard (55/100), CB Will Johnson (53/96), CB Denzel Burke (44/80), CB Max Melton (24/44), CB Kei’Trel Clark (9/16), S Kitan Crawford (7/13), CB Kalen King (5/9; elevated from practice squad)
• Did not play: S Wydett Williams Jr. (played only on special teams)
• Inactive: S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (injured), CB Garrett Williams (injured)
• Reserve/injured: S Joey Blount

Baker had five tackles (four solo), a half-sack and one QB hit. Wingard filled the stat sheet with four tackles (three solo/two for loss), an interception, forced fumble and pass defensed. Burke had four solo tackles, but was flagged for a 24-yard pass-interfrence penalty. Johnson made four tackles (two solo) and recovered the fumble forced by Wingard.

Crawford had one solo tackle in seven snaps, but left the field on a cart after suffering an ankle injury on a Cardinals blocked punt. Melton was guilty of a 48-yard pass-interference penalty that led to a touchdown. He had one assisted tackle, two passes defensed and returned to the game after missing some time with an ankle injury. Clark had a pass defensed.

• LB Karson Sharar (17/71), LB Cody Simon (17/71), WR Simi Fehoko (15/62), LB Jordan Burch (14/58), S Kitan Crawford (14/58), K Chad Ryland (13/54), TE Hunter Long (13/54), OLB Eku Leota (12/50), LB Jack Gibbens (11/46), P/Holder Blake Gillikin (10/42), LS Casey Kreiter (10/42), CB Kalen King (9/38), CB Denzel Burke (8/33), C/G Hayden Conner (7/29), T Josh Fryar (7/29), G Jon Gaines II (7/29), T Paris Johnson Jr. (7/29), G Isaac Seumalo (7/29), T Elijah Wilkinson (7/29), T Jayden Williams (7/29), CB Max Melton (7/29), WR/RS Devin Duvernay (6/25), TE Elijah Higgins 6/25), LB Zaven Collins (5/21), S Wydett Williams Jr. (5/21), CB Kei’Trel Clark (4/17), WR/RS Jalen Brooks (3/12), RB Bam Knight (3/12), S Andrew Wingard (3/12), DL L.J. Collier (2/8), DL Darius Robinson (2/8), DL Dante Stills (2/8), LB Baron Browning (2/8), CB Will Johnson (1/4)

Ryland had four field goals (27, 34, 44 and 49), but hit the right upright on a 54-yard attempt and kicked off out of bounds, which gave the ball to the Chargers on the 40-yard line and led to the Melton interference flag and a TD immediately after the Cardinals had gone ahead 16-7. On four other returned kickoffs, the Chargers reached the 21, 23 (twice) and the 16-yard line. The four returns averaged 20.0 yards.

Gillikin punted three times for a 52.7-yard average, but two touchbacks resulted in a 39.3-yard net. His first punt of the game came with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter and was from the 49-yard line, so that fair catch at the 12 also affected his gross and net average.

Fehoko had the game-changing play when he bolted up the middle and blocked a punt on fourth-and-11 from the Chargers 19-yard line. The Cardinals took over at the 3-yard line and on the second play, Jacoby Brissett connected with Trey McBride for a 3-yard touchdown and 23-14 lead with 11:44 remaining in the game.

Fehoko added an assisted tackle in coverage, while Sharar had two solo stops and Crawford one solo and one assist.

Duvernay averaged 23.0 yards on three kickoff returns.

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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals Week 1 defensive, special teams snap counts, observations