Cardinals Focus Intensely on Upcoming Battle Against Houston

The Cardinals are gearing up for a critical matchup against the Houston Texans, facing significant challenges in their secondary. Key players, like cornerback Max Melton and safeties Jalen Thompson and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, will miss the game due to injuries. Melton is sidelined with a heel injury, and this will mark the fifth game Taylor-Demerson has missed because of an ankle issue. Thompson is out with a hamstring injury.

Impact on the Cardinals’ Defense

The absence of these defensive backs raises concerns for the Cardinals’ defensive strategy. Under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, the team frequently utilizes dime packages, with a rate of 20.1 percent—ranking third in the NFL behind the Rams and Chargers. Safety Budda Baker is set to play without Thompson for the first time in more than a year. This shift presents a new challenge for Baker, who typically relies on Thompson for pre-snap communication. “The communication has to be on 100 if JT doesn’t play,” Baker stated.

Rookie Kitan Crawford Steps Up

Rookie Kitan Crawford is expected to make his second career start against the Texans. Although primarily a special teams player, he will need to prepare for a Texans offense known for its speed, featuring players like Nico Collins and Christian Kirk. Head coach Jonathan Gannon emphasized the importance of communication in this new lineup, particularly between Baker, nickel cornerback Garrett Williams, and the linebackers.

• Players Injured:
  • Max Melton (heel)
  • Jalen Thompson (hamstring)
  • Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (ankle)
• Defensive Packages:
  • Cardinals dime packages: 20.1 percent
  • Rank: 3rd in NFL

Familiar Faces: C.J. Stroud

The Cardinals will face quarterback C.J. Stroud, a familiar opponent for their defenders. Linebacker Johnson practiced against Stroud during their time at Ohio State. Johnson hopes to leverage this familiarity in their upcoming battle, stating, “You’ve got to continue to pick your battles and then you got to win your battles.”

As the Cardinals prepare for their pivotal battle against the Texans, the focus will be on how well they can adapt and communicate on the field amidst the injuries in their secondary. The success of their game plan will heavily depend on the performance of Crawford and the rest of the defense.