One player can be the difference. By trading for Chandler Jones in March, the Arizona Cardinals not only helped their pass rush but also their secondary because more pressure up front means quarterbacks have less time to make good decisions – and throw the ball right to the secondary.
Arizona Cardinals defense
ESPN Fantasy Projection: 48.5 sacks, 15.8 interceptions
Over or under: I’m going to take the over on both sacks and interceptions. The addition of Chandler Jones will help the Cardinals get to the quarterback better than they did last year. With Jones playing an every-down role, Arizona will have consistent pressure from his position, as well as pressure from Markus Golden opposite Jones and Calais Campbell from the middle. The combination of those three will boost Arizona’s pass rush significantly and to the point of nearly 50 sacks this year. The Cardinals haven’t had more than 13 interceptions since 2013, but this year the Cardinals have a deeper and more experienced secondary. And with the addition of Jones up front, Arizona’s secondary will be in a better position to pick off passes because quarterbacks will be rushed more this season to get rid of the football.
