The Arizona Cardinals are expected to be one of the better defensive teams in the NFL entering the 2025 season, with a talented group of players and a defensive coach who has struggled in previous years.
But as the Cardinals were beaten and crushed by the Los Angeles Rams 45-17 on Sunday, Arizona’s defense looked anything but stiff.
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But Sunday’s loss wasn’t an anomaly. The Cardinals have had solid defensive performances here and there, but the expectation of continued defensive dominance is another unresolved question in 2025.
Cardinals defense gets crushed by Rams
The Cardinals gave up 530 total yards, including 249 on the ground Sunday. They gained 6.9 yards per carry, which opened the door for Matthew Stafford and the Rams passing attack to score 281 and 3 points.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon pointed to the lack of run defense as the key to Los Angeles getting any performance they want on offense. In fact, the Cardinals only forced a third deficit throughout the first half.
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“We didn’t stop running, we had the ball thrown to our heads. They played their way all day long. … We didn’t run the ball to third down, or [known passing downs] Not at all,” Gannon said.
Arizona’s inability to stop further drives hindered their ability to pressure Stafford. The Cardinals didn’t get a win on the veteran quarterback once, and they managed to pressure him just four times on 31 dropbacks (via PFF).
“I think [not stopping the run is] A big reason is [the lack of pressures]”, Gannon said. “What I call a ‘hybrid offense’ is the run or the pass. Every game caller is a little different. But when you have to play both games at the same time, it’s hard to get too excited. When you reach known passes… you can play the game your way.
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“We never really had to have our ears back. I mean you’ve got to stop running, you can’t throw the ball over your head. … We’ve got to play with better mechanics, be more gappy. Knock out the line of scrimmage, tackle better, adapt better.”
However, much to the dismay of Cardinals fans, this performance wasn’t all that unique. The Cardinals defense added a ton of talent this offseason but has struggled to remain above-average in most areas.
Cardinals defense surprisingly weak this season
Sunday’s game was Arizona’s third consecutive conference game in which it allowed more than 40 points. All the while, they (as a unit) struggle to get to the opposing quarterback or create blocks in the most critical moments.
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That’s not to say there weren’t great individual performances. OLB Josh Sweat has tied his career high with 11 sacks this year. Arizona’s DBs are generally very skilled. Walter Nolen III has been outstanding (when healthy) and Calais Campbell continues to challenge his father’s time.
But the Cardinals simply aren’t a team that scares opposing teams. With its latest blowout, Arizona ranks 28th in scoring defense, allowing 26.8 points per game. They allow the eighth-fewest yards per game (374.4), have the eighth-fewest sacks on the team (24) and have PFF’s 27th-ranked overall defense.
Compared to 2024 (a team with a much less talented defense), 4.5 more points per game are allowed (22.3) and over 10 fewer sacks are allowed (30.6 sacks compared to 41).
This is definitely the result of a combination of factors. Injury issues have plagued the Cardinals’ defensive starters while they face some of the hottest offenses in the league.
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But considering how many players were added, how many were signed and how many improvements were made, the expectation was that Arizona’s offense would be a complement to a defense-first unit. Instead, quarterback Jacoby Brissett had amassed a ton of passing yards by the time the Cardinals were out of the game before halftime.
Inevitably, it all comes down to stopping opponents in an early slump. But it feels like the Cardinals have been just one step behind their opponents all season. The front seven isn’t winning one-on-ones at a consistent pace. The second one, while packed with a capable database, feels limited to more preventive regional coverage.
And players who have proven themselves to be real impact players (like Nolen or CB Will Johnson) have trouble staying on the field.
The Cardinals defense is a microcosm of their overall performance in 2025. Despite high expectations, they simply couldn’t execute on individual performances or Team quality, despite clearly having enough talent to cause problems for opponents.