Arizona Cardinals Week 5 defensive, special teams snap counts, observations

In the Arizona Cardinals' 45-21 loss to the Detroit Lions, 20 players participated in at least one of the 66 defensive snaps, and 34 players participated in at least one of the 32 snaps on special teams snaps.

How was the playing time divided up? We have the snap counts below for everyone who got into the game.

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

Defensive linemen

• Walter Nolen III (43/65),NT Roy Lopez (36/55), Dante Stills (35/53), L.J. Collier (30/45), Darius Robinson (24/36)
• Inactive: NT Andrew Billings
• Injured reserve: Zach Carter (eligible for return), Kaleb Proctor

Lopez continued his stellar play, although it gets lost within all the issues that has resulted in opponents to score at least 30 points in the last four games. Lopez tied for third on the team with six tackles (three solo/two for loss) and also contributed a sack and quarterback hit. It doesn’t get much better than that for a nose tackle. Nolen had four assisted tackles, while Stills had three tackles (two solo/one for loss). Collier had three tackles (one solo) and Robinson had two solo tackles and two QB hits.

Linebackers

• ILB Mack Wilson Sr. (66/100), ILB Jack Gibbens (50/76), OLB Josh Sweat (39/59), OLB Zaven Collins (29/44), OLB Jordan Burch (29/44), OLB Baron Browning (28/42), OLB Eku Leota (13/20), ILB Cody Simon (4/6)
• Did not play: ILB Karson Sharar (played only on special teams)

Wilson was second on the team with seven tackles (three solo), but was also penalized on a questionable unnecessary roughness penalty that led to the Lions’ first touchdown. Browning had one of his better games with a sack/fumble that the Lions managed to recover, four tackles (two solo/one for loss), another forced fumble and a QB hit.

Sweat had three tackles (two solo), but nothing else. Gibbens had three assisted tackles, while Collins and Leota had two tackles (one solo).

Defensive backs

• S Budda Baker (65/98), CB Denzel Burke (63/95), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (46/70), CB Max Melton (38/58), CB Garrett Williams (36/55), CB Kei’Trel Clark (31/47), S Wydett Williams Jr. (21/32)
• Did not play: CB Art Green (practice-squad elevation), CB Kalen King (played only on special teams)
• Inactive: CB Starling Thomas, S Andrew Wingard
• Injured reserve: S Joey Blount, S Kitan Crawford (eligible to return after Week 5), CB Will Johnson (eligible to return after Week 6, but will likely miss the remainder of the season)

Baker led the team with 11 tackles (six solo/one for loss), and added a sack for 12 yards on the Lions’ first possession of the game and a QB hit. Burke had six tackles (two solo) and Melton three tackles (two solo) and one pass defensed. Garrett Williams had no stats, and got lost in coverage on a Jameson Williams 39-yard touchdown reception.

With Wydett Williams Jr. out with a concussion (one pass defensed), Taylor-Demerson had five tackles (four solo). Clark had an assisted tackle and a pass defensed.

Special teams

• LB Karson Sharar (28/88), LB Cody Simon (28/88), CB Art Green (25/78), LB Eku Leota (22/69), WR Simi Fehoko (20/62), TE Elijah Higgins (17/53), TE Teagan Quitoriano (17/53), LB Jordan Burch (15/47), CB Kei’Trel Clark (15/47), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (13/41), LB Zaven Collins (12/38), WR/RS Devin Duvernay (11/34), P/Holder Blake Gillikin (9/28), LS Casey Kreiter (9/28), CB Max Melton (9/28), K Chad Ryland (8/25), WR/RS Jalen Brooks (8/25), RB Bam Knight (8/25), RB Tyler Allgeier (8/25), DL Dante Stills (8/25), CB Kalen King (8/25), DL L.J. Collier (7/22), DL Darius Robinson (7/22), LB Jack Gibbens (5/16), C/G Hayden Conner (4/12), G Jon Gaines II (4/12), G Isaac Seumalo (4/12), T Elijah Wilkinson (4/12), T Jayden Williams (4/12), T Jedrick Wills Jr. (4/12), T Josh Fryar (4/12), LB Baron Browning (4/12), WR Michael Wilson (1/3), NT Roy Lopez (1/3)

The struggles continued for Gillikin with punts of 39, 43 and 44 yards, although he did have two 54-yarders. His overall average was 46.8 with a 33.0 net thanks to three returns that totaled 64 yards.

Ryland missed a 53-yard field-goal attempt in the third quarter that would have made it a two-score game.

Green showed up on kick coverage with three tackles (one solo). Fehoko had a forced fumble, but it was one of three overall by the Lions that weren’t recovered by the Cardinals.