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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Larry Brown Jr.

Zaven Collins helps Cardinals sack Bears QB Caleb Williams 6 times

The Arizona Cardinals sacked Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams six times in their 29-9 home win on Sunday.  

Now at 5-4, the Cardinals are finding themselves defensively, helping to complement a thriving offensive attack.

Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis has worked in tandem with head coach Jonathan Gannon to produce more quarterback pressures this season, an area the Cardinals have struggled in over the last few years. Well, after producing a high volume of sacks on Sunday, the Cardinals seem to have found something in their defensive playbook.

Rallis is using a scheme that heavily depends on the athleticism of safeties Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker to cover ground. The use of man blitz, and Cover 1 robber schemes, creates tight windows for quarterbacks to throw in while simultaneously lessening the time quarterbacks have to make decisions in the pocket.

Gannon was well prepared to rattle Williams Sunday, a rookie not fully familiar with the shell coverage concepts used in the NFL. Williams felt the pocket collapsing all game long, and with the large deficit on the scoreboard, the one-dimensional Bears offense made it easy for the Cardinals to unleash the pressure.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on SpotifyYouTube or Apple podcasts.

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