NFL NEWS

Cardinals D suffers blow with loss of LB Golden

The Sports Xchange

October 02, 2017 at 5:40 pm.

Sep 17, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) breaks a tackle against Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Markus Golden (44) in the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 17, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) breaks a tackle against Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Markus Golden (44) in the first half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

TEMPE, Ariz. — A year ago, the Arizona Cardinals had the NFL’s only pass-rushing duo to reach double-digit sacks as Markus Golden led the team with 12.5 and fellow outside linebacker Chandler Jones finished with 11.

Jones is on his way to another productive season with four sacks through four games, but the Cardinals on Monday learned they will be without Golden for the rest of the season after he suffered a torn right ACL during Sunday’s 18-15 overtime victory over the 49ers.

Golden was placed on injured reserve and will undergo surgery in a couple of weeks as soon as swelling in his knee goes down. He was injured in overtime after colliding with teammate Budda Baker while trying to sack 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer.

“It breaks everybody’s heart in there because they know how hard he plays,” head coach Bruce Arians said. “It takes a lot of spirit out of the defense because he brings it every play.”

Golden becomes the third key starter on the team to land on injured reserve following a wrist injury to running back David Johnson in Week 1 and a triceps injury to guard Mike Iupati in Week 2 that kept getting worse.

“You’ve just got to keep going; it’s another guy’s opportunity,” Arians said, adding he’s aware of what losing a bunch of key players in a short amount of time can do to a team. “It can go the other way in a heartbeat. It’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen … to make sure that we continue to know when we put that helmet on, what’s expected of us.”

Arians wasn’t ready to announce who will take Golden’s spot at the WILL linebacker position, saying, “We’ll talk about that a lot today.”

However, he seemed to hint that Kareem Martin might get the first crack at the job. Martin began his career with the Cardinals as a defensive end, but was transitioned to outside linebacker a year and a half ago.

“There are so many good players over there,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “It is really difficult to see Markus go down like that, but Kareem has been waiting for an opportunity, and he’s going to have his now. We are as good a defense as there is in this league.”

Rookie inside linebacker Haason Reddick, who is a natural pass rusher and played on the edge in college at Temple, remains another option, Arians said. The Cardinals can afford to move him to the outside now that they have inside linebacker Deone Bucannon back following his lengthy rehab from offseason ankle surgery.

Both Martin and Reddick could be used in the same role, just in different defensive packages.

“We’ve got some different options to handle it,” Arians said.

–The Cardinals signed tackle/guard Earl Watford on Monday to help provide some immediate depth on the offensive line. Watford spent the past four seasons with Arizona and appeared in 15 games in 2016, which included 10 starts – seven at right guard, three at right tackle. He signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Jaguars this offseason, but was released in early September.

To fit him on the 53-man roster, the Cardinals released tackle/guard Vinston Painter and placed outside linebacker Markus Golden on injured reserve with a torn right ACL.

“Yeah, it’s good. He knows the offense,” right tackle Jared Veldheer said. “He knows what to do and we know Earl so it’s not like starting new with somebody else.”

–The Cardinals didn’t score a touchdown until there was just 32 seconds remaining in overtime when Larry Fitzgerald hauled in a 19-yard scoring strike from Carson Palmer. Arizona, however, had two touchdowns called back upon further review.

The first came in the second quarter when running back Andre Ellington caught a 12-yard, back-shoulder pass from Palmer in the end zone for what was called a TD on the field by officials. The call was reversed because replays showed Ellington didn’t maintain full control of the football.

In overtime, Palmer connected with John Brown for a 25-yard pass in the end zone that was initially ruled incomplete. Upon further review, the call stood although replays seemed to show that Brown might have gotten both of his feet inbounds.

“I was in,” Brown said. “I did the toe drag. They robbed me out of that touchdown. But we won the game; that’s all that matters. I practice it all the time, and coaches tell us every day we practice, ‘Know where you are. Know where the sideline is.’ I knew where I was the whole time.”

–Sunday’s game tied an NFL record for the most field goals kicked in a game by two teams with nine (five by the 49ers, four by the Cardinals). It’s happened four other times in history. The last time was in 2011 when Dallas played Miami and the Cowboys kicked six field goals and the Dolphins kicked three.

–Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said it didn’t matter how ugly Sunday’s 18-15 overtime victory may have looked. Yes, they barely beat the winless 49ers, he said, but style points were the last thing on the Cardinals’ minds as they got back to .500 at 2-2.

“Coach (Bruce Arians) said it early, that this was essentially a must-win football game for us in early October,” Fitzgerald said. “You can’t go 1-3. After seeing what the Rams did, go down to Dallas and get a big win to get to 3-1, you can’t fall that far behind.

“You’ve got to be able to stay on pace. This game was huge. We obviously didn’t want to walk out of here with a tie. That would have been demoralizing.”

Fitzgerald caught his 17th career touchdown pass against the 49ers. That’s the most any active NFL player has against a single opponent. He has caught at least one pass in all 27 career games against the 49ers and now has caught at least one pass in 199 consecutive games overall.

–“Here’s an expert piece of inside information for you: When the game is on the line, throw it to No. 11. It’s fun to watch a guy like that play and that’s why he is who he is and will be in the Hall of Fame someday. When the game is on the line and everyone knows where the ball’s going, he still finds a way to get open and make the play. It’s incredible to watch.” – Kicker Phil Dawson on Fitzgerald.

–With the win over San Francisco, head coach Bruce Arians moved into second place on the Cardinals’ all-time victory list. He now has 43.

–Wide receivers John Brown (quadriceps) and J.J. Nelson (hamstring) basically split time with each of them still slowed because of leg issues. Brown caught three passes for 47 yards and drew two defensive penalties. Nelson caught three passes for 45 yards.

“We need both of those guys healthy and then we can be dangerous,” head coach Bruce Arians said.

NOTES: WR Larry Fitzgerald stayed on the ground, bending over in the end zone after hauling in his game-winning, 19-yard touchdown late in overtime. There was concern all around on the Cardinals’ sideline and on the field form the rest of his teammates. He was OK; he just had the wind knocked out of him. “I knew we had just won the game, but I couldn’t breathe,” Fitzgerald said. “So it was really hard to be kind of animated and celebrate.” … ILB Deone Bucannon made his season debut after missing the team’s first three games recovering from offseason ankle surgery. He was credited with just one tackle in a rotational package with rookie Haason Reddick. “I feel good. Just a couple things (were negative),” he said. “I just got to get back TO trusting it. I haven’t played football in eight, nine months. I’m going to be fine.” … LG Will Holden made the start with the top two players ahead of him on the depth chart, Mike Iupati and Alex Boone, out with injuries. A fifth-round pick, Holden played tackle at Vanderbilt and was used as a tight end during Arizona’s previous two games, so moving to guard wasn’t easy. “It was a whirlwind, for sure, ups and downs,” Holden said. “I said I wanted an opportunity to play more and I got it this week.”

REPORT CARDS VS. 49ERS

–PASSING OFFENSE: B-minus – The bad news is Carson Palmer was sacked six times and hit 16 times overall because of a continually bad offensive line. The good news is he survived and still managed to pass for 357 yards and the game-winning touchdown to Larry Fitzgerald in overtime. Andre Ellington (nine catches, 86 yards) and Jaron Brown (eight catches, 105 yards) stepped up on a day when Fitzgerald only finished with four passes.

–RUSHING OFFENSE: D – The Cardinals finished with just 51 yards on 22 total carries – a disappointing 2.3 yards a rush – and it probably isn’t going to get any better while star tailback David Johnson remains out with that wrist injury that could sideline him until late November or early December. The line was able to open up some holes, but Chris Johnson couldn’t exploit them long enough for any back-breaking runs. Right guard Evan Boehm was flagged three times for holding.

–PASS DEFENSE: B-plus – The Cardinals limited Brian Hoyer to 234 yards on 24-of-29 passing and didn’t allow him to throw a touchdown pass. He was intercepted once and sacked three times. All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson didn’t have a great game. He was beat a few times by Pierre Garcon for some long completions and he also was called for pass interference. Justin Bethel played better in press coverage on some deep balls, but he dropped an interception.

–RUSH DEFENSE: B-minus – They still haven’t allowed an opposing team to rush for 100 or more yards – the 49ers finished with 95 as a team – and more important, the Cardinals didn’t allow a rushing touchdown. Carlos Hyde finished with 68 yards on 16 carries. Safety Tyrann Mathieu led both teams with a game-high 11 tackles, including two for loss and a sack.

–SPECIAL TEAMS: B-plus – Phil Dawson, who had missed a field goal in each of the team’s first three games, was 4-for-4 against the 49ers. He connected from 29, 43, 50 and 32 yards. Punter Andy Lee, meanwhile, was much better after an off night against the Cowboys a week ago Monday. He averaged 48.8 net yards per kick and boomed a 60-yarder late in the game. The Cardinals still aren’t getting much of anything out of their punt returns, and their coverage teams lacked tackling in both areas.

–COACHING: B-minus – Head coach Bruce Arians said he preferred that Sunday’s game against the winless 49ers went to the wire because “blowouts don’t help you.” Arizona’s 18-15 overtime victory, he said, was exactly what he wanted to see because “when you play a game like this, it really has a good effect on your football team.” Arians hasn’t appeared to significantly alter his play-calling or game plans despite a rancid and ransacked offensive line and a running game that desperately is missing its star player, the injured David Johnson. Offensive line coach Harold Goodwin continues to have his hands full.