When Cardinals have the ball
Key performers: QB Kyler Murray, RB Kenyan Drake, RB David Johnson, WR Larry Fitzgerald, WR Christian Kirk, LT D.J. Humphries, LG Justin Pugh, C A.Q. Shipley, RG J.R. Sweezy
What’s been working: Since he was acquired from the Miami Dolphins after Week 7, Kenyan Drake has replaced David Johnson as the No. 1 back in Arizona. He’s averaging 4.5 yards per carry in his four games with the Cardinals, and three of Kyler Murray’s five-best rushing games have come with Drake in the backfield. Speaking of Murray, he’s having a promising rookie year in a difficult situation and trails only Lamar Jackson in rushing yards among quarterbacks.
Who’s hot (or not): The Cardinals have started the same offensive line every game this season, but is that stability a good thing? Their 42 sacks allowed are fifth most in the league, which isn’t great when you’re protecting a mobile No. 1 draft pick starting as a rookie. Last week against the Rams, they allowed six sacks, their highest total since giving up eight in Week 3 to Carolina. They’ve allowed at least one sack in every game but one and have given up multiple sacks in six consecutive games.
Game plan: The first thing you’ll notice about the Cardinals offense is that you might think you’re watching high school or college football. That’s how often they use run-pass option, play-action fakes, with first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury and Murray both coming from the spread-out, offense-happy Big 12 Conference. A lot of shotgun, a lot of short passes, as Murray’s 6.9 average intended air yards per throw are the sixth fewest in the NFL, per Next Gen Stats.
Keep an eye on: At 36, Larry Fitzgerald is still going strong in his 16th season removed from his spectacular career at Pitt. But the Cardinals have another local tie with A.Q. Shipley at center. The former Moon High School star who played in college at Penn State is on his sixth team since the Steelers drafted him in the seventh round in 2009. Arizona, though, has been Shipley’s most permanent home. He has been a starter in four of his five years there, missing the 2018 season with an injury.
When Steelers have the ball
Key performers: NT Corey Peters, OLB Chandler Jones, OLB Terrell Suggs, ILB Jordan Hicks, CB Byron Murphy, CB Patrick Peterson, FS Budda Baker, SS Jalen Thompson
What’s been working: Well, there was that one game, back in October, when the Cardinals held the Giants to 263 yards on the road. That’s the only time this season Arizona has allowed fewer than 300 yards of offense. The Cardinals have twice surrendered 500-plus yards, including just last week against the Rams when they gave up a season-high 549. They’ve given up at least one passing touchdown to every opponent.
Who’s hot (or not): While the defensive effort overall has been lackluster, veteran pass-rusher Chandler Jones is having another dominant year. He’s third in the NFL with 13 sacks and has now hit that number three seasons in a row in the desert. A Patriots first-round pick in 2012, Jones has at least a half-sack in four consecutive weeks and had four in one game this season at the Giants.
Game plan: Vance Joseph was the Broncos head coach last year and is now running Kingsbury’s defense. Joseph is a 3-4 guy, but his base defense has left a lot to be desired, given that Arizona’s relative strengths are in the back end. Aging Baltimore Ravens great Terrell Suggs isn’t the same edge-rushing force he used to be, so you could see more of 2017 first-rounder Haason Reddick at outside linebacker this week.
Keep an eye on: In addition to Jones, veteran inside linebacker Jordan Hicks has been another stat-stuffer for this defense in his first season not with Philadelphia. Hicks is second in the NFL with 116 tackles and also leads Arizona with three interceptions, while ranking second on the team with six pass breakups. But he’s also part of the reason the Cardinals have allowed by far the most yards (953) and touchdowns (13) to tight ends this season.
Special teams
Zane Gonzalez has become a reliable kicker, hitting 26 of 29 field goals and 21 of 22 extra points so far this season, with two kicks of 50-plus yards. … Punter Andy Lee, another former Pitt Panther, has been in Arizona since 2017 and led the league last season in punts, yards, yards per punt and net yards. … This year, Lee is averaging the second-most yards per punt (48.1). … Wide receiver Pharoh Cooper returns punts and kicks, and is in his second stint with the Cardinals after playing for the Bengals in the 2019 season opener.
Keys to victory
To win, the Cardinals must…
Get in the taking season. Only nine giveaways this season? That’s good. But only 12 takeaways? That won’t help win the turnover battle against a ball-hawking Steelers defense.
Stay hungry. There’s not much to play for when you’re 3-8-1, and even the normal home-field advantage might be gone if (maybe when) Steeler Nation shows up in droves.
Beat a Duck with a Heisman. It’s not just about the quarterbacks in this matchup, but the first overall pick needs help from his teammates just like the undrafted free agent on the other side.
To win, the Steelers must…
Jump the trap. Riding high on a two-game win streak, with a key prime-time home game looming next, don’t play down to the competition and stub your toe on the road.
Egg on Benny. Snell has been good lately, but he can be even better with more room to run against a porous defense that has allowed three 100-yard rushers so far.
Keep laundry off the field. Too many penalties nearly proved costly against Cleveland, and more mental mistakes could keep a lesser team in the game.
First Published: December 6, 2019, 5:00 p.m.