Arizona Cardinals defensive, special teams snap counts vs. Cowboys

In the Arizona Cardinals 34-13 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, 30 players participated in at least one of the 59 defensive snaps, and 40 players participated in at least one of the 23 special-teams snaps.

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

• NT Damonic Williams (31/53), Jonah Williams (27/46), Cam Horsley (22/37), Keveion’ta Spears (18/31), Dante Stills (11/19), NT Andrew Billings (8/14), Darius Robinson (7/12),NTBrodric Martin-Rhodes (6/10)
• Did not play: Zach Carter, L.J. Collier, NT Roy Lopez, Walter Nolen III
• Reserve/injured: Kaleb Proctor

Williams led the linemen with three tackles (two solo) and could be ticketed to the practice squad. Head coach Mike LaFleur was asked why Robinson played, even though it was for only seven snaps. LaFleur said, “We just thought we needed to get a little bit more time with him in real football. That was the reason to get him out there.” Robinson had one solo tackle.

• ILB Owen Pappoe (44/75), ILB Karson Sharar (41/69), OLB BJ Ojulari (29/49), OLB Cameron Robertson (29/49), OLB Eku Leota (25/42), OLB Elliott Brown (24/41), ILB Cody Simon (15/25), ILB Eugene Asante (12/20), OLB Jordan Burch (11/19)
• Did not play: OLB Baron Browning, OLB Zaven Collins, ILB Jack Gibbens, ILB Mack Wilson Sr.
• Active/PUP: OLB Josh Sweat
• Reserve/injured: ILB Austin Keys

Leota has opened eyes all summer and had a sack Saturday to go with five tackles (four solo/two for loss) and a quarterback hit. Said LaFleur, “There has been a lot of good stuff that we've seen throughout camp. I have to go back and watch this tape obviously, (but) I thought from my eyes this was the most productive he was through the three preseason games. We'll go back and look at the tape to see if we can confirm that.”

Pappoe led the team with nine tackles (three solo) and also had a special-teams solo. Sharar had three tackles (one solo) plus a big hit on the game’s opening kickoff return. Robertson had four tackles (three solo/one for loss).

• S Isaiah Oliver (33/56), S Wydett Williams Jr. (31/53), CB Kalen King (31/53), S Kitan Crawford (30/51), CB Elijah Jones (26/44), CB Kei’Trel Clark (26/44), CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (22/37), CB Star Thomas V (18/31), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (18/31), CB Elijah Culp (18/31), CB Denzel Burke (15/25), CB Max Melton (15/25), CB Quinton Newsome (6/10)
• Did not play: S Budda Baker, CB Will Johnson, CB Garrett Williams, S Andrew Wingard
• Reserve/injured: S Joey Blount

Oliver, a local product from Brophy Prep, was being celebrated after the game because of an end-zone interception. However, it was in the fourth quarter and the Cardinals trailing 27-13 with 8:03 on the clock. He allowed a receiver go when Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III moved to his left, and it resulted in a 70-yard completion to wide receiver Camden Brown, who ran free to the 1-yard line. Oliver did chase after Brown and prevented a score. The ensuing 1-yard touchdown run gave Dallas a 21-3 lead in the second quarter. Oliver did have two solo tackles, a pass defensed and also played a team-high 19 snaps on special teams.

Williams had five tackles and a solo stop with a big hit on a pass reception. King had four tackles (two solo/one for loss), but along with Williams was being evaluated for a concussion. Crawford had three solo tackles and Clark two, but the latter suffered a hip injury in the game. Taylor-Demerson suffered an injury to his ribs on a hit that drew a borderline flag for unnecessary roughness while breaking up a pass. He did not return to the game.

On a first-down play, Thomas was beat on a double-move for a 53-yard touchdown by wide receiver Jonathan Mingo on a perfectly thrown ball by Milton. The single-high safety (Kitan Crawford) couldn’t get over in time to help.

• S Isaiah Oliver (19/83), LB Owen Pappoe (16/70), OLB Eku Leota (16/70), CB Elijah Jones (13/57), TE Rivaldo Fairweather (12/52), LB Karson Sharar (12/52), LB BJ Ojulari (12/52), K Chad Ryland (10/43), CB Kei’Trel Clark (10/43), S Wydett Williams Jr. (9/39), WR Simi Fehoko (8/35), WR/RS Ihmir Smith-Marsette (7/30), CB Kalen King (7/30), CB Star Thomas V (7/30), LS Casey Kreiter (6/26), TE Shawn Bowman (6/26), NT Damonic Williams (6/26), DL Jonah Williams (6/26), DL Cam Horsley (6/26), NT Brodric Martin-Rhodes (6/26), P/Holder Blake Gillikin (4/17), WR/RS Jalen Brooks (4/17), WR/RS Trey Wallace III (4/17), G/C Hayden Conner (4/17), T Christian Jones (4/17), T Josh Fryar (4/17), T Jayden Williams (4/17), T Valentin Senn (4/17), OLB Elliott Brown (4/17), WR Bryson Green (3/13), TE Baylor Cupp (3/13), T/G Matt Pryor (3/13), LB Jordan Burch (3/13), RB Evan Hull (2/9), WR Reggie Virgil (2/9), WR/RS Xavier Weaver (2/9), S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson (2/9), G/T Oli Udoh (1/4), LB Cody Simon (1/4), CB Quinton Newsome (1/4)

Ryland hit field goals from 31 and 38 yards, but missed badly way to the right on a 62-yard attempt. He also punted twice after Blake Gillikin injured his groin in pregame warmups. Gillikin was able to be the holder on the theee field-goal attempts and one extra point. Ryland’s average was 41.5, but the net was 31.5 because one resulted in a touchback.

The Cowboys didn’t punt in the game. Four Cardinals returned kickoffs: Smith-Marsette, 2-67 with a long of 35; Weaver, 2-41 (22 long); Brooks 1-28 and Wallace 1-24.

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 Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.

.oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}

.oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}

This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals defensive, special teams snap counts vs. Cowboys