In his first career start, Rabbit Taylor-Demerson had a hunch that Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was going to attempt to take advantage of the rookie's inexperience.
So, when the Jets were sitting at the Arizona 3-yard line on the first drive in the second half, Taylor-Demerson sensed what was coming.
"I figured he was going to pick on me, so I was on high alert," the safety said.
In the back of the end zone, Taylor-Demerson swatted away a third-down pass. The following play, outside linebacker Xavier Thomas came rushing off the edge with a fourth-down strip sack, the ball recovered by linebacker Kyzir White.
That was as close as the Jets got to the end zone all afternoon in the Cardinals' 31-6 victory.
"It's a crazy feeling," Thomas said. "You grow up watching guys like that. (Rodgers) is a Hall of Famer and a legend in the NFL. It's a surreal feeling. Now it's just keeping it consistent."
Over the last few weeks, the Cardinals defense has been as reliable as they come. They've not allowed a touchdown in their last three games at State Farm Stadium. The Chargers were limited to five field goals in the Cardinals' "Monday Night Football" 17-15 win. Cairo Santos' three field goals were the Bears' only points in the the Cardinals' 29-9 win last weekend. On Sunday, the Cardinals held the Jets to two first-half field goals.
The last time the Cardinals defense kept their opponents out of the end zone in three consecutive home games was in 1926.
"Damn," linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. said when informed about the statistic. "It shows the resilience that we have as a team. We started off the season not where we wanted to be at 2-4 and everybody probably thought it was time for us to tank, or whatever the (expletive) that means. But we stayed together and bought in as a team."
Now the Cardinals go into the bye week riding a four-game winning streak and remain in first place in the NFC West.
Sunday was the unit's fourth second-half shutout of the season. The Cardinals have talked about building off of each performance, and their outings prove it isn't just talk.
"It's hard to count out a team like us because I feel like we're always in the fight with the dudes we got on this team," Wilson said. "We take pride in this. I've never been on a team like this, besides college, where everybody is just dialed in."
The underdog mindset has fueled the Cardinals.
Thomas and fellow linebacker Jesse Luketa, fifth and seventh-round picks respectively, each had their first career sacks last weekend against the Bears. Both were able to get to Rodgers Sunday.
"You taste a little bit of success, and you just want to keep climbing and keep getting more and it makes you more hungry," Thomas said. "I want to keep working as hard as if I had no sacks."
Taylor-Demerson described his first career start as a dream. "I couldn't stop smiling in my locker room when I found out this morning," he said.
With the upcoming bye, safety Jalen Thompson has a chance to recover from his ankle injury, which likely sends the rookie back to the sidelines. However the lineup shakes out, Taylor-Demerson loves the defense as a group.
"Get used to it, man. We've got something cooking here," Taylor-Demerson said. "I was just locked in. The older guys leaned on me today and I don't want to be the weakest link. (Thompson) was down and me coming in, there should be no drop off and there wasn't."
