No Garrett Williams meant someone else was going to have to eat up important secondary snaps on Sunday in San Francisco. The Cardinals dealt with it by using rookie safety Rabbit Taylor-Demerson more than he has been used so far this season, and also got second-year cornerback Kei'Trel Clark more involved than he had been since midseason last year.
Taylor-Demerson played 22 of 64 snaps, with Clark collecting 21 snaps. Williams, who has been playing well, missed Sunday's game with a groin injury.
(Taylor-Demerson also got a team-high 91.8 grade from Pro Football Focus.)
The rest of the secondary played out as usual. Safety Budda Baker was in for 100 percent of the snaps, and fellow safety Jalen Thompson -- who bounced back well after a rough game against Washington -- and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting had 63. Rookie cornerback Max Melton also had his work grow, getting 32 snaps and essentially splitting time with Starling Thomas V (33 snaps).
On the defensive line, L.J. Collier led the way (39), followed by Roy Lopez (36), Bilal Nichols (28, after missing time with a stinger/concussion check), Dante Stills (27), Naquan Jones (19), and Khyiris Tonga (19, back from a knee injury).
At inside linebacker, Kyzir White (100 percent at 64) and Mack Wilson Sr. (54) had excellent games. Krys Barnes (12) had a sack early in the game. Owen Pappoe did not play a defensive snap for the first time since last season. He did play 19 special-teams snaps.
The outside linebackers were led by Zaven Collins (32), Dennis Gardeck (30), Julian Okwara (25), and Jesse Luketa (22). Luketa was active for the first time this season.
Backup guard Trystan Colon played 17 snaps after right guard Will Hernandez went down with a knee injury (Hernandez is reportedly out for the season) and also played three snaps at left guard for Evan Brown. Hernandez played 41 of the 58 snaps before going down.
Marvin Harrison Jr. led the wideouts with 44 snaps, with Michael Wilson (42) next and Greg Dortch (24) had his snaps shaved with so much 13 personnel in the game. Zach Pascal (10) and Chris Moore (8) also got in some work. At tight end, Trey McBride was in for 51 snaps after his game off (and dealing with a rib injury), with Tip Reiman (26) and Elijah Higgins (24) next.
At running back, James Conner (46) led the way with Emari Demercado as relief (13). Rookie Trey Benson didn't play a snap on offense or special teams.
