Chris Johnson's move to injured reserve will attract more eyeballs -- and certainly, CJ2K's loss means something, even if the running game was always going to be powered by David Johnson -- but the loss of Tyvon Branch may end up with greater impact. Here was a guy signed to improve speed in the secondary and to be used like Tyrann Mathieu, able to play the slot when Mathieu couldn't, and perhaps allow some sneaky flip-flopping from time to time.

Now Branch is done, at least for a couple of months. The Cardinals are fortunate that Mathieu says he wants to be Mathieu again. The Cardinals could use a dose of Honey Badger. Bruce Arians said Mathieu isn't the only player primed to play in that spot -- the coach mentioned Marcus Cooper in particular -- but "no one plays it like Ty when he thinks he's ready."

Does Arians think he's ready? "If he feels he's ready, he's ready," Arians said.

Not that this necessarily is the panacea for all the Cardinals' ills. The Cards still need to make sure receivers do go running free every so often. And Mathieu has nothing to do with the slow offensive starts. But if there is anything to be drawn positive from an injury-filled week -- we still await Carson Palmer's status, but it still seems like Drew Stanton will end up starting at QB Thursday night -- it's the fact Mathieu is moving toward Honey Badgerness.