With Byron Murphy missing games with a back injury, the remaining cornerbacks have rallied to play good football in his absence. Last week, it was Antonio Hamilton. Monday night, it was Marco Wilson, who ended up with an 80.9 Pro Football Focus grade to be the best of all the full-time defenders for the Cardinals (Defensive lineman Trysten Hill was at 87.7 on only 12 snaps.)
Wilson only played 41 snaps of the 58 possible, after the game got sideways late. It was Hamilton playing every defensive snap at the position, along with safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson. Linebacker Zaven Collins only missed one snap after being shaken up after a play.
Isaiah Simmons, who also missed a few snaps after being shaken up himself, played 40 total. Myjai Sanders, the rookie linebacker coming off his best game, had only nine snaps (same as Cameron Thomas). Markus Golden had 36 snaps to lead edge rushers, and Dennis Gardeck had 20 snaps in his most work since his ankle injury.
Zach Allen led defensive linemen with 45 snaps, followed by J.J. Watt (39), Leki Fotu (30) and Michael Dogbe, after a practice squad callup, had 26.
Grade-wise on defense, Thompson (73.1), Simmons (70.2), linebacker Ben Niemann (68.7) and Allen (65.2) fell in after Wilson.
On offense,the Robbie Anderson story continues to be a strange one. He played 33 snaps, but was only targeted once and he remains with only one catch since arriving in trade. Greg Dortch, who got a much bigger role after Rondale Moore's injury, had 66 snaps to lead all receivers, followed by A.J. Green (55) and DeAndre Hopkins (49) in counts that were impacted by the lopsided score.
Trey McBride has taken Zach Ertz's role at tight end (54 snaps compared to 13 for Maxx Williams and 10 for Stephen Anderson.) On the offensive line, the Cardinals continued their rotation at left guard, with Rashaad Coward at 42 snaps and Cody Ford at 29. At running back, James Conner had 55 and Keaontay Ingram had 18.
Hopkins had the best PFF grade on offense (73.7), followed by tackle Kelvin Beachum (71.3), quarterback Colt McCoy (66.9), center Billy Price (66.6), Green (65.4), Dortch (65.0) and Williams (62.6).
