Arizona Cardinals: Preseason Week 1 Highs and Lows

For the first time since an embarrassing Wildcard loss, the Arizona Cardinals took the field

The Arizona Cardinals offense came out flying tonight taking down the Cincinnati Bengals to the tune of 36-23. Here are some of my quick reactions to the preseason victory and what they could mean for the future of the team.

High – Greg Dortch looks like he could be the real deal this season. He has the speed to stretch a defense and is smooth on his feet. He finished the first half with 4 catches and 53 yards, and had an absolutely filthy 55-yard punt return. He was the featured punt returner for the evening and had 89 return yards. Do that every week and he has a roster spot locked down for that alone.

Low – Zaven Collins continues to look lost. It wasn’t all bad, in fact, he showed that he has the ability to pressure the quarterback when put in a blitz, but his tackling and understanding of opposing offenses still looks a bit behind. Honestly, he should have had more playing time than he did. He needs all the real-life game experience he can get.

High – Will Hernandez is built like, and moves like, a tank. He has the right guard spot locked down.

Low – Marco Wilson still looks rough around the edges. The DPI called on #2o in the first quarter was not great and it wasn’t the only discouraging sign from the second-year cornerback. He showed good closing speed which was largely showcased because of how often receivers were beating him on routes.

High – Trace McSorley could be the backup QB of the future for the Arizona Cardinals. Colt McCoy re-signed with the Cardinals this offseason but only on a two-year deal. McSorley could end up being a fantastic future option to backup Kyler Murray going into the future. Not only did he look like a solid thrower, but he also showed off his wheels on multiple occasions. Having the physical tools to play like Murray when called on is a valuable thing in a backup and would allow the Cardinals offense to stay relatively the same even in an instance where the star young QB is taken out by injury.

Trace McSorley off script 🤌@AZCardinals @McSorley_IX

📱: Stream #AZvsCIN on NFL+ https://t.co/DqhJvWly2R pic.twitter.com/Yl1R3uQiMm

— NFL (@NFL) August 13, 2022

Low – Matt Prater missing two extra points is very out of character. Probably no cause for real concern because, well, it is preseason after all. Still, a kicker with the pedigree of Prater missing extra points is something to comment on.

High – The Arizona Cardinals offense looks like it has depth at every skill position. The backup quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs all played well.

Low – The exact opposite for the defense. Concerning holes at cornerback popped up again and again. However, newcomers Josh Jackson and Christian Matthew both made some interesting plays.  The defensive line depth actually was better than expected and a very welcome surprise. Still, a lot of interesting decisions to be made with this side of the ball before the start of the season.

High – The entire running back room looks good. Jonathan Ward played the majority of the first half with brief appearances from Eno Benjamin. The second half featured Keaontay Ingram and some snippets of T.J. Pledger. Ward finished with two touchdowns and the rookie Ingram added one of his own.

Goal line personnel getting their reps in for the @AZCardinals.

📱: Stream #AZvsCIN on NFL+ https://t.co/DqhJvWly2R pic.twitter.com/cvJNrKLQFi

— NFL (@NFL) August 13, 2022

High – Victor Dimukeje had a good game. He finished with two sacks and two QB hits and showed good speed and moves coming around the edge. If he can break the pass rush rotation this year it would add another component to a group that will be searching for the permanent solution to the loss of Chandler Jones.