The Walter Nolen III era is upon us.
Don't get me wrong. The rookie defensive lineman has played one game. Like Calais Campbell said postgame after the win over, Nolen can't get too far ahead of himself. Nolen himself promised he wouldn't.
"I'm already on to Seattle," Nolen said. "I can't wait to get to next week and compete."
But for a first game, Nolen had four tackles, two for loss, a sack, a pass batted down, and just looked exactly like the Cardinals hoped he'd look for a first-round pick. For a guy who hadn't played in a game since the end of his final college season (and had been on the field only a handful of times since his summer calf injury before training camp), Nolen played 37 of 67 defensive snaps, a significant number out of the box.
The only defensive lineman who played more was the 39-year-old Campbell, who had a season-high 38 snaps (and snap percentage) against the Cowboys. Which was funny, since Campbell admitted after the game he surprised himself late that he had the "juice" to be able to notch two sacks in the closing couple minutes of the game.
With Nolen up, veteran Bilal Nichols was inactive. Darius Robinson still started but played 24 snaps, his fewest of the season. Dante Stills only played 18, by far his fewest (Stills hadn't played fewer than 31 before Monday.)
Rookie cornerback Denzel Burke, who's playing time had shrunk as guys got healthy, had 39 snaps after Max Melton got bis concussion (and responded with a big fourth-down pass breakup against CeeDee Lamb and a late interception.) Rookie linebacker Cody Simon, who provided the huge fourth-quarter forced fumble, played 20 snaps after Mack Wilson Sr. got hurt. He had played just three defensive snaps all season before that -- and Simon was ill Monday as he did it.
Josh Sweat, with eight pressures and two sacks in a fantastic game, played 45 snaps, the most he's played since Week 1.
On the other side of the ball, both Bam Knight (38 snaps) and Emari Demercado (27 snaps) played a season-high at running back. Michael Carter did not play on offense.
"Tight end" Kelvin Beachum played 24 snaps, a remarkable amount for an offensive lineman not playing offensive line.
