For the first time since Week 6 -- the last time the Cardinals had played the Rams, and a five-game span after -- rookie cornerback Kei'Trel Clark played defensive snaps when the Rams came to Arizona Sunday. For the first time in his career, Marco Wilson didn't play a defensive snap.
The evolving cornerback situation for the Cardinals was the biggest takeaway for Sunday's snap counts, after a game in which the Cards started six rookies: tackle Paris Johnson Jr., tight end Elijah Higgins, defensive end Dante Stills and cornerbacks Clark, Garrett Williams and Starling Thomas V.
Wilson did play 11 special teams snaps. But the cornerback breakdown was Williams at 60 (of 67, 90 percent), Clark at 59 and Thomas at 40. When Thomas was put out of the game with an ankle injury, the Cardinals did turn to a Wilson, but it was practice-squad call-up Divaad Wilson (also a rookie), who played 35 snaps. Those were Divaad Wilson's first snaps of his NFL career.
Despite a back issue flaring up on Saturday, safety Jalen Thompson had an interception for a second straight game and was a 100 percenter for the game with all 67 snaps -- same with fellow safety Budda Baker and inside linebacker Josh Woods.
Woods' fellow inside linebacker Krys Barnes had 27 snaps, and rookie inside linebacker Owen Pappoe played the first four defensive snaps of his career.
At outside linebacker, the breakdown was Zaven Collins (34), BJ Ojulari (33), Dennis Gardeck (31), Victor Dimukeje (24), and Cam Thomas (20). On the defensive line, Jonathan Ledbetter came back from a shoulder injury to lead the way with 41, the same total as Stills. Roy Lopez (29), Phil Hoskins (27) and Ben Stille (26) were also in the rotation.
On offense, Trystan Colon (27) replaced Carter O'Donnell (44) at left guard in the second half. Wide receiver Hollywood Brown played 62 of 71 snaps despite a heel injury, with Greg Dortch playing a season-high 54 snaps, Rondale Moore at 53, and Andre Bacellia (8) and Zach Pascal (7) getting some work.
At running back, James Conner only played 30 snaps as the game got out of hand, with backups Michael Carter (27) and Emari Demercado (14) getting a chunk of work. It was Carter's first game since being claimed off waivers.
Higgins played a season-high 19 snaps, with Trey McBride leading the tight ends with 61 and Geoff Swaim getting 20.
