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sportsnaut.com]
"The Arizona Cardinals are preparing for J.J. Watt to return for the playoffs and that changes a lot. Already a top-10 unit in Football Outsiders’ NFL defense rankings, things are even better with the future Hall of Fame edge rusher. He’ll also shore up a weakness that has slowed down amid his absence.
Arizona Cardinals defense stats (w/ J.J. Watt): 201 pass ypg allowed, 9-6 TD-INT, 19 sacks, 5.5 ny/a, 84.5 QB rating
Once Watt landed on injured reserve, things went downhill fast. Opposing quarterbacks averaged a 99.1 passer rating against Arizona’s secondary, posting a stellar 18-6 TD-INT ratio and a 6.3 ny/a. Arizona also averaged nearly 0.5 fewer sacks per game. With Watt returning, the Cardinals have two outstanding pass rushers. But expect quarterbacks to target Marco Wilson (70.3% completion rate when targeted) and Byron Murphy Jr. (51 receptions allowed) in coverage."
