The drama is piling up for the Detroit Lions this week, with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing facing off against his former squad, the Arizona Cardinals. This isn’t just another game either; seriously, don’t let that 1-3 record on Arizona fool you for a second. The Cardinals might have lost three straight after a Week 1 victory over the Chargers, but this team has undeniably improved and has been playing some good football. So, yeah, expect fireworks, because this one has all the makings of a shootout, with both defenses looking like they’ll struggle and the offenses keeping it tight.
Arizona’s Offense: More Dangerous Than You Think
Looking back at 2025, the Cardinals finished 3-14, fourth in the NFC West, 23rd in points for, and 29th in points allowed. Their overall DVOA was 27th, with offense at 24th. But don’t sleep on the talent they’ve got. Quarterback Kyler Murray went down with a foot injury in Week 5 last year, and running back James Conner had his own foot injury in Week 3, forcing veteran Jacoby Brissett to step in. And you know what? Brissett did work, throwing for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He had to carry that offense all by himself, constantly getting sacked 43 times. The offensive line was rough, giving up 59 sacks overall, the fifth most in the entire NFL.
In the backfield, Michael Carter led the team with 333 yards and a touchdown, with Zonovan Knight adding 269 yards and four touchdowns before an ankle injury in Week 15 ended his season. But the real story here, the one that tells you exactly how much Brissett had to air it out, is tight end Trey McBride. He finished 2025 as the team leader with an NFL record 126 catches for 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns. And wide receiver Michael Wilson had a massive breakout, putting up 78 catches for 1,006 yards and seven scores. Even with all that, second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. chipped in with 41 catches for 608 yards and four touchdowns. This offense has weapons.
The Defense Is Trying, But Likely Won’t Stop the Bleeding
While the offense was scrambling for its life last year, the defense was trying its absolute best to keep them in games. They brought in EDGE Josh Sweat in the offseason, and he immediately became their best defender, racking up 12 sacks and four forced fumbles. And talk about ageless wonders, EDGE Calais Campbell, at 39 years old, still managed 6.5 sacks and was a total presence on that defensive line. The secondary had its share of issues, no doubt about it, but cornerback Denzel Burke led the team with three interceptions and 11 pass deflections. Even with those individual bright spots, the DVOA for defense was 21st, and that 29th ranking in points allowed means trouble when you’re expecting a shootout.
So yeah, 1-3 isn’t pretty on paper, but this Cardinals team is playing way better football than that record suggests. With Drew Petzing staring down his old team, and both squads clearly having some issues on defense, expect some serious fireworks and plenty of points on the board. Get ready for a high-scoring nail-biter, because this Week 5 matchup between the Lions and Cardinals is gonna be absolutely wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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