Arizona’s Preseason Was a Penalty Fest, and Their Third-String Defense Was a Complete Mess

The Arizona Cardinals got absolutely wrecked in their exhibition game against the Dallas Cowboys, taking a brutal 34-13 loss. Few starters even hit the field for either team, and what we saw from Arizona’s third-string defense was, frankly, a complete mess.

Painful Truths From the Exhibition Field

Look, everyone knows what these preseason games are for: coaching staffs gotta figure out who belongs on that final roster by August 30. You need live action to see who’s gonna make the cut. The Cardinals came into 2026 with a ton of optimism, new head coach, a new starting QB, a new rookie RB, three fresh offensive linemen, a new OC and play caller, a new long snapper, and a bunch of new pieces on defense. That’s a lot of change! But against Dallas, the scoreboard told a story no one wanted to hear, 34-13, and it wasn’t pretty. The worst part? Those third-string defensive guys? They were a complete mess out there. Just brutal.

A Few Defensive Guys Actually Showed Up

Now, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Cardinals, at least if you squinted hard enough. Some individual performances definitely flashed. Linebacker Owen Pappoe, who’s backup to Cody Simon, was literally everywhere the ball was. He led all Arizona defenders with 10 tackles, made a nice hit on a kickoff return that made Malik Davis fumble, and even had back-to-back tackles in the third quarter. He stopped Jaydon Blue for just six yards on a third-and-14. That’s hustle, man. And let’s not forget LB Eku Leota. The dude destroyed Blue for minus three yards at one point and then snagged a sack in the third quarter, forcing Dallas to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown. Kalen King, the nickelback, sniffed out a receiver screen to Tyler Johnson for a three-yard loss. And late in the game, LB Cameron Robertson nailed Denzel Mims for a minus one yard play. Even the fourth-and-1 stop on the Cowboys’ first drive was a great sign, keeping them off the board from Arizona’s 12-yard line.

Penalties: A Full-Blown Disaster

But seriously, what was up with all the flags? It felt like these Cardinals were getting bonuses for every penalty called on them. This is an exhibition game, guys, you gotta clean that stuff up! The worst of it? A holding call on Fairweather didn’t just wipe out one touchdown, it nullified *two*. That’s absolutely crushing, even in the preseason. You can’t give points away like that. The coaching staff has to be fuming about that, especially with those August 30 roster cuts looming.

So, with the clock ticking towards August 30, the Cardinals’ coaching staff has some serious questions to answer. Who stays? Who goes? If guys are picking up penalties like that and the third-string defense is getting carved up, those decisions are gonna be tough. They’ve got to find a way to get this roster cleaned up before the games start counting for real.

This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.

Originally reported by Revenge of the Birds.