Snaps increase for Cardinals D-lineman Zach Allen along with production

Amid the drama surrounding J.J. Watt Sunday was the play of fellow defensive lineman Zach Allen. While the defense was on the field for only 52 snaps, Allen missed only three, playing 94 percent.

That was after playing 83, 84, and 83 percent in the first three games of the season.

After the win over the Panthers, Watt said, “I’m very proud of Zach Allen; played unbelievable today. I think he deserves a ton of credit. He’s been having a great year; he played great today.”

Watt, by the way, played his most snaps of the season after missing Week 1 with a calf injury. He was on the field for 41 snaps (79 percent) Sunday after playing 62 and 63 percent in the previous two games.

Last week, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was asked about the seemingly high number of snaps for Allen.

Joseph acknowledged, “We have a pitch count for our guys. But he’s playing some defensive end on sub downs. He’s a young guy. He’s in great shape.”

And also playing at a high level.

There were other notable items from Sunday’s game:

Linebacker Isaiah Simmons not only started, but after playing only 22 and 33 percent of the snaps the previous two weeks, was on the field for 43 snaps (83 percent) against Carolina.

When left guard Justin Pugh aggravated an elbow injury that has limited his practice time and left the game after only 13 of the offense’s 76 snaps (17 percent), he was replaced by Max Garcia.

Then, when right guard Will Hernandez was ejected after the first play of the fourth quarter, Garcia moved to right guard and Sean Harlow played the rest of the way at left guard. Hernandez ended up playing 58 snaps (76 percent) and Harlow 18. Garcia totaled 63 snaps (83 percent) with 45 at left guard and 18 at right guard.

Safety Chris Banjo, who practiced with the team for the first time this season on Thursday, played one snap on defense, but tied for the team lead with 19 special-teams snaps (83 percent). The others with 19 were linebackers Dennis Gardeck and Tanner Vallejo.

Wide receiver Rondale Moore made his 2022 debut, started and played 65 snaps (86 percent). He was targeted five times, catching three for only 11 yards. Moore also had one rushing attempt for minus-4 yards. His snaps affected Greg Dortch, who had only 27 (36 percent) after playing 91, 71 and 81 percent in the first three games.

Tight end Trey McBride was inactive in Week 1 and played a combined six snaps in Weeks 2 and 3. Sunday, he played 32 (42 percent) and caught all three of his targets for 24 yards with a long of 11.

Cornerback Trayvon Mullen Jr. played his first defensive snaps of the season and had 18 (35 percent). He also played 11 (48 percent) on special teams.

Nursing an injured right hip, kicker Matt Prater did not kick off three times in the fourth quarter and the Cardinals opted to go for two points on their final touchdown.

Asked if Prater will be OK, coach Kliff Kingsbury said, I hope so. He’s kicking well. Just he pushed it to the limit. I don’t know how much more he injured it, but he wasn’t feeling good enough to kick late. Luckily, it wasn’t a close game.”

Monday, Kingsbury said Prater was “a little sore” and acknowledged the team could sign a kicker to the practice squad this week to have available if Prater doesn’t improve.

They had tryouts Monday with Matt Ammendola, Rodrigo Blankenship, Jose Borregales and Jonathan Garibay.

Running back Eno Benjamin replaced Prater him on kickoffs and recalled kicking off during his senior year in high school. When asked if he was nervous, Benjamin said, “Not very nervous because you could say there was a circumstance in which I could’ve come in this game that I knew of ahead of time. In practice, I was getting in a few kicks as well.”

Prater practiced on a limited basis all week.

Benjamin’s three kickoffs reached the Carolina 20-, 4- and 13-yard lines. The last two bouncing kicks were muffed by running back Chuba Hubbard. Carolina’s starting field position on the three kicks was the 25, 22 and 26.

Charting the snaps (snaps/percentage; starters in bold)

*Indicates player that did not play from scrimmage, but participated on special teams

OFFENSE (76 snaps, 20 players)

Quarterbacks: Kyler Murray (76/100)

Did not play: Trace McSorley. Reserve/injured: Colt McCoy

Running backs: James Conner (50/66), Darrel Williams (16/21), Eno Benjamin (11/14)

Did not play: *Jonathan Ward. Inactive: Keaontay Ingram

Wide receivers: Marquise Brown (71/93), Rondale Moore (65/86), Greg Dortch (27/36), Andy Isabella (14/18), Andre Baccellia (6/8)

Inactive: A.J. Green (injured). Reserve/injured: Antoine Wesley. Reserve/suspended: WR DeAndre Hopkins

Tight ends: Zach Ertz (62/82), Trey McBride (32/42), Maxx Williams (23/30), Stephen Anderson (3/4)

Offensive linemen: LT D.J. Humphries (76/100), C Rodney Hudson (76/100), RT Kelvin Beachum (76/100), LG/RG Max Garcia (63/83), RG Will Hernandez (58/76), LG Sean Harlow (18/24), LG Justin Pugh (13/17)

Did not play: T/G *Josh Jones. Inactive: C Lecitus Smith. Reserve/injured: G Cody Ford, G Marquis Hayes

DEFENSE (52 snaps, 21 players)

Defensive linemen: DE Zach Allen (49/94), DE J.J. Watt (41/79), DE Michael Dogbe (19/37), DT Leki Fotu (17/33), DE Jonathan Ledbetter (7/13)

Inactive: NT Rashard Lawrence (injured), DL Jonathan Ledbetter

Linebackers: ILB Zaven Collins (52/100), ILB Isaiah Simmons (43/83), OLB Markus Golden (37/71), ILB Ben Niemann (21/40), OLB Dennis Gardeck (20/38), ILB Tanner Vallejo (9/17), OLB Devon Kennard (9/17), OLB Cameron Thomas (9/17), OLB Victor Dimukeje (8/15), ILB Nick Vigil (4/8)

Inactive: ILB Ezekiel Turner (injured), OLB Myjai Sanders, OLB Jesse Luketa

Defensive backs: CB Byron Murphy Jr. (52/100), S Budda Baker (52/100), S Jalen Thompson (52/100), CB Marco Wilson (51/98), CB Trayvon Mullen Jr. (18/35), S Chris Banjo (1/2)

Did not play: CB *Christian Matthew

Reserve/injured: S Charles Washington. Reserve/non-football injury: CB Antonio Hamilton

SPECIAL TEAMS (23 snaps, 36 players)

LB Tanner Vallejo (19/83), LB Dennis Gardeck (19/83), S Chris Banjo (19/83), TE Trey McBride (17/74), LB Ben Niemann (17/74), RB Jonathan Ward (16/70), LB Victor Dimukeje (16/70), TE Stephen Anderson (12/52), CB Trayvon Mullen Jr. (11/48), CB Christian Matthew (11/48), K Matt Prater (7/30), P Andy Lee (7/30), LS Aaron Brewer (7/30), TE Maxx Williams (7/30), WR/PR Greg Dortch (6/26), RB Darrel Williams (5/22), RB/KOR Eno Benjamin (5/22), T D.J. Humphries (4/17), T Kelvin Beachum (4/17), G Sean Harlow (4/17), G Max Garcia (4/17), T/G Josh Jones (4/17), DT Leki Fotu (4/17), CB Marco Wilson (4/17), CB Byron Murphy Jr. (4/17), WR Andre Baccellia (3/13), G Will Hernandez (2/9), DE Zach Allen (2/9), DE Michael Dogbe (2/9), DE Jonathan Ledbetter (2/9), LB Zaven Collins (2/9), S Budda Baker (2/9), S Jalen Thompson (2/9), TE Zach Ertz (1/4), G Justin Pugh (1/4), LB Nick Vigil (1/4)

Don’t hesitate to comment or ask questions on Twitter @hbalzer721 or email me: howard@gophnx.com