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The Arizona Cardinals are in a traffic jam inside the NFC West. The Cards share the division's best record with the Seattle Seahawks at 6-5 and in a division with all four teams within a game of each other. However, the team and head coach Jonathan Gannon had to navigate without one of their top draft picks.
Gannon and Arizona received welcoming news on Monday involving their injured rookie. Defensive lineman Darius Robinson is “on track” to return to the trenches Sunday, per ESPN NFL reporter Josh Weinfuss.
Robinson, 23, was one of Gannon and Arizona's first-round selections. The Cardinals swooped him up at No. 27 overall. Unfortunately for Robinson, he's yet to record his first sack or even play his first defensive snap.
He injured his calf on Aug. 22 during the preseason. Robinson was originally thought to be coming back for the Week 12 contest against Seattle, per Weinfuss. Arizona rolled without him, losing 16-6 to the division leader on Sunday.
How have the Cardinals fared on defense under Jonathan Gannon?
Gannon came to Arizona in 2023 as a distinguished defensive mind from the Philadelphia Eagles. His unit ranked second against yards and first versus the pass.
Has Arizona shown signs of improvement in his area of expertise? The Cards are making gradual progress.
Gannon's first unit ranked 25th in yards allowed in their debut together in 2023. Arizona has risen to 18th overall this season. But the Cards rank 11th in holding opponents to 236 points so far this season. And in the last three games, Gannon and the defense have surrendered no more than 16 points against their opponents.
The 6-foot-5, 286-pound Robinson returning becomes immediate help for Dante Stills, who leads all defenders with 4.5 sacks from his defensive line spot. Robinson's presence can also potentially free up outside linebacker Zaven Collins, who trails Stills with four sacks.
If Robinson is greenlit to play, he'll line up against the league's 10th-best offense in the Vikings. Minnesota also has delivered the ninth-best scoring output this season. Lastly, the Vikings are rolling into post-Thanksgiving weekend on a four-game winning streak. The Cardinals' Sunday opponent has outscored teams 86-60 during their last quartet of games.
Sunday becomes a crucial one with the Cardinals aiming to distance themselves from the congestion inside the NFC West. The Cards still have a rematch with the Seahawks at home on Dec. 8. They also have critical division matchups against the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers remaining.
