Can’t even describe how much this changes how I view the Cardinals defense.
Part of why they are so successful, with regards to blitzes, is that they do one of three things.
They send an LB opposite of Jones, and outside of Allen/Watt to push the pocket towards Chandler.
They send a DB (usually Baker) to the outside of Jones, and force the tackle to pick. They used to do this on the opposite side, and still do when they bring more than 5.
They send a delayed DB after Chandler engages, and it’s usually bad news bears.
The Cardinals pass defense is pretty solid, even with MASSIVE wholes in the secondary, because they use Simmons/Thompson/Baker to all cover people, and rotate them all around the field. Simmons and JOK are projectile missiles used very similarly, except Simmons frequently is used in deeper coverage and in the slot. He’s nuts.
But a big part of WHY they are solid is because, on downs 1-3, they will force you to be uncomfortable. It’s why they get away with Marco Wilson and Rob Alford on the outside.
I firmly expect, with no Jones, a heavy dosage of 5-2-4 with the line on obvious passing downs being Golden/Allen/Watt/Gardecki and then a rotating quasi-NT to eat a block. I also expect a ton of run blitzes. They will violently attempt to snap holes shut. A lot of the running yards the Cards let up is when you spread them out and force them small. LA did it running out of the gun but fell behind and abandoned it. Jacksonville gashed them.
Long drives are the killer, and they are very beatable deep.