Arizona defense wonders what happened since opener

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP)

The Arizona Cardinals defense has repeatedly watched video this week of the season opener against St. Louis and wondered what became of that strong, confident team.

The Cardinals, two-time defending NFC West champions, went to St. Louis and won 17-13 in Rams quarterback Sam Bradford's pro debut.

''We all looked different,'' safety Kerry Rhodes said. ''I think we all had what coach calls the swagger that we came into the year with. Right now that swagger's taken a big hit. Where we are defensively as a unit - not good. And we still have the same players from that game. Where the disconnect came from, we don't know. We're trying to get it back.''

Entering Sunday's rematch with the Rams, Arizona (3-8) has lost six in a row. The Cardinals rank 29th out of 32 teams in overall defense, 30th in run defense and 25th in pass defense. Only Denver (323) has allowed more points than Arizona (321).

The defensive breakdowns have been everywhere. Adrian Wilson, the rugged leader of the unit who had such a big game in the opener, has not been playing near his usual Pro Bowl level. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, with a rich new contract extension, started the season slowly and is bothered by a sore shoulder. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a Pro Bowl selection a year ago in his second NFL season, has had his problems, too.

The defensive front has struggled. The pass rush has been woeful, the tackling poor. In Monday night's 27-6 embarrassment against San Francisco, the 49ers plowed for 261 yards rushing, the most allowed by the Cardinals this season and by far the most accumulated by the 49ers this year.

Way back in that season opener, Arizona held St. Louis to 81 yards rushing. No. 1 draft pick Bradford completed 32 of a whopping 55 attempts for 253 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times and sacked twice.

The Arizona stars were Wilson, who blocked a field goal and intercepted two passes, and wide receiver Steve Breaston, who made two potentially game-saving defensive plays.

On the opening drive, Arizona's Tim Hightower fumbled and Bradley Fletcher returned it 43 yards before Breaston chased him down. Wilson blocked the subsequent field goal try. Moments later, St. Louis mounted a drive that ended on Wilson's interception.

In the third quarter, Arizona quarterback Derek Anderson was sacked and fumbled. Defensive tackle Clifton Ryan scooped up the ball and had nothing but open space between him and the goal line. Yet Breaston, far from the play, saw what happened and immediately raced downfield, stripping the ball away just before the big lineman crossed the goal line.

After Anderson's 21-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald gave Arizona the lead with 6:13 to play, Bradford directed a drive to the Cardinals 21. But on fourth down, Rhodes picked off Bradford's pass and returned it 65 yards.

A second fumble by Hightower gave St. Louis one more chance, but Bradford's final heave into the end zone was intercepted by Wilson.

The defensive play has gone downhill since, and it hasn't helped that the offense has been worse, ranked 31st in the NFL. In the last three games, opponents have outscored the Cardinals by a combined 94-37.

''We're not playing particularly well, really anywhere,'' coach Ken Whisenhunt said. ''It still goes back to playing technique and not making mistakes. It seems like we make a mistake early and it seems to snowball and we have a hard time getting out of it. That's a vicious cycle.''

While Arizona seemed to lack San Francisco's emotion and intensity, Whisenhunt won't criticize the effort or the way the team practices during the week.

The Cardinals gave up a 40-yard run to Frank Gore on the 49ers' first possession, then running back Beanie Wells fumbled the ball away on a botched handoff on the first play from scrimmage. Things went downhill fast after that.

''I'd hate to say it's a 'here we go again' kind of thing because we have really fought not to have that,'' Whisenhunt said. ''I think it's frustration. I think it's disappointment. There are a lot of things that build up.''

Rhodes, in his first season with Arizona, was asked if he's seen things snowball when things go wrong early.

''For this team it has,'' he said. ''I don't think with every team that's the case. I think some teams have the ability, that if a couple of bad plays happen, to get past it. We're not right there right now. If something happens to us, it's negative from there. It's pretty hard to figure out.''