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Dolphins 2020 Opponent Breakdown: Week 9 - Arizona Cardinals

The Miami Dolphins' 2020 schedule will take them in Week 9 to Arizona to face what should be a much-improved Cardinals team

Alain Poupart

As the Miami Dolphins continue to prepare for the 2020 regular season as best they can during this most unusual offseason, we will be dissecting their upcoming opponents.

The opponent for Week 9 will be the Arizona Cardinals for a game at University of Phoenix Stadium on Nov. 8 at 4:25 p.m. ET.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

2019 Record: 5-10-1, fourth in NFC West (no playoffs)

Last Dolphins-Cardinals Meeting: 2016 at Miami — Dolphins 26, Cardinals 23

This December game at Hard Rock Stadium will be remembered for the knee injury that sidelined quarterback Ryan Tannehill for the rest of the season. Tannehill was injured when defensive lineman Calais Campbell fell into his knee after he completed a pass to DeVante Parker near the end of the third quarter. The Dolphins led 21-9 at the time of the injury and the score moved to 23-15 after the Cardinals scored a touchdown but Walt Aikens scored a defensive two-point conversion after Jordan Phillips blocked the extra-point attempt. The Cardinals then tied the score before Andrew Franks won it on a 21-yard field goal on the last play of the game. The field goal came after a 20-yard punt return by Jarvis Landry and a 29-yard completion from Matt Moore to Kenny Stills. The victory moved the Dolphins to 8-5 on the season on their way to a 10-6 finish and an AFC playoff berth.

Season in Review:

With a first-year head coach (Kliff Kingsbury) and rookie first overall pick Kyler Murray starting at quarterback, the Cardinals faced a tough challenge in the NFC West, which became the best division in the NFL in 2019. It was overall a fairly successful year for the Cardinals despite their 5-10-1 finish mainly because Murray showed great promise, earning All-Rookie honors from the Professional Football Writers Association. A six-game losing streak after the Cardinals started 3-3-1 ended all hopes at a playoff run, but Arizona finished with two victories in its final three games, including a 27-13 upset at Seattle. Linebacker Chandler Jones, who had 19 sacks, and safety Budda Baker, who led the NFL in solo tackles, both were selected to the Pro Bowl.

Key Veteran Additions: WR DeAndre Hopkins, DT Jordan Phillips, LB Devon Kennard

Outside of Tom Brady, Hopkins may have been the most decorated player to switch teams this offseason, and the fact the Cardinals got him for the pretty low price of a second-round pick and running back David Johnson (who they wanted to move in the first place) made it even bettter. Phillips signed with the Cardinals as a free agent after recording a career-high 9.5 sacks with the Bills last season, though the former Dolphins second-round pick was the beneficiary of Buffalo's strong defense. Kennard joined the Cardinals after starting the past two seasons for the Detroit Lions and recording seven sacks each year.

Key Departures: RB David Johnson, LB Joe Walker

Johnson started nine games for the Cardinals, but his production has done nothing but diminish since his amazing 2016 season when he had 1,239 rushing yards, 80 receptions and 20 overall touchdowns. Walker started 11 games last season, but left as an unrestricted free agent to join the San Francisco.

Notable 2020 Draft Picks: LB Isaiah Simmons, T Josh Jones, DT Rashard Lawrence

Isaiah Simmons was the most unique prospect in the draft because of his ability to play so many different spots on defense, and he was my personal favorite. The only knock on him as a prospect, in fact, centered around the question of where to play him in the NFL. Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who handled the same role for the Dolphins in 2016, said Simmons would play only linebacker for his team. Jones was a polarizing prospect as well, and there were many draft analysts who had him going in the first round, which could make it quite a steal for the Cardinals to get him in the third round. Lawrence was an effective, though less heralded, member of LSU's national championship defense and a former teammate of Davon Godchaux, who he said served as a great mentor for him in 2016.

Prognosis:

The Cardinals again will have their hands full with what should be a strong NFC West, though it would surprise no one if they had the ability to make a push for the playoffs. Arizona has front-line talent in a lot of places, including Hopkins and the great Larry Fitzgerald at wide receiver, former Dolphins "Miami Miracle" man Kenyan Drake at running back, Chandler Jones at linebacker and Patrick Peterson at cornerback. The Cardinals added some nice pieces in the offseason without losing anybody of significance and could be in line to make a big move if Kyler Murray can build on his rookie performance.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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