Calais Campbell: Cardinals still have a 'top defense'

The Arizona Cardinals boasted the NFL's most underrated defense last season, finishing first in run defense and sixth in total yards allowed.

After watching Todd Bowles' troops lose Pro Bowl linebacker Daryl Washington on top of Karlos Dansby's exit and Tyrann Mathieu's uncertain status for the first month of the season, we have expressed doubt that the Cardinals' defense can repeat their 2013 success.

One of the biggest snubs from NFL Network's The Top 100 Players of 2014 remains unfazed about his team's prospects, however.

"We have Kevin Minter stepping up, who did great for us, but we're still talented all the way around," defensive end Calais Campbell told Trey Wingo of ESPN's NFL Live on Thursday. "The defensive line, DBs, keep the job easier. John Abraham, he had a good year last year. We'll still be a top defense. And offense got way better this year."

Campbell also touted coach Bruce Arians as a "genius" and proclaimed that the Cardinals could "really do some damage this year."

With Michael Floyd turning heads, Andre Ellington poised to "make the leap" and the offensive line overhauled, we fully expect Arians' offense to score more points in 2014.

Campbell's optimism notwithstanding, the flip side is that the defense is going to surrender more points.


(nfl.com)