Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
| Defense | Yards Per Game
| Yards Per Pass Play | 3rd Down Pct. | Red Zone Pct.
| PPG | | ARI | 13 | 28
| 24
| 28 | 22 | | SF | 19
| 20
| 20
| 8
| 31 | | SEA | 27
| 26
| 28
| 10
| 25 | | STL | 29
| 31
| 23
| 27 | 30 |
|
|
Two of the NFL's top 10 red-zone defenses call the NFC West home. The 49ers and Seahawks haven't had much else to celebrate on defense this season, so they'll take it.
The Cardinals rank only 28th in red-zone percentage on defense after Carolina scored touchdowns on two of three chances Sunday.
One of those red-zone chances was particularly costly. The Arizona offense had just turned over the ball at its own 18. Everyone in the stadium should have known the Panthers might throw for the end zone on their next play. Such "sudden-change" tactics are common, but the Cardinals still allowed an 18-yard touchdown pass right away.
Where NFC West defenses finished in yards allowed last season: Seattle 15, Arizona 17, St. Louis 21 and San Francisco 25.
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
