Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones left Sunday’s game at the New York Jets with a biceps injury. Jones looked to be in pain testing it on the sideline. 

“Looks like a bicep, so if that’s confirmed, then that would probably be a season-ending injury,” coach Kliff Kingsbury said after the game, which the Cardinals won 30-10.

Losing Jones for the rest of the season would be a blow to the Arizona defense. With Devon Kennard already inactive, linebacker Dennis Gardeck stepped in nicely with two sacks. Still, Jones is one of the NFL’s best pass rushers with 19 sacks last year. 

“(He’s) one of the best defensive pass rushers in the league if not the best,” safety Budda Baker said. 

A statistical leader and Pro Bowler, Jones is also a team captain and an emotional leader for the Cardinals. 

“It’s hard for me to put in words, just because I know how much Chan puts into it,” wide receiver Christian Kirk said after the game. “He was there for me when I had my injuries, and that’s my big bro. … For a player like that, no matter if he’s on the field or not, he’s always going to have an impact on this team.”

Jones had one tackle prior to leaving the game. 

“He’s been a great mentor for me these past three years, so I want nothing but the best for him,” Gardeck said. 

Outside of Jones, offensive lineman J.R. Sweezy and defensive lineman Rashard Lawrence were both injured. 

“Sweezy, we’ll see there, not sure exactly,” Kingsbury said. “Rashard, I think just got rolled up on that ankle a little bit, and I think he’ll be fine.”

Allow me to introduce myself

There is less handshaking in the world in 2020, but on Sunday, Gardeck made sure to formally introduce himself to the Jets. After all, he’s used to getting all of his snaps on special teams. 

“I was talking to the Jets, ’cause they obviously didn’t know who I was,” Gardeck said. “So I had to be like, ‘Yo. I’m a special teamer.’ Just let ’em know. That way when I did beat them, it’s like, ‘Dang, we just got beat by a special teamer.’ Mental warfare.”

Gardeck’s two sacks were good for losses of 17 yards and earned him a game ball. While perhaps a surprise to his new acquaintances on the Jets, it was less of a shock to those on the Cardinals who see Gardeck at practice every day. 

“There’s a reason he’s able to go in there when he gets his opportunity to make those plays, because he does it every single day,” Kingsbury said. 

Going for two

Already up 30-10, the Cardinals decided to go for two in the fourth quarter. It was not exactly out of fear that the Jets would quickly score three unanswered touchdowns, but more due to a penalty that moved Arizona to the 1-yardline for the conversion try.

“Just that we got the the penalty, and it was one yard instead of two,” Kingsbury said on the decision to go for it. “There was some confusion and they put the ball on the wrong hash with the play, but they did a nice job defending it. But that was it.”

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 480-356-6407. Follow her on Twitter @kfitz134.

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