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Isaiah Simmons (eighth overall) has seen his playing time increase, but he's still a part-time player. Simmons was on the field for 55 percent of the snaps in the Cardinals' Week 14 win over the Giants, and he's played 30 percent of the snaps overall. He's shown some flashes, but the Cardinals have to hope Simmons will have much more of an impact in his second season. Arizona currently occupies the No. 7 seed with a one-game lead over the Vikings and Bears.

That was a big road victory against the Giants. The defense was dominant as the pass rush came alive.

Haason Reddick has finally found a home on the edge, racking up 10 sacks this year after tallying 7½ in his first three combined. He and Chandler Jones might make quite a tandem ... if Reddick returns after having his fifth-year option declined.

The Cardinals' defense has been underrated all season, as is evident by its FPI ranking. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was given the personnel he needed to be successful, and for the most part, he has been. Injuries have impacted the defense at times, but it has kept the Cardinals in games as the offense continues to figure itself out. Losing All-Pro Chandler Jones in Week 5 was a major blow, but the Cardinals' defense has continued to be the backbone of Arizona's success this season. -- Josh Weinfuss

The Cardinals really had their way with the Giants on Sunday. With less than nine minutes to play in the third quarter, Arizona had built a 20-0 lead over New York, running 30 plays in Giants territory before Big Blue had crossed into Cardinals territory once. The defensive star was linebacker Haason Reddick, who had five of Arizona's eight sacks in the game. "This is the first time I've ever had a game like this where everything was just working for me," Reddick said. "I hit on all cylinders." The win, combined with a Vikings loss to the Bucs, moves the Cardinals back into the seventh and final playoff position in the NFC.