Arizona Cardinals

Rashad Johnson continuing to hone pickoff move for Cardinals

Published Nov. 2, 2015 5:36 p.m. ET

foxsports

Rashad Johnson is not the most high-profile member of the Arizona Cardinals' secondary, but he continues to turn in some of the unit's more noteworthy plays.

The seventh-year safety was in the right spot again in Sunday's 34-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns, intercepting a pass in the end zone with the Cardinals clinging to a four-point lead. The pick came right after Arizona had turned the ball over in Cleveland territory.

“I thought that (interception) was a turning point in the game,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said.

Such momentum-changing plays are becoming commonplace for Johnson, who registered his team-best fourth interception while matching a career high that he established last season.

Oddly enough, Johnson has piled up the bulk of his interception totals following a mishap in which he lost part of his middle finger while attempting to make a tackle during the 2013 season. He has picked off eight passes in the last 20 games after recording only six in his first 70 contests.

Sunday's interception was the 13th of the season for the Cardinals and it came shortly after Arians challenged his club in the locker room at halftime.

"Like Coach said, we were pretenders in the first half but that second half showed a lot of character, showed the ballclub that we really are," said Johnson, who played collegiately at Alabama. "We responded to the adversity."

Arians calls @49foyamind49's interception the turning point of the game. #AZvsCLE
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 2, 2015

#AZCardinals S Rashad Johnson tied for second in NFL with four interceptions, trailing only Charles Woodson (5).
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) November 2, 2015