National Football League

Cardinals' Peterson 'not playing to the best of my ability'

Published Oct. 16, 2014 10:18 p.m. ET

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Arizona Cardinals left cornerback Patrick Peterson is sometimes too good for his own good.

The Cardinals expect him to do more than a normal cornerback, and part of that means locking him into single coverage on an opponent's top receiver -- on an island, as it were. In this the age of global warming for offensive football, it does not always turn out well.

But if Peterson is so good that he occasionally can look bad, he would not have it any other way.

"I'm a man-to-man guy," said Peterson, who has been selected to the past three Pro Bowls. "I want to be in your face. I want the best receiver. That's how I was brought up and that's how I'm going to continue playing."

Peterson was beaten on two touchdown passes in the Cardinals' 30-20 victory over Washington on Sunday, a 64-yard slant-and-run by speedster DeSean Jackson and a 5-yard quick hitter to Pierre Garcon. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians acknowledged Monday that it was not one of Peterson's best games.

Peterson said he can do better.

"I do believe I am not playing to the best of my ability right now, but that's definitely going to change," Peterson said. "It's not a lack of focus, just being more dialed in ... each and every play, no matter who I am guarding."

Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles does not look at it that way. The fact that Peterson -- and to a lesser extent, right cornerback Antonio Cromartie -- can be used in solo coverage most of a game permits the Cardinals to do more of the blitz and stunt packages that Bowles prefers. If a cornerback is occasionally beat in coverage, it is a tradeoff the Cardinals can live with.

"Pat is his harshest critic. He would be the first one to tell you. I don't really think he is playing bad. He has had a play or two here and there that he needs to clean up, but he knows that and we know that, and we will get that corrected," Bowles said.

"Patrick is one of the reasons that we can do a lot of things we do inside, so for him to give up a pass or two doesn't mean he struggles. It just means we left him out there too long. We have to do a little more to help him."

By throwing away from Peterson, opponents are throwing into double coverage and/or throwing under pressure. Safety Rashad Johnson had two interceptions Sunday; hybrid defensive back Jerraud Powers had one. Peterson, who had 12 interceptions in the past three seasons, is looking for his first this year while playing solely on the left side for the first time in his career.

"If you have a man corner, that takes away half the field," Bowles said.

"You know where the ball may not be going. The few times you throw at him, if you get one or two, that's going to be warranted. But (Peterson) is going to get his also. That also allows you to help out in different areas where we are not as talented. He brings a lot to the table."

Peterson signed a five-year contract extension in July worth a guaranteed $48 million, with a max of $70 million, surpassing the deal signed by Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman. Peterson said, if anything, the big money alleviated any pressure he may have felt.

"Now, all I want to do is go out there, have fun, play football at a high level and do what I have to do to help my team win ballgames," Peterson said.

The Cardinals (4-1) lead the NFC West entering a game at Oakland on Sunday, but they are not without defensive issues. They rank No. 25 in the NFL in yards allowed per game (384.8) and last in passing yards allowed (309.0). Part of that has to do with their emphasis on stuffing the run -- with Peterson and Cromartie in single coverage, they can commit another defender to the forward wall.

It also might have to do with the fact that the Cardinals have faced Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Kirk Cousins, three of the six most prolific quarterbacks in the league in terms of yards per game.

"It wasn't just Peyton," Bowles said. "We can't give up big plays, and we understand that. We can't let 5- and 10-yard plays go for 50 and 60 yards. The ball is not going over the top, it is going underneath. We have to tackle."

Jackson's 64-yard score came on that kind of play, when Jackson beat Peterson to the inside of the field and safety Tyrann Mathieu was out of position to help after the completion.

But as Peterson said, bring it on.

"Obviously he (Bowles) has a lot of trust in us," Peterson said. "Our defense is built around the corners, man-on-man on the outside, because we do so much blitzing and try to help guys in the interior of the defense and it pretty much leaves us out on an island by ourselves. It leaves us that much more open for exposure.

"You have to love this position, because one Sunday you can be great, next Sunday you can be horrible and the following Sunday after that you can be mediocre. That's the great thing about this job, about playing cornerback."

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