The Arizona Cardinals have taken another hit on the defensive side of the football.
Safety Tyrann Mathieu will undergo surgery on his thumb fracture Wednesday and will be out "a couple weeks," via Darren Urban of the team's official website. When he returns, the Honey Badger is expected to play with a cast on his paw.
It's another blow to a Cardinals squad that has seen several players plucked from their starting lineup due to injury. Darnell Dockett and John Abraham have already been put on IR on the defensive side of the ball. The offense lost Carson Palmer for the season and has been without Larry Fitzgerald during their two-game skid.
Losing Mathieu will dent the Cards' secondary and somewhat hinder the creativity with which coordinator Todd Bowles can deploy his defense.
Expect Tony Jefferson to take Mathieu's snaps, which will be a step down in coverage on the Cards' tail end.
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