Arizona Cardinals linebacker Jesse Luketa said he was ready to be called upon when the team needed someone to step up on defense for Sunday’s matchup versus the San Francisco 49ers.
And in his 2024 debut, the results showed as much.
Luketa, who was inactive for the first four games of the season, forced a fumble late in the fourth quarter, setting up the Cardinals’ game-winning field goal in the team’s 24-23 win.
“That’s the NFL. Opportunity came knocking and I simply answered, as simple as that,” Luketa told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Monday.
.@AZCardinals @Buddabaker3 this knockout shot to Kittle. set the tone for this comeback and at the Big Levi! @MackWilSr with the FR off of a @OttawasVeryOwn FF. What a great series of events. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/oeQv1aPv6b
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) October 7, 2024
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Luketa didn’t just earn a handful of snaps.
While starting pass rushers Zaven Collins (32 snaps) and Dennis Gardeck (30) played about 50% of the available defensive plays, it was midseason pickup Julian Okwara and Luketa next up against San Francisco.
They got run ahead of rookie Xavier Thomas and fourth-year pro Victor Dimukeje, who had gotten in the rotation through the first three to four weeks.
Jesse Luketa didn’t see Cardinals blink after getting behind 49ers
After giving up 23 points and trailing by 13 at halftime, the Cardinals’ defense turned it around in the second half, forcing three turnovers and giving up zero points.
Luketa said the team’s confidence wasn’t down at halftime. Arizona just needed to stick to its game plan.
“We just knew it was going to be a four-quarter battle,” Luketa said. “We played a great team in San Francisco, all the respect to them, but we knew we needed to play our brand of football and kind of just hone in on the things that we prepare for all week.
“We were able to regroup at halftime and I kind of put a point of emphasis and reemphasize on the little details and go out there and execute.”
Luketa credits the leadership in the locker room.
“When you got guys like Budda Baker and Kyzir White, it’s kind of hard not to run through a wall for those types of guys but the leadership is passed down,” Luketa said. “We are fortunate to have a great staff that believes in our unit and we believe wholeheartedly that we can go out and battle with whoever.
“Doesn’t matter what it is on paper, they’re going to have to line up and let it spin. The leadership component is amazing just knowing that you got guys in our locker room who have such a extensive resume and let us just play as one.”