Cardinals Running Game Tested the Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings welcomed the Arizona Cardinals to U.S. Bank Stadium over the weekend and put the league’s best rush defense to the test. Kevin O’Connell’s team has faced more than a few strong running backs this season, but they have stuffed those talents time and time again. The box score may seem like the Cardinals got to Minnesota, but a dive under the hood suggests otherwise.
Cardinals Running Game Tested the Vikings
Arizona ran the ball 31 times for 154 yards on Sunday. That’s an average of five yards per carry and more than double the 70-plus yards per game they came in allowing. Of that total, though, just 68 yards came from running back James Conner, and that was on 17 carries.
Before the game, the Cardinals extended their running back as he was an impending free agent. They are clearly committed to Conner, and his presence in the backfield is a player they have significantly integrated into their offense. Against Brian Flores’ stout unit on Sunday, they continued to lean on Conner and utilize his abilities to open up the passing game.
Although the 154 yards look like a deviation from Minnesota’s ability to stop the running game, it’s easily explained. As was the case a week prior against the Chicago Bears, the opposition brought a running quarterback to the table. Caleb Williams isn’t a traditional scrambler, but he led the backfield in rushing yards simply because he eluded pressure. Not all of Murray’s yardage was a reflection of avoiding sacks, but he did break the pocket plenty.
Murray accounted for 48 yards against Minnesota, which may have been quelled with a spy. Even still, his rushing yards aren’t gained in the traditional sense, and there will always be difficulty corralling a slippery passer. Beyond that, Arizona used a pair of backup running backs to change pace and generated 32 yards on six carriers. The final six yards came from a play for wide receiver Greg Dortch.
Of course, Flores would prefer never to see his defense give up such significant yardage on the ground. That said, it’s not as though Minnesota allowed a 100-yard rusher or was gashed by someone going through the tackles. Kyler Murray utilized his skillset as expected, which explains away most of the production.
The Vikings won’t see that same ability for Kirk Cousins on Sunday, and it will be time for them to lock back in.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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