Arizona
GM: Arizona Cardinals O-line helping keep things multiple
As the smarter, less-yelly national sports talk shows explained why Mel Kiper Jr.’s complaints about the trendy use of cover-2 defenses was off the mark, some pointed directly at the Arizona Cardinals for evidence about how to force a defense’s hands.
Run. The. Ball.
If you do, opponents will be forced to move their safeties into the box, closer to the line of scrimmage. And if they do that, then offenses can start taking deep shots — the ones Kiper claims he misses in the pro game so much.
Arizona’s run game and offensive line continuing to hammer opponents will likely force defenses out of constant deep safety coverages. That theory will again be tested Sunday against a physical Detroit Lions defensive front at State Farm Stadium.
But so far, the Cardinals have liked what they’ve seen through a 1-1 start. They’re either baiting teams out of cover-2 or taking advantage of opponents who refuse to load the box.
“I think the offensive line is doing a good job to open up holes in the run game and the backs are doing a good job of gaining positive yards and staying out of long down and distances,” Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Friday.
“Kyler (Murray) has made plays from the pocket and made off-schedule plays. … That always helps when you can have those explosives and those chunk plays and not forced to have those long, drawn-out drives because those are tough to do, to finish off.”
To that point: The Cardinals are averaging 6.83 yards to go on third downs this season — a positive sign with the ranges by team usually spanning 6.0 to 8.0 yards for a full season.
Arizona’s early down efficiency has led to the team pacing the NFL in third-down conversion rate (58.3% or 14 of 24).
The Cardinals also lead the NFL in average drive length (42.1 yards).
Perhaps that efficiency comes down to earth with more games played, but the strong start is undeniable. Arizona ranks fourth in rushing yards per game (177.5) and is fifth in yards per rush (5.5).
The Cardinals’ run game has gotten props this week from ESPN’s Mina Kimes to Yahoo! Sports’ Nate Tice.
It’s especially impressive after Arizona lost starting right tackle Jonah Williams in Week 1 and was already switching last year’s right tackle, Paris Johnson Jr., to left tackle. Johnson is playing alongside newcomer left guard Evan Brown.
“Paris has done a great job with that transition,” Ossenfort said. “He worked on that in the offseason and really went into overdrive on it here in the spring and then training camp and early on in the season here. Paris had experience playing on the left side there at Ohio State, so it wasn’t anything new to him. There are certainly plays he feels that he can get better on and I know that he will. The one thing about Paris that I know, is he is going to constantly work on his craft.
“I think he’s going to have a good measuring stick this week in Aidan Hutchinson lining up with him on the other side. If Paris wants a measuring stick, he’s got a good one coming in this week.”
And the Arizona Cardinals have run with that strong offensive line play …
The running game led by back James Conner and Murray has set up everything else, including the chunk plays.
Murray hit on all five deep balls last week in a win against the Los Angeles Rams.
Ossenfort has liked how it’s been doses of different contributors at different positions, too.
“Whenever offensively you can be multiple it really presents problems for the defense,” the general manager said. “When Kyler is doing the things Kyler can do … it really brings a dilemma to the defense.
“I think the more we can continue to do that and put our offensive skill players in positions to make the plays and our offensive line continues to get moving in the run game, I think that’s where we want to be.”