Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner shredded the Chicago Bears defense for 107 rushing yards on just 18 carries yesterday at State Farm Stadium in a 29-9 win.
Thanks to head coach Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals have a new commitment to running the ball, a commitment that has dynamically impacted their potency on offense.
Through Week 9, Conner ranks No. 6 in the NFL in both carries and rushing yards. His durability has been essential to the team and it’s almost as if Conner becomes more powerful as the game progresses. Conner wasn’t the lone carrier in the Cardinals’ run attack Sunday as rookie running back Trey Benson and Emari Demercado both scored touchdowns and handled a few carries as well.
With Gannon’s run-first offensive identity, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing can rely on Conner to set the tone while he simultaneously accesses film to identify potential coverage voids for the team to attack in play-action.
53-(CASUAL) YARD TOUCHDOWN@Money_E3 pic.twitter.com/Gzm3ImjxPI
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 3, 2024
Ultimately, the Cardinals have found their niche on offense, using physicality and larger personnel groups to create advantages for Conner at the line of scrimmage. Thanks to Conner, the Cardinals now have their eyes set on winning the NFC West midway through 2024.
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