Arizona Cardinals: Offense can’t settle for field goals
By Scott Allen
The Arizona Cardinals get away with a win scoring just one touchdown on Sunday
There will not be many games the Arizona Cardinals will be able to survive scoring one touchdown or less against. They scored all of one against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in their 18-15 overtime win.
The touchdown came with 32 seconds left in overtime at that. Prior to that they settled for four field goals and an interception in the end zone on their first offensive drive of the game.
That will not work against the Philadelphia Eagles next week. A lot can be blamed on the offensive line for sure but there just needs to be overall better play.
While it was nice to see kicker Phil Dawson have his best day as a Cardinal going 4-4 on Sunday, the Cardinals need to score touchdowns. That starts with a running game.
The Cardinals once again had no running game. There were a couple of running plays that looked good but in the end they rushed for 51-yards.
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Running back Chris Johnson had a 15-yard gain brought back because of a holding penalty. Running back Andre Ellington ran hard but neither one of them had many opportunities to run free.
Johnson carried the ball 13 times but just for 32-yards. Ellington carried five times for 18-yards but was a huge part of the passing game against the 49ers. He had nine receptions for 86-yards and did have what looked like a touchdown, overturned.
Moving the ball between the 20’s is great but its when the red zone comes up the Cardinals really struggle. Field goals should be sprinkled in a game of touchdowns, not the other way around.
It appeared the Cardinals had two touchdowns taken away, one from Ellington and one from John Brown in overtime. Ellington’s non-touchdown resulted in a field goal. At least Brown’s was made up four plays later with Larry Fitzgerald’s score.
The Cardinals just need to do better. Touchdowns, not field goals, are the only way this team will continue to succeed. They got away with one on Sunday.