Arizona Cardinals: Running game could be key to future wins

The Arizona Cardinals found a lot of yards on the ground Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson used to be a one-man wrecking crew in the team’s running game.  He was the workhorse.

On Sunday, he still got the most carries with 17 of them, but now he has help.  His help comes in a couple of different forms.

Not only does Johnson have Chase Edmonds as his backup but also quarterback Kyler Murray who is getting his number called on the ground as well.  Between Edmonds with 8 carries and Murray with 10, that was one more overall than Johnson.

Even receivers Andy Isabella with 2 carries and Keesean Johnson with a carry got in on the act.  It was the only way they found a way to give Isabella the ball on Sunday.

Murray had 93-yards rushing to go with Johnson’s 91-yards.  Edmonds had 68-yards rushing, 37 of those yards came on his huge 4th quarter touchdown run against the Bengals.

Is this the blueprint going forward.  It’s a question we’ve been asking the last 24 hours. To the tune of 266-yards rushing it sure would seem this is the way to go.

Then, as the reminder keeps being given, it was the Bengals.  There are a few other teams on the schedule whose defensive units won’t be as giving as the Bengals run defense was.

What could also play into it is apparently there is an issue with Johnson’s back.  It was announced on Monday that the team was going to monitor his back situation.  He was said to have been in pain against the Seahawks and it sounds like he experienced some of the same issues against the Bengals.

However if Johnson were to sit or see limited action, Sunday did prove they might be able to get away without him.  They could certainly use him though.  Having 266-yards rushing as a team in the NFL is nothing to sneeze at, no matter who the opponent is.