3 Bold Predictions: Arizona Cardinals vs. Dallas Cowboys – Week 17
By Sion Fawkes
Arizona’s run defense goes 2 for 2
Besides his 43-yard outburst to start last week’s game, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor averaged just 2.5 yards per carry last week when you take out his first carry. In case you’re wondering, Taylor finished the game with 27 carries for 108 yards, for exactly 4.0 yards per carry, his fourth-lowest yards per carry average of the season and lowest since October 11. Take out the first carry, and he logged 26 attempts for 65 yards.
This week, the Cardinals may face a dynamic duo in Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. However, as of Thursday, both have appeared on the injury report, with Pollard fully participating in practice. But, the Cardinals have proven not once, but twice, in 2021, they can stop some of the league’s best backs – they also shut down Derrick Henry in Week 1.
Look for the Cardinals to string together a second-straight job well done against the Cowboys’ running game. And although their run defense was not perfect against Indianapolis, they also nearly held Taylor to under 100 rushing yards for the first time in a month. Big improvement last week, and look for the team to build on that improvement in Week 17.