DeAndre Hopkins returned for a 10-reception, 103-yard performance in a game where the Arizona Cardinals scored 42 points.
Well, the Arizona Cardinals did it: For the first time this season, they scored 30-plus points. And while it’s true New Orleans Saints quarterback threw two pick six’s, the offense itself put up 30 total points, more than they had in any game all season.
So what helped propel the Cardinals? A man named DeAndre Hopkins, who just returned to the lineup for the first time this season. With 10 receptions and 103 yards in his first game back, Hopkins’ presence once again pushed the sputtering Cardinals offense into the 30-point range, and over it with some supplementary work from Marco Wilson and Isaiah Simmons.
DeAndre Hopkins is the Arizona Cardinals offense
With Hopkins’ big game serving as a catalyst for the Cardinals offensive prowess, we’re once again reminded that when the 10-year veteran is in the lineup, the Redbirds offense can hang with anyone. And it makes you wonder what they will look like when newcomer Robbie Anderson is up to speed and Marquise Brown returns.
Regardless of whether head coach Kliff Kingsbury continues to call the plays or if another ultimately takes his place, Hopkins’ presence will keep the Cardinals offense afloat, likely making the team’s respective play-caller look like an expert offensive coordinator. But this isn’t something that should necessarily be celebrated.
The Cardinals already lost Brown to a foot injury in their Week 6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. What’s the contingency plan if Hopkins misses more time this season, as he did last year following the Cardinals 7-0 start?
Given Hopkins’ dominance and the 30-point outburst as far as offensive points are concerned, we can’t forget about how unbelievably bad the offense looked over the season’s first six games. While it’s great to see Hopkins return to the lineup, his remarkable outing tonight shows us that once again, the offense clicks only when he’s on the field.
When Hopkins misses time, the offense is a different entity. And that means Kliff Kingsbury and company still need to figure out how to make this offense click if the injury bug once again strikes Hopkins.
(Statistics provided by ESPN.com)