3 bold predictions for the Arizona Cardinals Week 5 matchup
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals are heading into Week 5 and gearing up to face a Cincinnati Bengals team that has surprised the NFL universe for all the wrong reasons. We thought the Bengals would be contenders once more as the early stages of the playoff race take hold, but that hasn’t happened.
No, quarterback Joe Burrow’s calf injury hasn’t helped, but the Bengals are struggling in nearly every facet of the game. This could make for a big day not only for a couple of players on the Cardinals offense, but their struggling defense should also be gearing for a surprising game.
Each bold prediction listed below reflects that, and you will see a pair of familiar faces projected to enjoy fine outings while the defensive unit redeems itself from last week.
3 bold predictions for the Arizona Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Bengals
1 - James Conner rushes for 125 yards and 5.1 yards per carry
The Bengals have the second-worst rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 5.1 yards per carry, which gives running James Conner a huge opportunity to slice his way through a 100-plus-yard performance. Last night, I stated Conner should be the Cardinals top player, thanks to the fact his productivity this year is a mismatch for such a weak Bengals defense.
But this time, I’m going even bolder, stating Conner doesn’t just earn a lot of carries in this one, but that he will make the most of them. The seventh-year pro will snag at least 125 rushing yards, which should put him second in the league this week behind only Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers.
Conner is currently third in the NFL so far in rushing yards, as he is also behind DeAndre Swift of the Philadelphia Eagles. He is also one of just 11 total players in the NFL this season to average at least 5.0 yards per carry.