Arizona Cardinals did something that hasn’t happened to the Eagles in seven seasons
By Sion Fawkes
When the Arizona Cardinals dropped their 11th game of the season to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15, they did one thing right: The Redbirds ran the ball so efficiently that, despite the loss, it was remarkable to see them rush for a season-best 234 yards.
If you remember correctly, the Cardinals rode the ground game to a massive upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, rushing for 222 yards. And yesterday against the Philadelphia Eagles, “Big Red” gained 221 yards on the ground against what was until Sunday afternoon, a top-10 rushing defense.
But you may not have realized just how significant that number was to the Eagles. Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer revealed that it’s been quite some time since Philadelphia had given up so many rushing yards in a single game.
"“But the coach, ultimately, bears responsibility for the game plan and the Eagles seemingly had no scheme for stopping running backs James Conner and Michael Carter along with Murray. The Cardinals rushed for 221 yards — the most the Eagles have allowed since 2016.”"
- Jeff McLane
Source: Jonathan Gannon ‘guts’ the Eagles and outcoaches the free-falling Nick Sirianni
Arizona Cardinals gave the Eagles a mark of futility in Week 17 win
We know the Cardinals, even as a four-win team, boast one of the league’s best running games, and it’s a bright spot on what has otherwise been a rebuilding project that saw the team get younger throughout the season. Following yesterday’s win, the Cardinals now own the league’s sixth-best rushing offense, and their 5.0 yards per carry is tied with the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins as the NFL’s best.
Their 16 rushing touchdowns on the ground is also a huge mark, and it’s tied for 10th in the NFL while their 114 first downs are ninth. That said, the Arizona Cardinals should more than have an identity heading into next season as a group that loves to wear down defenses with a throwback approach.
But following Kyler Murray’s performance through the air yesterday, just think of how good the Cardinals offense will look next season when they add another pass-catcher or two to his arsenal. If Week 17 foreshadowed anything, it will be a fun team to watch come September of this calendar year.
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(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)