Scouting the Chargers: Cardinals stuck in 'we'll see' mode and looking for progress
The Arizona Cardinals are 12 weeks into the season and yet when coach Kliff Kingsbury is asked about the operations and overall assessment of his team’s run game, he said it remains “a work in progress.”
Whatever it is, it hasn’t been good enough this season, especially in the past month. Arizona has dropped to 21st in the league in rushing (108.9 yards per game) and in the last four games that average has dipped to 86.2 yards per game.
Kingsbury pegged most of the problems on a banged-up offensive line, which has seen four new starters up front in recent weeks, and a banged-up James Conner, the team’s featured running back.
“I think we’re still trying to figure out what our best runs are, what our best schemes are and trying to patch it together and get that group to maximize their talents together,” Kingsbury said. “… When you have those types of injuries that makes it rough. … We’ll continue to try and figure out what we do best, and we’ve got to get better soon.”
It will be interesting to see if anything changes Sunday when the Cardinals host the Chargers on Sunday at State Farm Stadium, considering the team has a new running game coordinator following the dismissal of veteran coach Sean Kugler, who doubled as Arizona’s offensive line coach.
Tight ends coach Steve Heiden is now in charge of the running game plans, according to Kingsbury, although he added it will be “a group effort.”
The group, from the players’ standpoint, has gotten smaller. In the last two weeks, the Cardinals have released two of their running backs, Eno Benjamin and Jonathan Ward. A third, Darrel Williams, remains on injured reserve. That leaves Conner (356 yards on 96 carries) along with rookie Keaontay Ingram and journeyman Corey Clement, who is on his fifth team in six years.
Ingram has run the ball only 19 times, Clement none. Quarterback Kyler Murray, who has a team-high 359 rushing yards on 59 carries, is the only player to have rushed for 100 yards in a game this season.
Will having someone new in charge of the Cardinals’ run game affect what he’s able to do?
“We’ll see,” Murray said. “I’m very confident in Coach Heiden. I know the O-line and the guys are very smart intelligent. He played the game. He understands it and relates to everyone well, so I’m excited for him to get the opportunity.”
MATCHUP: Los Angeles Chargers (5-5) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-7). KICKOFF: 2:05 p.m. Sunday, State Farm Stadium. TV/RADIO: CBS/Compass Media, Arizona Sports (98.7 FM), KHOV (105.1 FM).
Arizona Republic sportswriter Bob McManaman breaks down Sunday’s game between the Cardinals and Chargers:
CARDINALS PASS OFFENSE VS. CHARGERS PASS DEFENSE
Quarterback Kyler Murray will be back in the starting lineup after sitting out the past two games with a sore hamstring. He said he’s able to move around and do what he needs to do to but keep an eye on how he maneuvers in and out of the pocket. Arizona’s offensive line is still a patched-up group. The tackles, Kelvin Beachum on the right side and whether it’s Josh Jones again on the left side or D.J. Humphries can return from a back problem, need to be mindful of outside linebacker Khalil Mack. He has seven sacks and is always capable of wrecking a game. Expect a heavy workload from No.1 wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will be on a pitch count if he plays, and with Rondale Moore (groin) out and Greg Dortch (thumb) questionable, veterans A.J. Green and Robbie Anderson will have increased roles. Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (92 tackles) will be a handful.
EDGE: Chargers
CARDINALS RUN OFFENSE VS. CHARGERS RUN DEFENSE
It figures to be a surprise if Murray takes off and a runs a ton, be it on scrambles or designed plays, as he tests his hamstring for the first time when it counts. James Conner has only had one games this season in which he’s carried the ball 20 or ore times. That was two weeks ago in a 27-17 win at the Rams when he ran 21 times for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Though the Cardinals’ success in the ground game runs through Conner, it would be nice if Kliff Kingsbury lets Keaontay Ingram have a chance to really show what he can do. He can get the tough yards and also break a few runs if he’s fed the ball and allowed to get into a rhythm. The Chargers are prone against the run, having given up a ton of yardage the past four weeks. They have held the line on third-and-short this year, allowing just 11 conversions on 26 attempts on third down with one to two yards to go. The 42.3 conversion percentage allowed ranked No. 1 in the NFL through the first 11 weeks of the season.
EDGE: Cardinals
CHARGERS PASS OFFENSE VS. CARDINALS PASS DEFENSE
Only Tom Brady (282) has completed more passes in the NFL this season than the Chargers’ Justin Herbert (277), whose 2,730 passing yards rank sixth in the league. Herbert has 16 touchdown passes compared to seven interceptions, and although he’s been without two of his best wide receivers lately in Mike Williams (ankle) and Keenan Allen (hamstring), Allen returned last week with five catches for 94 yards in a close loss to the Chiefs. The Cardinals must be aware of running back Austin Ekeler, who excels as a pass catcher and has 69 receptions for 437 yards and a team-high four touchdowns. The Cardinals have allowed 21 passing touchdowns, tied with the Chiefs for the second-most in the league behind only the Steelers (22). For them to have any chance against the Chargers on Sunday, they’ll have to find a way to keep Herbert and the passing game in check.
EDGE: Chargers
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CHARGERS RUN OFFENSE VS. CARDINALS RUN DEFENSE
Ekeler has rushed 123 times for 534 yards and seven touchdowns, but the Chargers have one of the least-effective rushing attacks in the league. They are averaging just 87.9 yards per game as a team, which ranks 30th overall, and only one other player besides Ekeler has rushed for a touchdown. Joshua Kelley has one. Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph might be best served by trusting his linebackers and defensive front can keep Ekeler contained and putting most of his emphasis on trying to neutralize Herbert and the passing game. It might be utilizing multiple blitz packages, which Joseph is never afraid to do, but he might need to design a few new tricks to knock Herbert off his spot and disrupt his timing. The Cardinals, though, better not sleep on Ekeler.
EDGE: Cardinals
SPECIAL TEAMS
Los Angeles' punt coverage unit is allowing the fewest yards per return in the NFL this season (3.1 yards) and is on pace to be the best single-season return average allowed by a Chargers’ team since 1971. The Chargers once again will turn to Cameron Dicker as their kicker upon having to place Dustin Hopkins in injured reserve. In four career games, three with LA, Dicker is nine for nine on field goal attempts and has made all eight of his point after attempts. This would be a good time for the Cardinals’ special teams units to force another turnover.
EDGE: Draw
OVERALL
Considering the distractions and chaos that have surrounded the Cardinals week-to-week, it’s difficult seeing them put it all together and finally play their best game. They’ve been off schedule all season and can’t be counted upon to be a consistent, competitive group with attitude and a passion to finish.
Pick: Chargers 27, Cardinals 17
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
SERIES HISTORY: The Chargers hold a 10-4 ( .714) all-time advantage over the Cardinals. Los Angeles has won four of the last five games, including a 45-10 victory in 2018, where Philip Rivers started the game by setting an NFL record with 25 consecutive completions. This is just the Chargers’ second game at State Farm Stadium. Their first, in 2014, ended with a come-from-behind victory by Arizona on Monday night in the season opener.
DID YOU KNOW? Two sets of brothers will be going head-to-head Sunday at State Farm Stadium. Jeff Rodgers, the Cardinals’ assistant head coach and special teams coordinator, is the brother of Chargers’ coach Jay Rodgers, the team’s run game coordinator and defensive line coach. Ben Niemann, an inside linebacker for the Cardinals, is the brother of Nick Niemann, a linebacker for the Chargers.
HE SAID IT: “I’ve watched him a lot over the years, this week I watched him obviously. He’s a long athlete with a great arm. I mean he can make every throw and what’s surprising with this guy, man, is he doesn’t see the pressure. His eyes are down the field. He’s making throws from different arm angles, he can scramble, he can run with the ball. He takes some shots, which young guys do, and that’s got to stop because he won’t last a long time if he does that. But he’s a tall kid with a great arm.” – Cardinals defensive coordinator on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert
KEYS TO THE GAME
THE CARDINALS WILL WIN IF ... Kyler Murray accounts for at least three touchdowns, they keep the penalties to a minimum and everyone decides to show up and be fully accountable. That might not even be enough, though.
THE CHARGERS WILL WIN IF ... Justin Herbert finds a way to exploit any weakness in the defensive secondary, Austin Ekeler is able to gash Arizona on a few chunk plays and the defense rattles and contains Murray.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
CARDINALS RB JAMES CONNER VS. CHARGERS RUN DEFENSE
Conner is averaging just 44.5 rushing yards per game in eight contests thus far, but he’ll be going against a Chargers’ defense that has allowed at least 157 rushing yards in four straight games. That’s a number the Cardinals must exploit and with Murray likely to be a little cautious with that hamstring issue, look for Kliff Kingbury and new run game coordinator Steve Heiden to try and give Conner a healthy does of carries. If it’s not working, let rookie Keoaontay Ingram give it a try.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who has the edge: Arizona Cardinals or San Diego Chargers?
