How the Cardinals Can Defeat the Broncos
The Arizona Cardinals sit at 4-9 in the 2022 season with the playoffs all but out of reach, and several injuries leaving us with little to remain optimistic about for the remainder of the year.
At this point, we are simply waiting for the organization to hit the reset button on everything and begin preparing for 2023.
But before we can get that far, there are still four games remaining and we would like to see the Cardinals play their hardest. Obviously, more losses mean better draft position, but losing is still no fun and the players don't make more money when they lose.
Therefore, I have crafted a game plan for the Cardinals that will surely lead to a victory over the 3-10 Denver Broncos! Allow me to show you:
Give James Conner the ball
Good things tend to happen when James Conner gets the football and that's been the case as of late for the Cardinals.
Conner has scored five touchdowns in the last four games (four rushing, one receiving) while also churning out 316 rushing yards and a healthy ~4.2 yards per carry.
While it hasn't led to many wins, the Cardinals' offense has been significantly more impressive when Conner has been getting the ball. That means there's no reason to stop a good thing.
To win this game offensively, the Cardinals need to play smart football and that means dedicating as many touches as possible to their most valuable player. Whether it's pounding the defense into submission via the ground game or getting him the ball in space, Conner needs to be the focal point of this offense.
Get the ball to your playmakers
When Conner isn't getting the ball, it should be going to your best playmakers, DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown. Like with getting the ball to Conner, there's no reason to reinvent the wheel here.
Hopkins has been sensational this year in spite of underwhelming quarterback play and Brown has flourished in his role with the team, as well. While it's unlikely they'll blow up opposing defenses with their current quarterbacks, they will still be in control of what they can do with the ball in their hands, which should be a lot.
I understand that the Cardinals have tons of players ready to contribute, but against a defense that has been one of the league's best they'll need to play it safe and give the rock to their stars. For any offensive success to happen, the Cardinals need to let Conner, Hopkins, and Brown manage the game.
Contain the deep passing attack
Russell Wilson has officially been ruled out of this game even after passing concussion protocol, so the Broncos are playing smart and thinking long-term with this decision. Regardless, the passing attack has a lot of weapons.
The Broncos have been one of the league's top big-play offenses this year with a whopping 42 passes going for 20-or-more yards this season. It's truly remarkable when you consider how badly this offense has performed as a whole. But this is exactly why the Cardinals shouldn't take the Broncos' passing attack lightly.
With the 26th-ranked passing defense and an opposing passing attack that is no stranger to big plays, the Cardinals cannot allow themselves to get lost and give up chunk plays. Giving up too many of those will spell out a loss for the team.
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