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NFL Arizona Cardinals

Running Game Is Key To Arizona Cardinals’ Week 10 Win

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The Arizona Cardinals continue to simultaneously impress and surprise the football world, as the Cards head into Week 10 holding the best record in the NFL at 7-1. After a huge road victory over the Dallas Cowboys last week, Arizona heads home to host the St. Louis Rams in the first of two matchups this season. The Cards look to stay perfect at home, and the Arizona run game is the key to winning.

Andre Ellington has been an impact player every week for the Cardinals, and without Jonathan Dwyer he continues to carry the load in the run game. Ellington has at least 15 carries in seven straight games and also gets plenty of touches through the passing game.

Arizona can use their running game to control possession and wear down the St. Louis defense. Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer loves to sling it, but a run-first approach can open opportunities for Palmer to get big plays down the field. The Rams are also a fantastic matchup for Arizona to get a run game working.

The Rams’ defense is ranked 30th against the run, averaging 136 yards against on the ground per game. St. Louis is also prone to giving up big plays against the run, leading the league with 10 runs of 20 or more yards against them. Just 20 yards is the longest run that the Arizona defense has given up all season.

Ellington has continued to get better each week, and Sunday’s matchup with the Rams might be his first 100-yard rushing game of the season. Ellington came very close last week with 95 yards against the Cowboys, which was a season high. An efficient running attack will control the game for the Cardinals and make it much easier to capture their eighth win of the season.

The Rams are last in the NFC in points per game, so Arizona should win handily if the offense is balanced. There’s no reason for Palmer to throw the ball 40 times in this game. Arizona needs to use a balanced mix of run and pass. St. Louis has only given up 3.1 yards per carry the last four weeks, but the team has still averaged 120 yards against on the ground in those games. That indicates that if you press the issue and continue to run against the Rams, eventually they start giving up big plays.

The Cards know that in a division matchup with a capable Rams team they can’t underestimate St. Louis. The Rams have already had huge division upset wins against the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers this season. It’s also extremely important that Arizona continues winning and keeps as much distance between themselves and the second-place Seahawks as possible. The Cards still have to play the Seahawks twice and only have a two-game lead in the division.

Every game down the stretch becomes more important than the last, and Arizona must keep their foot on the gas. The running game is how the Cardinals can establish dominance on Sunday and assure that they maintain the best record in the league. Ellington has averaged over 20 carries in the last four games, and that trend should not change against the Rams. A solid running attack will be key to delivering an Arizona win, as the Cards look to take another step towards having their best regular season in franchise history.

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