As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. Like last year, Josh Carney and I will cover the opposing team’s offense. I will focus on the scheme, Josh on the players.
Today, our scouting report on the Arizona Cardinals’ offense.
ALEX’S SCHEME REPORT
Cardinals’ Running Game
Despite a 2-10 record, the Cardinals have run the ball well this season and run it quite often despite continually playing from behind. On the year, Arizona is averaging 4.8 yards per carry, third in the NFL and only behind contenders like the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins. Their 305 rushing attempts are only 14th in the league but they’re also 2-10 so they’re still focusing on the ground game (though they have not had their bye week, which does inflate their numbers compared to most other teams).
Ex-Steeler James Conner is healthy and the team’s top back. He’s not finding the end zone at the blistering pace he did in 2021 but is having a career year in terms of efficiency, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. As Josh will delve into, Conner’s been running extremely hard in recent games.
Watch out for WR Rondale Moore. A short-area/space player, he has 23 carries this season, averaging a healthy 6.8 yards per carry. Per Pro Football Reference, 14 of his carries have come on 1st and 10 with nine of those occurring in Cardinals’ territory. In total, 21 of his rushes have come with six or more yards to go, though he does have a 45-yard TD on a 2nd and 2 this year. So that’s their tendency to get him the ball. First and 10 (or at least six-plus yards) in their own territory.
As a team, the Cardinals have 11 rushing touchdowns, tied for ninth in football. And they have perfect balance on first down this season, rushing and passing 159 times each. As a team, they have 42 rushes of 10-plus yards, sixth-most in the league. So kudos to them, the running game has been an asset.
Schematically, they’re a multiple tight end team. Heavy use of 12 and 13 personnel, even with TE Zach Ertz (who has been on IR the last month anyway) released by the team yesterday. Plenty of gap schemes with guards and even the center pulling. Examples of that before as the Cardinals work to gain extra gaps. They want to be physical up front with their big people and match it with their scheme.
With Kyler Murray at quarterback, you have to watch out for designed quarterback runs. He already has three rushing touchdowns in his three starts returning from his 2022 ACL injury and he’s running around just fine. They will use the read option game with the Y-arc block to provide a lead blocker if Murray wants to keep the ball.
They’re also a heavy RPO team. And I imagine they’ll allow Murray to make those reads and decisions again to try and stay a step ahead of the Steelers’ defense.
Some other offensive stats. They’re averaging 17.2 points per game this season, 25th in football. With Murray back, that number is a point higher at 18.3. Their red-zone offense is solid, 12th at 57.1 percent, but they’re poor on third down, 24th at 35.3 percent. Finally, they’re only average in terms of taking care of the ball, just about league-average with 15 giveaways and are minus-one in turnover ratio on the year (17th overall).
Cardinals’ Passing Game
Murray is back, starting the last three games after the team worked with QB Josh Dobbs and (for a start) rookie Clayton Tune, the latter a disaster against the Cleveland Browns. In his three starts, Murray has completed a touch under 62 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and two picks. He’s been sacked a ton, nine times already.
WR Hollywood Brown, the former Raven, is their top wideout. He has 51 receptions for 574 yards and four touchdowns. TE Trey McBride is a top threat (though hampered by a groin injury this week). He’s come on strong with 48 catches for 521 yards and a score. Speedster Michael Wilson is one to watch for. A rookie, he’s averaging 15.5 yards per reception with five of his 28 catches going for 20 or more yards. As a team, the Cardinals don’t generate many big plays in the passing game (24 of them, tied-27th) but Wilson is a real threat.
Conceptually, they like to use reduced splits and tight looks to help open out routes and reduce space on crossers. They often pair these crossers/overs off play-action while mixing in the screen game a bit, too. Examples:
They work hard to create 1v1 looks for Wilson downfield on posts routes. And when Murray has the right look, he’s not afraid to uncork it, though Wilson seems to be almost too fast for Murray’s arm, leading to some underthrown passes.
One specific note. In their two-minute drill, they like to start things with shallow crossers with vertical/clear-out routes downfield to open him up. Usually, 3×1 formations to try to isolate and out-leverage the corner covering him. Will work well against man coverage.
Their kicker is a real weapon. And it changes the way they approach things. Against the Los Angeles Rams last week, the Cardinals began running the ball with 15 seconds left and two timeouts at their own 48. They ran it the next two plays against light boxes for 14 total yards. They did it because of the leg of their kicker, Matt Prater. They have an extended field goal range and ran the ball to set up a 55-yard attempt. It was negated by holding, but the point was there. Prater has serious range.
He holds the record for most 60-plus field goals in NFL history with four of them. That’s more than Jake Elliott, Brett Maher, Sebastian Janikowski, and Justin Tucker, all of whom have three. Prater has three field goals of 62 yards and his career long of 64 yards, which set an NFL record in 2013 until Tucker’s 66-yarder broke it in 2021. Of course, the Cardinals are in Pittsburgh’s open air this weekend and that can change the equation a bit.
Josh’s Individual Report
It’s Cardinals week, Steelers fans!
For the first time in two weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers are back at the friendly confines of Acrisure Stadium to take on the lowly Arizona Cardinals, who ride into town with a 2-10 record.
Though the record is rather poor, there is a lot to like on offense for the Cardinals, at least from the skill guys.
Standout quarterback Kyler Murray is all the way back from a torn ACL suffered in December last season. He looks like himself again as a runner and a passer.
While he is on the smaller side, Murray remains a dynamic quarterback with a strong arm and elite-level speed. He can make a play out of any situation, and he’s shown that in the last few weeks since his return.
Rush lanes and being disciplined while rushing the passer is going to be very key this week for the Steelers against a dynamic weapon like Murray.
Since returning to the lineup, Murray has rushed for 86 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries. He’s been a weapon on read-options for the Cardinals, and — at times — is Houdini in the pocket, as the Falcons found out the hard way.
The arm is back to its normal level, too, now that he’s knocked the rust off.
A flick of the wrist and he drops this into a bucket for wide receiver Rondale Moore for a 48-yard touchdown against the Houston Texans.
Murray has remarkable arm talent and accuracy. He has some decent weapons to work with in the passing game, too.
But right now, the strength of the Cardinals is the run game with veteran James Conner, who returned from a knee injury a few weeks. He’s been terrific for the Cardinals, providing a physical presence in the ground game.
He still runs with good patience and knows how to press the line just right, manipulating second-level defenders to set up blocks. He runs with great power, too.
Though injuries have slowed him down at times, he remains a really good running back in today’s NFL.
That edge and fire is still there, too.
He might not be the fastest or the shiftiest, but he’s an explosive runner for the Cardinals. He fits in perfectly next to Murray in the backfield and is a workhorse.
He has a nose for the end zone, too. You can’t teach that.
Michael Carter was claimed off waivers in mid-November from the New York Jets and is starting to emerge as the No. 2 behind Conner. He’s a shifty running back with great hands in the passing game.
Obviously on the smaller side, but he fits well in Arizona’s spread attack. He could get more run against the Steelers on Sunday, depending on game script.
In the passing game, second-year tight end Trey McBride has emerged as Murray’s go-to receiver in recent weeks. He’s a tough, physical tight end with some juice after the catch.
The Cardinals are creative in how they try and get him open looks, too.
He’s a great athlete at the position with outstanding hands. He’s still developing as a refined route runner, but with so much space to operate within Arizona’s offense, he’s a ball of clay the Cardinals are molding into something that appears special.
McBride’s status for Sunday is up in the air though as he missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with a groin injury. Veteran Geoff Swaim and Elijah Higgins would be in line for more snaps at tight end if he can’t go Sunday.
At receiver, Hollywood Brown remains a significant deep threat, one who can run away from defenders when healthy. Problem is, he’s banged up coming into the game, dealing with an ankle injury that slowed him down against Los Angeles last week.
Even while banged up, he had a 36-yard catch in Week 12 against the Rams. He’s limited as a route runner, but has great success on deep balls, over routes and crossing routes due to his speed.
Rondale Moore is an offensive weapon, period. When Conner was hurt, the Cardinals used Moore in a bit of a hybrid RB role, getting him touches out of the backfield. He’s elusive in space and has great speed.
He’s just been very hit or miss as a receiver.
Rookie Michael Wilson has had some moments in the passing game, using his size and strength to win in contested-catch situations. Solid blocker, too. But he’s been hurt, and his status is unknown for Sunday at this point due to a shoulder injury.
Greg Dortch has come on strong in recent weeks and made an unreal catch in Week 12 against the Rams for a touchdown. He’s a feisty slot receiver who can provide some snaps on the outside. He’s one tough customer, too, unafraid to go into dangerous areas on the field for a player his size.
The skill positions are all rather intriguing for the Cardinals, but the offensive line is a disaster. Here’s how I expect them to line up on Sunday, left to right:
LT — D.J. Humphries
LG — Carter O’Donnell
C — Hjalte Froholdt
RG — Will Hernandez
RT — Paris Johnson Jr.
The tackle duo of D.J. Humphries and rookie Paris Johnson Jr. — the No. 6 pick in the draft — looks rather promising on paper. On the field is a different story this season. The two have combined to allow 55 pressures and nine sacks on the season.
Johnson has really struggled, allowing 34 of those pressures and a team-high six sacks. He’s been slightly better in recent weeks, but it’s still a struggle for him. Doesn’t get any easier this week, too.
Froholdt is an intriguing center, one who brings toughness and athleticism to the position. He’s been a steady presence. I was a big fan of Will Hernandez coming out of UTEP in 2018, but he’s been too inconsistent in his career. Good run blocker; a mess in protection.
O’Donnell is the weak link and he’ll have to deal with Cameron Heyward Sunday. Good luck. He’s been outclassed and overmatched nearly every week.
On special teams, the Cardinals have a lot to like.
Kicker Matt Prater remains one of the best — and strongest — kickers in the NFL. He can hit from anywhere 60 yards and in.
A real weapon for Arizona.
Punter Blake Gillikin is averaging a remarkable 50.2 yards per punt this season. The Penn State product has a monster leg and really flips the field for the Cardinals. He’s a good athlete, too, and converted a fake punt last week, running off right tackle to move the chains.
Dortch handles the punt and kick-return duties. He has a couple of big returns this season. He has a punt return of 49 yards on the year and averages 10.8 yards per punt return.
