Steven Jackson has tough test ahead

The Arizona Cardinals are the NFL’s most inefficient team on the ground with an average of just 3.1 yards per carry, as the dynamic Andre Ellington has dealt with nagging injuries and a lack of holes in front of him, largely because Lyle Sendlein is having the worst year of his career at the heart of the Cardinals offensive line. Bruce Arians and Steve Keim went out and signed bruising back Michael Bush off of the street, but Arians stated that Bush is a game-time decision as the Cards figure out if he’s absorbed enough of the offense to suit up.

While the Cardinals rushing offense has been an issue for this team, the run defense has been as elite as expected, allowing just 3.6 yards per carry, which is the fifth-best average in the league. Even with Darnell Dockett out, the Cardinals defensive line has been exceptional, as Dan Williams continues to plug up holes, and Calais Campbell is obviously elite in this phase of the game.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Steven Jackson is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry after averaging 3.5 yards per pop in his first season with the team in 2013, and two of his four outings with a YPC average less than four have come in the past two games. After struggling to 41 yards on 17 carries against the rival Carolina Panthers touted front seven, S-Jax was unable to take advantage of a much less touted Chicago Bears front seven, as he had 13 carries for 34 yards with only a touchdown to appease fantasy owners who were playing by matchup against the Bears run D.

In short, Jackson has been sub-standard this season, and he is on a bit of a cold streak after busting out for his best game of the season with an 81-yard performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in Week 10. Assuming he gets around 15 carries, Jackson probably wouldn’t even pop 50 yards, and he’s only averaging 45.5 yards per contest this season anyway. Against the Cardinals run defense, lanes won’t be easy to find at all, and it’s not like his offensive line has played well this season either.

The Cardinals top-five run defense will be a huge problem for the Falcons, because it’s highly unlikely that Jackson will be able to get anything done on the ground. That will continue to make the Falcons a one-dimensional offense, and that’s not a good thing at all with the way Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie have been playing lately. The elite duo shut down the NFL’s best wide receiver duo, as neither Calvin Johnson nor Golden Tate could get open against the NFL’s most athletic cornerback tandem. Throw in talented safeties, and this could be one of those rough nights for Matt Ryan, who has been asked to do too much in each of the past two seasons.

If Steven Jackson can somehow average a respectable number of yards per carry and give the Falcons offense some semblance of balance, then Ryan could be in a position to lead this team to a memorable (in the context of the season, at least) upset. Julio Jones will also need to get back to his level of play in Week 10, so it isn’t all on Jackson. But the Cardinals run defense is honestly even more impressive than their pass defense (they are also allowing just five rushing touchdowns this season), so Jackson has an equally difficult test slated as the Falcons wide receiver duo.

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