Arizona Cardinals: Running Back Depth Has Been Beneficial in 2015

The Arizona Cardinals are one of the best teams in the NFC this season, and one reason for that has been their improved running game.

Injuries derailed the Cardinals’ season in 2014, as the starting quarterback position saw too many different starters, and that really affected the rest of their offense. Without a quarterback that was a threat for most of the season, opposing teams dared the Cardinals to beat them through the air.

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Despite making the playoffs in 2014, the Cardinals were ranked 31st in the NFL in total team rushing yards last season. In 2014, the Cardinals totaled 1,308 rushing yards, 3.3 yards per carry, and six rushing touchdowns. The Cardinals were only better than the Oakland Raiders on the ground last season, which generally isn’t good company.

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The Cardinals attempted to use Andre Ellington as their workhorse in the backfield last season, but he was unable to handle the load. Last season, Ellington totaled just 660 rushing yards and a 3.3 yards per carry average. Not being able to run the ball did not help the Cardinals’ offense when Carson Palmer was lost for the season, as usually it is hard to win games relying heavily on a backup quarterback.

This offseason, the Cardinals did a very good job adding depth at the running back positon to help lessen the workload of Ellington. The signing of Chris Johnson and the drafting of David Johnson have both been great moves for the Cardinals this season, as they have both helped them win games in 2015.

It looked like the career of Chris Johnson was close to being over after he was cut by the New York Jets, but he signed with the Cardinals and had a resurgence in 2015. Chris Johnson is the Cardinals’ leading rusher this season, as he has totaled 814 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, and a 4.2 yards per carry average. Sadly for Johnson, his season has been cut short due to a broken leg, but his impact in the Cardinals’ backfield has been felt this season.

After the loss of Chris Johnson, it was rookie David Johnson from Northern Iowa who has been taken on the role of the Cardinals’ workhorse in the backfield. Johnson had a big game in his first start against the St. Louis Rams, as he totaled 99 rushing yards on 22 carries against a good defense. The following week, Johnson played well again against another good rushing defense, as he totaled 92 rushing yards on 19 carries against the Minnesota Vikings.

David Johnson had his breakout game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14, as he totaled 187 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, and a fantastic run in a memorable game.

With the Johnson’s carrying most of the workload this season, Ellington has been much more effective in 2015, as he has totaled 287 rushing yards and a ridiculous 6.7 yards per carry average.

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The balanced attack on offense throughout the season is one of the reasons why the Cardinals are being regarded as one of the best teams in the NFL, as Palmer with an effective running game is a scary thing for opposing defenses.