ARIZONA CARDINALS

RB David Johnson ‘glad to be able to do’ so much for the Cardinals

Oct 27, 2016, 6:00 AM | Updated: 6:56 pm

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TEMPE, Ariz. – Three days have past. The soreness, though, has not.

Of course that’s not unusual given the physicality of the NFL. This week is different, however, admitted Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson.

“Oh yeah, for sure. (Playing) 75 minutes, as many touches I had and then just running against that type of defense, definitely, will cause soreness,” he said, fresh off the practice field Wednesday, the first day back at work since the Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks battled to a 6-6 tie at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Cardinals ran 95 offensive snaps on Sunday. Johnson played 87 of them, and of those 87, nearly half of them involved him touching the football.

Johnson rushed a season-high 33 times for 113 yards and caught eight passes—he was targeted 13 times—for an additional 58 yards.

Johnson’s 171 total yards represented almost 40-percent of the Cardinals’ offense.

“I was trying to do as much I can to help out the team, but after the game and stuff, especially the day after, the Monday, it definitely felt like 41 touches.”

The question is, is that too much?

“No, if he’s tired, he taps out,” head coach Bruce Arians said.

Johnson agreed.

“I’m glad to be able to do that for our team. Whenever I have the chance to do as much as I can, it’s a good thing to do,” he said.

Johnson’s effort against the Seahawks was historic.

According to profootballreference.com, Johnson became just the third player since 2007 to have as many as 41 touches in a game, joining Cleveland’s Jerome Harrison (41 on Dec. 27, 2009) and Dallas’ DeMarco Murray (48 on Dec. 12, 2014).

On the season, Johnson is averaging 24.9 touches a game.

“He’s a big-time player,” Carolina head coach Ron Rivera said on a conference call with Arizona reporters Wednesday, ahead of the Panthers’ matchup against the Cardinals this week.

Rivera added the Panthers interviewed Johnson at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine.

Carolina linebacker Luke Kuechly, a three-time first-team All-Pro and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, raved about the Cardinals’ second-year running back, describing the 6’1, 224-pound Johnson as “explosive” and “a very dynamic player.”

“A guy that you don’t see a whole lot just for what he’s able to do, both skill-wise and size and athletic-wise. He’s a stud,” Kuechly said. “There are a lot of guys that are really good at running the ball. There are a lot of guys that are really good at catching the ball. There are a lot of big guys, but he can kind of do everything, and as a competitor, it’s something cool to see. You watch him and he just gains yards. He gets the ball and he’s positive on a lot of plays, and that’s something cool to see.”

High praise indeed.

For Johnson, being the focal point of opposing defenses is “good to hear, but at the same time,” he said, “I got to continue to learn and continue to get better, not think about what everyone is saying and continue to help out the team.”

Through seven games, Johnson has done more than just help. He’s the team’s MVP, and it’s not even close.

Johnson leads the league in yards from scrimmage (1,004), ranks second in rushing yards (681) and is tied for second in total touchdowns (8).

“The success is going good, the momentum; and the run game is really good,” he said, “but I feel like most of it is definitely due to our o-line, our receivers and our tight ends that are blocking for me, especially blocking down the field. They’re giving me the chance to have this type of success.”

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