Running back by committee gets the job done for Arizona Cardinals in St. Louis
Dec 12, 2014, 7:00 AM | Updated: 3:05 pm
They may have been missing their starting running back, and the surprising Kerwynn Williams wasn’t able to replicate his 100-yard performance, but the Arizona Cardinals’ backfield was one of the few offensive bright spots for either team Thursday night in St. Louis.
Although Williams wasn’t able to reach the century mark, he averaged five yards per carry for the second-straight game en route to gaining 75 yards on 15 carries. Stepfan Taylor more than got him the rest of the way with 14 rushes for 61 yards.
In a game that only featured 554 total yards from scrimmage, the Cardinals’ backfield gained 143 of it. In fact, Arizona did better on the ground than it did through the air, as starter Drew Stanton threw for 109 yards and Ryan Lindley came in and added 30.
The Rams, meanwhile, managed just 69 yards on 20 carries (an average of 3.5 yards per rush) in the defense-heavy game, in which the only points were via field goals.
The Cardinals’ rushing attack was essential to controlling the pace, helping the team earn what few yards each defense was willing to allow. Eight of Arizona’s 13 first downs came on the ground — and one came via penalty.
Taylor broke off two long runs in the Cardinals’ 12-6 win: one for 17 yards on the first play from scrimmage, and a 21-yarder early in the fourth quarter. It was the second-year running back’s best performance since gaining 59 total yards and recording a rushing and a receiving touchdown on Oct. 19 in Oakland.
Williams had three runs of 10 yards or longer against St. Louis, including a 19-yard jaunt in the third quarter. The Utah State product also caught the first two passes of his NFL career, gaining 11 total yards.
It’s only been two games since starter Andre Ellington has been out with a hernia, and although he won’t be back this season, seeing the team rush for more than 140 yards in two straight games is an encouraging sign.
