Cole, Humphries provide an inside look at Cardinals’ offensive line
Oct 12, 2018, 6:32 AM | Updated: 7:12 am
Arizona Cardinals tight end Ricky Seals-Jones (86) celebrates his touchdown against the Chicago Bears with J.J. Nelson, left, D.J. Humphries (74) and Mason Cole, right, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)
Every position group in the NFL has its own quirks, but none more so than the offensive line.
Rookie center Mason Cole and left tackle D.J. Humphries provided a glimpse into the dynamic between the group on the Big Red Rage.
“It’s really funny how we got so many different guys that weren’t together last year and we mesh together so well so fast,” Humphries said on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
From Cole jokingly screaming to guard Justin Pugh dueling back-and-forth with Humphries, it’s a tight group.
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They share a similar mentality as well. When the Cardinals picked up their first win of the season on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, the offensive line sat together after the game — like they usually will — and collected their thoughts on the performance.
“It was still so much stuff left out there for us, just speaking for our group specifically — that was the sense I got from everybody,” Humphries said. “Everyone was really excited about the win but everyone was also really focused on figuring out ways to fix those little plays that they had, and those moments that they had — mental errors and stuff like that — so that was really refreshing.”
That group’s biggest job, of course, is to protect the quarterback. That’s a job that has gained even more importance since first-round pick Josh Rosen took over the starting position, as Rosen is now the short- and long-term answer for the Cardinals at the position.
Cole thinks the progress is coming along.
“I tihnk we’ve been improving every week,” he said. “The biggest thing is, especially on the road, is communicating. That’s been our focus since day one and just trying to communicate with everyone up and down the line and make sure we’re all on the same page. If we’re all on the same page, we’ll be good.”
Beyond that responsibility, the Cardinals’ biggest weapon is running back David Johnson, who has had a slow start to the season. Johnson can only run where the holes are, and that’s on Humphries’ and Cole’s group.
For Cole, it comes back to its overall improvement.
“Week-by-week we are getting better and better, and I’m just looking forward to seeing our progression and keep going,” he said.
