Ex-basketball player, current tight end Darren Fells assists Arizona Cardinals’ run game

TEMPE, Ariz. — The emergence of running back Kerwynn Williams. The insertion into the starting lineup of guard Jonathan Cooper. Both have helped contribute to the Arizona Cardinals’ recent success running the football.

There’s a third reason: tight end Darren Fells.

Two weeks ago when the Cardinals rushed for a season-best 141 yards against Kansas City, Fells played 42 snaps on offense or four fewer than he had received in the previous 12 games combined — he was inactive in half of those games.

Then last Thursday in St. Louis, the Cardinals once again set a season-high in rushing, bettering their run total to 143 yards. Fells’ snap count was 47, meaning he played 69 percent of the offensive plays.

“I don’t think it has an extreme correlation with me,” he said, “but, as a team, we’ve been focused on the run game a lot more.”

Actually, Fells, there is a connection, at least according to those breaking down the film, the coaches.

“I think there’s a correlation, yeah,” head coach Bruce Arians said, before adding, “between him blocking the edge and his big body and helping us maintain the line of scrimmage and not have it come back at us.”

At 6-foot-7 and 281-pounds, Fells is the biggest of the three tight ends on the Cardinals active roster. He’s also the best blocking tight end.

“Just having that big frame in there versus those d-ends (defensive ends) is huge,” offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin said,” especially when you’re playing a 4-3 team like this one.”

Seattle, whom the Cardinals host on Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium, is the top-ranked defense in the league, allowing the fifth-fewest yards rushing per game (88.1). The Cardinals, however, know they must run the football if they are to win, which would clinch the NFC West and the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

“It’s paramount,” quarterback Ryan Lindley said, “especially against these guys and the way they play and the way they play up front. If we stay efficient and we can stay in front of the chains and keep it rolling, that’s going to help a lot.”

Enter Fells, a former college basketball player at UC Irvine, where he earned second-team All-Big-West honors as a senior. He did not play college football.

Since training camp, Fells has worked on his blocking.

“Technique is the main difference; just been working on my footwork, hand placement,” he said. “Hitting (the defender) before they hit me, that’s the biggest thing. The wider they are, the harder the block. It’s pretty much just getting my hands on them before they can get their hands on me. And staying low, of course; leverage is everything.”

Fells’ improvement plus the season-ending ankle injury to rookie Troy Niklas, slowly moved the second-year pro up the depth chart.

Though he was active, Fells did not play a single offensive snap in the first meeting against Seattle, a game the Cardinals lost 19-3. Because they trailed the entire way, the Cardinals carried the ball only 20 times for 64 yards in the Nov. 23 matchup.

“I would hope we have more success than the last time,” Arians said. “We did not run it very many times last time because we didn’t have the ball that much, but I think that the way we’re running the ball, we’re more confident.

“We’re also going against the No. 1 defense in the league. A lot of things will (go) into what we consider successful.”

Whether or not Fells — or Williams or Cooper for that matter — can make a difference this time around is unclear, though his play the past two weeks certainly has not gone unnoticed by Arians and his staff.

“I mean I appreciate that compliment, but like I said, there’s 11 guys on the field,” Fells said. “It’s not just one person that’s going to make the run game better.”

Related

Cardinals-Rams Week 6 injury report: Jeremiyah Love still not participating at practice ThursdayLuke Kennard will miss Suns’ final preseason gameGraham Rossini talks decision to hire Dave Hakstol as new hockey coach, ASU athleticsCardinals mailbag: Fans are making their frustrations heardReport: Diamondbacks picking Chris Garagiola as next TV play-by-play voiceCardinals’ embarrassments hopefully not preventing Carson Beck from being active