Josh Rosen not in desperation mode despite Cardinals’ struggles
Oct 16, 2018, 11:49 AM | Updated: 11:50 am
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen (3) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)
It has been a forgettable start for the Arizona Cardinals.
The team is 1-5 through six games and has struggled on both sides of the ball, most notably on offense. Arizona is last in the NFL in yards (220.5) and rushing yards (64.0) per game among other categories in which the Cardinals are 31st, such as points (13.7) and passing yards per game (156.5).
“I think there’s a little bit of everything that can always be improved upon,” Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen said. “I think Coach (Mike) McCoy’s gonna try a couple things he might think spark the offense a little bit.”
Rosen, a rookie out of UCLA taken with the No. 10 pick, replaced a struggling Sam Bradford at the end of the Cardinals’ home loss to Chicago. With three starts now under his belt, Rosen has thrown for 626 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and a QBR of 49.4.
“I think there’s a significant bit of responsibility (on me),” Rosen said. “I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and clean up the edges as much as I can.”
While the Cardinals have two big names on offense in running back David Johnson and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, neither of them have been stellar this year. Fitzgerald has caught just 22 passes for 215 yards and Johnson has only ran for 297 yards.
According to Rosen, the entire team is to blame for their respective dips in production.
“If we just executed a couple things here and there, David would have plenty of touches and Larry would have plenty of touches,” Rosen said. “But I’ll miss a read, someone will do this, and it is what it is regardless of what offense you’re in. If it’s not functioning, you’re not going to get the touches you need to.”
Statistically, this has been the least productive of Fitzgerald’s 15-year career. As for Johnson, he hasn’t broken out this year as experts assumed he would after his recovery.
In spite of all the Cardinals’ offensive woes, Rosen isn’t stressing.
“Not a sense of desperation,” Rosen said. “In college, every game you lose is a serious blow to the season, and after about four or five losses, you seem to lose a team almost in college. The season is long and there are plenty of opportunities to turn it around.
“The positive of this whole situation is we’re a very good football team not playing very well, as opposed to a not very good football team playing to its actual potential.”
