Arizona Cardinals, Andre Ellington find little room to run against Rams
Nov 10, 2014, 5:18 PM | Updated: 5:18 pm
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington entered Sunday’s game against St. Louis running well, having totaled 254 yards on 68 carries over the previous three games.
In his team’s 31-14 win over the Rams, however, he mustered just 23 yards on 18 carries. The team, as a whole, gained just 28 yards on 22 rushing attempts.
St. Louis entered the game allowing an average of 136.3 rushing yards per game.
“We got our ass whipped. It was simple,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said when asked why his team struggled in the run game. “We couldn’t block people. This game came down in the first half to simple blocking and tackling. We weren’t tackling and we damn sure weren’t blocking.”
“I think they were determined to keep us from running the ball,” center Lyle Sendlein said. “Just with the run stunts and extra guys in the box. That’s something we’re going to have to work on, to be able to handle the extra, eighth guy in the box to be able to get success in the run game.”
The Rams did make it a point to try and slow Ellington down.
“It was just rallying to the ball,” defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “We know that he was really focused on bouncing to the edge. The secondary did a great job of cracking plays and just filling in that lane.
“We just did a great job of corralling him as a team, as a defense.”
The longest run Ellington had all afternoon was for just five yards. Though he did reach the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the season, it was far from a banner day from the second-year pro around whom the offense has been built.
“It was a little tough, but I kind of understand that that’s going to be week in, week out. A lot of teams are going to try to stop our run game,” he said. “But my job is just to not get frustrated. Stay calm, stay poised and just execute the plays.”
Following the game, Arizona’s offense ranks 29th in the NFL in rushing, a standing that is surely not where the team would like to be.
However, the team is still 8-1, and you’d have to think better days are ahead for Ellington and the rest of the run game. It will help not playing the Rams again for a bit.
“St. Louis is a bear,” receiver Larry Fitzgerald added. “In my humble opinion, they are the most physical, gritty team that you play. I’m so sore. Every time I wake up after St. Louis, you know you were in a fight. You might have won the fight, but you have a black eye and a bloody nose, though.”
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