2021 NFL Team Draft Page

The Cardinals are a Hail Mary away from a four-game losing streak. It might be time to start asking some questions.

Offensively, Arizona has struggled mightily the last two weeks. Against the Patriots last week, the offense came away with points in its first two drives, but then was shut down until the fourth quarter, finally scoring on a drive that needed three defensive penalties and 10 plays in the red zone.

It seems opposing defenses have started to figure out a way to stop Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury's spread scheme: Contain the scramble. This season, quarterback Kyler Murray has averaged 65.2 rushing yards during six Arizona victories. In losses, it's down to 51.8. Against the Seattle Seahawks two weeks ago, Murray was held to 15 yards on the ground, the worst this season, and Arizona was held to 21 points, tied for the fewest scored this season until New England last week. Seattle exposed that if Murray can be contained in the pocket, the Cardinals' offensive output can be mitigated.

On to the draft. We're going with OG Wyatt Davis here in the first round for a few reasons.

• The ground game is deplorable right now outside of Murray's scramble ability. Arizona's interior offensive line has been incapable of opening up holes for running backs to get through all season, resulting in over half of Arizona's running backs' yardages on inside runs coming after contact.
• Opposing defenses have shut down Arizona's pass attack by sending blitzes. In the last four games, three of which were losses, Murray was blitzed an average of 39 percent. In the first seven, he was blitzed just 17 percent; the Cardinals went 5-2 in that span.
• Davis can help remedy both of these issues. He has a great push at the line to open up holes in the run game, and a strong anchor, quick feet, and pro-style experience with Ohio State to handle blitzes and improve the pass protection that has allowed pressure on 26 percent of Murray's dropbacks this season.

Elsewhere, Arizona is finally starting to see more production out of first-round pick Isaiah Simmons. The rookie linebacker had his highest snap count of the season against Seattle (45 snaps) and logged his first sack and 10 tackles. He also had a good game against New England until a controversial hit on Cam Newton all but sealed the game last Sunday.

Cardinals still have a tough schedule ahead, seeing the LA Rams twice and the 49ers again. Luckily, Arizona still has two games against NFC East teams to pad that record before the playoffs.

-Dylan Rudolph, Cardinals Analyst

Twitter: @dyrudolph