Cardinals RB James Conner left his footprints at Levi’s Stadium

Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner put his foot down versus the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers.

Levi’s Stadium turned into a stomping ground for Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner this past Sunday.

Conner, who tallied 86 yards on 19 carries versus the San Francisco 49ers, possesses a physicality and tenacity needed in a Cardinals locker room long associated with being soft. Perhaps Conner can rewrite that narrative in 2024.


Head Coach Jonathan Gannon knows that the success of the Cardinals’ ground game will only open up throwing lanes for tight-end Trey McBride and rookie Marvin Harrison Jr., but what if Conner’s success on the ground has even greater implications?

Conner is averaging 4.6 yards per carry on the season and has already recorded two 100-plus yard games. Thus, the Cardinals shouldn’t get too fanciful in their desire to pass the ball with quarterback Kyler Murray, but rather leave it up to Conner to dictate their offensive tempo.

With Conner optimized, the Cardinals can strategize by sustaining offensive drives and nullify opponents ability to run by establishing scoring leads. With this formula, the Cardinals and Conner could potential leave a trail of footprints headed directly to the top of the NFC West.

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