Cardinals’ Week 2 offensive snap counts, observations vs. Rams

A look at how the Cardinals split their offensive snaps against the Rams.

In the Arizona Cardinals’ 41-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams, 21 players participated in at least one of the 66 offensive snaps.

The first number after each name is snaps and the second is the percentage. Players in bold were starters.

Arizona Cardinals Week 2 offensive snap counts

Quarterbacks

Kyler Murray 60/91, Clayton Tune 6/9

Murray played as well as a quarterback can, and the passing yards might have been larger had there been a need to pass in the second half. At halftime, Murray was 10-for-12 for 191 yards, but he had only nine attempts in the second half with seven completions for 75 yards. For the game, he accounted for 325 yards with 266 passing and 59 rushing on five attempts.

On third down, where the Cardinals were 6-for-9 prior to the final possession, Murray was 5-for-5 for 79 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 19 yards on two attempts. His 9-yard run on third-and-14 got the ball closer for a 48-yard Matt Prater field goal. The offense had three touchdown possessions without reaching third down.

Aside from the 14 yards to go, the other eight yards to go before the final possession were 5, 1, 5, 7, 3, 8, 5 and 1.

Tune was charged with a lost fumble, but on the attempted handoff to running back Trey Benson, it appeared as if Benson made no attempt to receive the ball.

Running backs

James Conner 41/62, Trey Benson 22/33, Emari Demercado 7/11

Did not play: DeeJay Dallas (played only on special teams)

Conner ran like a super-charged colt, totaling 122 yards on 21 carries (5.8 average) with a touchdown. The totals broke down to 9-50 in the first half and 12-72 in the second. Benson struggled with 10 yards on 11 attempts with a long of four and as noted above appeared not to know the play was for him on a lost exchange with Tune. Demercado broke free for a 41-yard run late in the game and added another carry for five. Has he earned more snaps on offense?

Wide receivers

Marvin Harrison Jr. 46/70, Michael Wilson 45/68, Greg Dortch 23/35, Chris Moore 9/14, Zach Pascal 8/12

Inactive: Xavier Weaver (injured)

Suspended: Zay Jones

The first quarter belonged to Harrison. Following an incompletion on the Cardinals first offensive play, he scored on a 23-yard pass at the back of the end zone at the 11:03 mark in which he somehow got both feet down. Then came a 60-yard play at 8:47 where he dived to the end zone without his leg or forearm touching the ground before the ball crossed the plane. He then had catches of 15 and 32 yards on plays that began with 7:00 and 3:35, respectively, remaining in the quarter.

Afterward, Harrison lamented that Murray’s four incompletions in the game were all his targets. He said, “I’m not very happy about that. I definitely have to get that fixed, but we’ll continue to build our chemistry as the season goes on.” As it was, he had four receptions for 130 yards.

Wilson had two receptions for 31 yards, including a 23-yard grab in which he held onto the ball after getting hit by two defenders.

Tight ends

Trey McBride 55/83, Tip Reiman 38/58, Elijah Higgins 36/55

Inactive: Travis Vokolek

McBride caught all six of his targets for 67 yards (11.2 average) and was johnny-on-the-spot on a fourth-quarter Conner fumble into the end zone that he recovered for the Cardinals final touchdown. Higgins stayed alive on a Murray scramble and made a sliding 18-yard catch at the back of the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter that led to a 21-0 lead.

Offensive linemen

LG Evan Brown 66/100, RT Kelvin Beachum 66/100, LT Paris Johnson Jr. 60/91, C Hjalte Froholdt 60/91, RG Will Hernandez 60/91, G Isaiah Adams 6/9, C Trystan Colon 6/9, T Jackson Barton 6/9

Inactive: G/C Jon Gaines II

Injured reserve: T Jonah Williams (eligible to return), T Christian Jones (eligible to return), T Carter O’Donnell

With Williams on injured reserve, Beachum played all 66 snaps and the line played well. Murray was sacked once on the team’s only three-and-out of the game with the rush coming up the middle from defensive lineman Kobie Turner. In the final possession, at right guard Adams had his first snaps in the NFL, while Colon was at center and practice squad elevation Barton at left tackle.

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