Cardinals Must Make This Change in 2025

The Arizona Cardinals are a run-focused offensive team, and there's nothing truly wrong with that at its core. In fact, playing a more smash-mouth, fundamental style of football can be an advantage over more finesse-style teams, and can aid in the possession battle.

Certainly, when you have a weapon the caliber of star RB James Conner, and an offensive line that has hit its stride in a major way over the past few seasons, it's hard to suggest a change to that approach.

But when it doesn't work, it really doesn't work. It's no secret that Arizona's passing game left much to be desired, both statistically and with regard to efficiency. The eye test showed a struggle to move the ball deep downfield.

The Cardinals can remain dedicated to a run-first offense, but there needs to be a sense of versatility and adaptability added on, as well as even an ever-so-slightly balanced approach.

While part of that is dependent on the consistency of QB Kyler Murray, and the ability of his thin WR room to get open, it felt at times as if opposing defense knew they could sell out to stop the run or short completions, knowing there was very little - if any - threat down the field.

That could change with development from Marvin Harrison Jr. and better play by Murray, but the downfield passing game has never been an emphasis for offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. It's not as if he needs to drastically change his scheme, but Arizona has to find a way to create even somewhat of a reputation for themselves that they can move the ball down the field through the air.

In the NFL, defense will adjust to your approach fast. Whatever goes on tape becomes increasingly difficult to execute, especially against well-coached teams.

Petzing doesn't necessarily to get away from his identity, or the identity of the talent Arizona does already have offensively. It's worked enough to see a steady improvement in wins. But they do need to find a way to be less predictable in their offensive approach, and create at least a marginal swing towards a more balanced offensive scheme.

There's no need to flip to an air-raid or vertical-only offense, but a but more of an emphasis on the passing game, and a bit more consistent aggression could work wonders in opening up some of those short, underneath passes, and even create bigger running lanes for Conner.