TEMPE, Ariz. -- If there’s going to be a theme for the Arizona Cardinals’ game Sunday at San Francisco, it’s short, sweet and to the point.
Feed. The. Beast.
In other words, give the ball to running back Adrian Peterson. And don’t stop.
“One of the things that has to come to life in this situation is the run game,” offensive coordinator Harold Goodwin said. “And we’ve got to feed A.D. the ball and hopefully we can get some positive yards.”
How badly does Arizona need its run game to be resuscitated?
The Cardinals are ranked last in the NFL in rushes (147), yards (444), yards per rush (3.02) and rushing yards per game (63.4). A week after rushing for 160 yards against Tampa Bay -- 134 of which came from Peterson -- the Cardinals’ ground game was dismal in London against the Los Angeles Rams. Peterson accounted for 21 of the team's 25 yards.
If there’s a game for Arizona to rediscover its rushing attack, it’s this one against the 49ers, who are ranked 29th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game.
That should allow Arizona to continually give the ball to Peterson.
To feed the beast.
“I’m all about that,” Peterson said. “Feed the beast. I’m all about that for sure.”
Peterson had 26 carries against the Bucs followed by 11 a week later. He tried this week in practice to convince coach Bruce Arians to stick with the run Sunday. But the ultimate way for Peterson to convince Arians is to produce early and often.
“It’s like an old stove,” Goodwin said. “The more wood you put in it, the hotter it gets, so we’ve just got to feed him the ball so he can get comfortable.”
It took him one game with the Cardinals to find his legs after getting 27 carries in four games in New Orleans. By the second half of his Arizona debut, Peterson felt “pretty good.”
“I’m ready to go,” he said. “I’m back to normal.”
The more Peterson gets the ball, the more it also helps the offensive line grasp what the defense is showing. It can figure out defenders’ tendencies in certain situations and against specific blocking schemes, Goodwin said.
More opportunities to block means more chances for the members of the line to get their pads “settled,” Peterson said, which will “get them in a different mindset.”
A commitment to the run game early also can help Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton, who is replacing Carson Palmer as the starter.
“The running game helps all quarterbacks, I don’t care who they are,” Arians said. “We’ve got to run the ball better and we’ve got to keep the score where we continue running it.”
Getting consistent carries, especially early, also will help Peterson on Sunday.
“I just think you get a better feel of the game and kind of get your body loose and warmed up,” he said. “But, again, it’s always good to take that first one to the house as well. But to be in the league for as long as I’ve been, it’s always good when you’re able to kind of get some reps under your belt.”