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          Arizona Cardinals' James Conner takes NFL touchdowns lead with 45-yard score

          • Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff WriterNov 7, 2021, 11:35 PM
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              Josh Weinfuss is a staff writer who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a graduate of Indiana University. You can follow him via Twitter @joshweinfuss.
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          SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The touchdowns keep coming for Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner against the San Francisco 49ers.

          His third of the game set two career highs for him.

          With Arizona facing a second-and-8 from the Niners' 45, Conner took a screen pass from Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy, who was under pressure and backpedaling. Conner started running right, toward the near sideline and then, while he was between the numbers and the sideline, he cut back and sprinted through the 49ers' defense on a diagonal line for a touchdown, going virtually untouched.

          According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Conner became just the fourth player with 11 scrimmage TDs through his first nine games with a team since 1990, joining Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Fred Taylor.

          The 45-yard catch is the longest of Conner's career and his three touchdowns is a single-game career high for him. Conner leads the NFL in total touchdowns with 11 -- for now; the Rams Cooper Kupp, who has 10, plays tonight.