Cardinals RB Chris Johnson Will Still Get 15-20 Carries After Andre Ellington’s Return

USA Today

Head coach Bruce Arians has the Arizona Cardinals cruising heading into Week 4. The Cardinals destroyed the division rival San Francisco 49ers last week with a dominant performance on both sides of the football.

Arizona was able to get the job done offensive with a solid mix of run and pass. Veteran quarterback Carson Palmer is developing a valuable relationship with wideout Larry Fitzgerald while the running game is clicking with a resurgent Chris Johnson coming out of the backfield.

The real question has been whether Johnson will continue to get the bulk of the carries once Ellington is healthy and ready to go. Apparently, Arians is prepared to continue to give Johnson a considerable amount of carries even once Ellington is ready, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com:

“He kinda fits our system real well,” Arians told Sirius XM NFL Radio on Tuesday. “He’s now getting in football shape. When we got him, he wasn’t in great football shape and he pulled a hamstring early in camp. He’s now getting in football shape and he has his explosiveness. We’re not going to wear him out. He’s still going to be a 15-20 touch guy. Even when Andre Ellington comes back, hopefully this week we’ll have all three guys. Now that David Johnson has emerged, we don’t have to just pound one guy all the time.”

The Cardinals will head into another crucial divisional game this week against the St. Louis Rams. Arizona hasn’t faced a team that can really challenge them as of yet, but the Rams’ defense may give them a run for their money in Week 4.

A solid running game complimenting the passing attack should keep this team among the league’s elite. Johnson’s re-emergence only strengthens a team that was already on the rise coming into this season with Arians calling the shots.

Although the Rams may pose a challenge to the Cardinals’ flawless record (3-0), Arizona is favored with a -7 point spread at home and should cover on Sunday.