Through two weeks, the Arizona Cardinals’ biggest issue has not been the chatter around quarterback trades or the noise surrounding Marvin Harrison Jr. It’s been much more basic than that: they have not been able to move people at the line of scrimmage.
That problem is showing up in the numbers. Arizona’s 0.6 yards averaged before contact ranks in the bottom five in the NFL, a clear sign the run game is getting little help up front. The Cardinals are being handled at the point of attack, and that’s dragging everything else down.
A run game that can’t generate push affects everything an offense wants to do. It makes it harder to wear down a defense, harder to close out games by grinding clock and harder to stay out of obvious passing situations. It also keeps the defense on the field longer than it wants.
That kind of imbalance has been costly for Arizona before. Cardinals fans saw it during the second-half collapse in 2024 and again in 2025, when the lack of run production became impossible to ignore.
The league’s postseason picture also makes the point. Out of the eight divisional-round teams last year, only the Houston Texans - who ranked 32nd - were not in the top half of the league in ESPN’s run-block win rate metric.
In the conference title games, the teams involved were No. 12 NE, No.
4 DEN, No. 8 SEA and No.
2 LAR in that category.
Arizona sits at No. 24 in that metric through two weeks of the 2026 season. The Cardinals are also one of 10 teams not averaging at least 95 rushing yards per game.
Mike LaFleur knows the run game is not where it needs to be, but he said there are still areas to clean up.
“Like I told you guys on Monday, there’s certain aspects of our run game that I think we’ve done a decent job at where we can improve," LaFleur told reporters this week.
"Then there are other areas of our run game where I think we can get a lot better. Work in progress is the way I kind of summed it up; whether that was Monday or last week. I still feel that way (and I'm) excited to get after it today.”
The Cardinals do have some pieces to work with. Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier are talented runners, and the passing game has enough weapons to keep defenses from loading up too aggressively.
But the offensive line remains the real pressure point. Arizona addressed it in the offseason by signing Isaac Seumalo to start at left guard and Elijah Wilkinson to start at right tackle, then drafting Chase Bisontis in the second round to compete at right guard.
That plan has not produced much so far. Bisontis is likely out for the season with a torn meniscus, and the right side combination of Isaiah Adams and Wilkinson has struggled. Seumalo has not stood out, but he also has not been the weak link.
There is no easy fix waiting in the wings. LaFleur said the staff has to do its part, too.
“Across the board, we have to call better plays, and we have to get better clarity to these guys. That fine balance of calling two plays in what we call our ‘Cam Package’.
Sometimes it’s ‘Hey, let’s get into the perfect play.’ Other times it’s like, ‘Don’t worry about the perfect play.
Let’s get off the ball and get on people.’ It takes all 11 in the run game, but it also takes good scheme and the right time of calling these plays," he said.
Play-calling may be the cleanest way for Arizona to make progress, especially since the personnel options are limited. Outside of inserting Jon Gaines at right guard or making a surprise move for help at right tackle, the Cardinals are mostly working with what they have.
Arizona does rank near the top of the league in pre-snap motion, but it is near the bottom in overall play-action usage. Those numbers do not automatically go hand in hand, but if defenses are not being forced to respect the run-pass picture, the Cardinals are already fighting uphill.
It is a straightforward problem with a complicated answer. The Cardinals still have to solve it if they want to get back in the win column.
In Other News...
Jacoby Brissett Just Created An Awkward Cardinals Passing Game Debate
Jacoby Brissetts postgame comments after Arizonas loss to the Seattle Seahawks added a layer of intrigue to a passing game that still feels like it is searching for its footing. In discussing the offense, Brissett pointed to teammate Michael Wilsons contract as part of the conversation, an unusual move after a game in which Wilson finished with two catches for 18 yards on seven targets.
Brissetts own line told the story of a passing attack that never really got rolling, with 17 completions on 28 attempts for 95 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Cardinals are 1-1 heading into Week 3, and the challenge only gets tougher with an unbeaten San Francisco 49ers team next on the schedule, which makes the next few days of reflection around Arizonas receiver usage and roles a little more interesting than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Got Pulled Into A Marvin Harrison Jr Trade Debate
Baltimores receiver room has taken a hit with injuries to JaKobi Lane and Zay Flowers, and that has quickly turned into speculation about whether the Ravens might go shopping for help. One name that surfaced is Marvin Harrison Jr., which immediately brings the Cardinals into the conversation because any discussion about a player with his profile tends to ripple well beyond one roster.
From Arizonas side, the idea is intriguing precisely because Harrison is the kind of addition who could change the outlook of an offense in a hurry. Still, theres plenty of uncertainty around whether he would even be available, and that is where the debate gets interesting for Cardinals fans watching from afar. The Ravens may need receiver help, but it remains far from clear whether this becomes a real trade possibility or just another reminder of how quickly injuries can reshape the market. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Have A QB Decision Giants Fans Will Watch Closely
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Arizonas side of the equation is just as interesting, because the Cardinals could have a reason to move Minshew if they want to create more playing time for rookie Carson Beck. The Giants, meanwhile, are expected to keep evaluating Jameis Winston before making any move, which leaves this situation in a holding pattern for now and makes Arizonas next step worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]