PHX Reporter

James Conner's recent performance has been a topic of discussion following the Arizona Cardinals' game against Seattle, where he ran for only eight yards. It marked his lowest output since joining the team. When asked about his feelings on the matter, Conner admitted, "A little bit," but quickly added, "But I'm past it."

The Cardinals' running game struggled in Seattle, and with an upcoming match against the Minnesota Vikings, who boast the league's top rush defense, changes are necessary. Quarterback Kyler Murray emphasized this by stating, "We've been known to be good running the ball. We didn't do it last week, but we get another opportunity to go out there and right those wrongs."

The offensive line's performance was also scrutinized. Offensive line coach Klayton Adams acknowledged their shortcomings in Seattle and stressed improvement is needed: "It wasn't our best effort and we didn't play as cleanly as we needed to." He noted that adjustments are crucial for facing the noise at Minnesota's dome.

In other team news, guard Will Hernandez is making progress in his rehabilitation after an ACL tear. His return date remains uncertain as he approaches free agency at season's end.

On defense, rookie safety Rabbit Taylor-Demerson has filled in for Jalen Thompson during his absence. Coach Jonathan Gannon highlighted Taylor-Demerson’s adaptability: "You're talking about your role changing like that," while expressing confidence in his performance.

Tight end Trey McBride continues to impress with a record-setting 12 catches last week. Murray praised him by saying, "Trey's an up-and-coming beast."

Pro Bowl voting is underway with several Cardinals players being potential candidates including McBride and Budda Baker.

Special teams saw notable performances from Blake Gillikin and Chad Ryland. Gillikin had four punts inside the 20-yard line last week while Ryland aims to improve after missing a critical field goal against Seattle.

Defensively, Jesse Luketa achieved a sack in three consecutive games—a feat not seen since Haason Reddick in 2020.

Marvin Harrison Jr.'s production has dipped recently with only 10 catches over three games.

Kyler Murray faces off against Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores once again. In their previous encounter when Flores coached Miami, Murray posted impressive stats but ultimately lost the game.

Reports surfaced regarding trade interest for Calais Campbell by several teams including Arizona; however, Campbell remained with Miami.

The Vikings hold a strong record when opponents score under 30 points (9-0) compared to when they score more (0-2). Conversely, Arizona stands at 6-1 when scoring at least 17 points—highlighting their defensive prowess this season.

Conner summed up their focus against Minnesota: "We just want to get back in the win column truthfully... We've just got to play some good football."