Heading to Week 9, the Arizona Cardinals were set to miss the services of a handful of their starters due to injuries. The list includes starting QB Kyler Murray, WR1 DeAndre Hopkins, and veteran defensive end J.J. Watt. However, the rest of the roster stepped up and delivered as the Cardinals ran away with a 31-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, so let's take a look at some key takeaways from the Week 9 game.
Though they were undermanned, Kliff Kingsbury still found a way to come out with an effective game plan to get his team back in the win column. With the much-needed victory, the Cardinals were able to maintain their spot at the top of the stacked NFC West with an 8-1 record.
Arizona Cardinals takeaways after Week 9 win over 49ers
3. The defense came ready to play
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph covered all the bases for this matchup as his unit played superbly in Sunday's contest. Veteran linebacker Markus Golden headlined the defensive group and was a monster on the field as he notched 3.0 sacks against opposing QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
His fellow linebacker in Chandler Jones and defensive end Jordan Phillips both generated a sack each for the Cardinals. The team's secondary was also effective as safety Budda Baker recorded an interception while safety Jalen Thompson stepped up with three tackles on the field.
Certainly enough, the performance of the defensive rotation was a key factor that allowed the Cardinals to successfully limit the production of San Francisco. If this defense can continue to sustain its momentum in the coming games, Arizona will surely be a problem against the rest of the league, especially come playoff time.
2. Colt McCoy stepped up big time
The Cardinals brought in veteran Colt McCoy this past offseason to be the backup for Kyler Murray, who hadn't missed an NFL game up until now. On Sunday, an opportunity was presented to the 35-year-old as Murray missed action due to an ankle injury. Fortunately for the Cardinals, McCoy delivered and had an efficient outing with 249 passing yards on 22-of-26 passes to go with a touchdown.
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It remains to be seen if Murray will be back in time for their Week 10 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. However, the Cardinals can be assured that they have a solid QB2 in Colt McCoy who is ready to deliver the goods and set up their offense at any given time.
1. James Conner served as the man of the hour
Ever since James Conner arrived on the team, he has been serving as a major contributor in the Cardinals' backfield rotation. After fellow RB Chase Edmonds exited the 49ers game with an ankle injury, the team needed to lean on the production of a talent like Conner, especially with both Murray and Hopkins staying on the sidelines.
The 2018 Pro Bowler didn't disappoint and even played his best outing for the Cardinals thus far. He notched a total of 96 rushing yards on 21 carries and two scores on Sunday afternoon. Additionally, he was also a major threat for the receiving unit as he recorded 77 yards on five catches and a TD for the Cardinals.
Certainly enough, Arizona wouldn't get this Week 9 dub if it wasn't for James Conner's dominant performance on the field. If he and Chase Edmonds can both stay healthy for the remainder of the season, the Cardinals will definitely be hard to stop, especially with a reliable 1-2 punch leading the ground game moving forward.
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