Top 10? Houston Texans Coach Offers High Praise for Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner

Make no mistake, this is not the same Arizona Cardinals team that won just one of its first eight contests. With star quarterback Kyler Murray back from an ACL tear and running back James Conner activated from the injured reserve, this is a feisty football team, regardless of the 2-8 record that has destined them for last place.

In Murray’s first game back, the Cardinals took down an arguably more talented Atlanta Falcons team, winning on a last-second field goal, 25-23. He didn’t have the most productive day, completing 19-of-32 passes for 249 yards and an interception, but he kept the Arizona offense afloat with his legs, scrambling for 33 yards and a score.

Murray’s athleticism will be a problem on Sunday against the Houston Texans, but Murray’s speed complements his backfield counterpart, Conner exceptionally well. Together, they boast the ability to wear teams down and create explosives on the ground.

Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke spoke about the challenges that come with stopping Conner.

“Having been around him as well, I would say he’s probably the lifeblood of their offense,” Burke said. “Literally from an emotional, physical standpoint, he, I told the guys, ‘He seeks contact.’ He’s a physical runner, he finishes runs. When he gets into the open field, he’s not looking to make guys miss, he’s looking to go through people.”

Burke crossed paths with Conner last season when both were Cardinals. Conner added another strong season to his résumé, posting 183 rush attempts for 782 yards and seven scores. He also added 46 catches for 300 yards and a receiving touchdown—the second most catches he’s ever had.

According to Burke, Arizona is led into battle by the tough running back, and his playstyle reverberates throughout the offense.

“I think the team feeds off that, I think the O-Line feeds off that,” Burke said. “He runs hard, he runs downhill, he’s got one of the best stiff arms in the business.”

The Pitt product projects to be a problem for Houston’s young defense. The unit will be tasked with doing so without staring linebacker Denzel Perryman. However, the Texans rank eighth in both expected points allowed per rush and success rate against the run, providing some optimism for Burke’s defense. That doesn’t mean Burke is going to underestimate his former teammate.

“Yeah, he missed a couple games, but when he’s been in there, he’s a top-10 runner in the whole league right now,” Burke said.

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Conner has appeared in six games this season, rushing 84 times for 437 yards and two scores. He’s made minimal impact as a receiver, but Murray’s return to action could give the passing offense the volume it needs for Conner to add even more onto his plate.

Ultimately, in what figures to be a close game, remaining disciplined against such a talented backfield will be important—both in preventing explosive plays and mitigating Arizona’s ability to chew clock.

“We’ve gotta make sure that we don’t let that beast get loose.”