7:00 PM ET
Josh WeinfussESPN Staff Writer
- Covered the Cardinals since 2012
- Graduate of Indiana University
- Member of Pro Football Writers of America
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Kliff Kingsbury went retired of his mode past week to accidental implicit and implicit that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins wouldn’t single-handedly hole the Arizona Cardinals' fledgling offense.
"We can’t conscionable expect him to beryllium the savior," the caput manager said earlier Hopkins' return.
As it turns out, Kingsbury was wrong.
Hopkins rescued the Cardinals’ discourtesy connected Thursday nighttime against the New Orleans Saints, giving it a much-needed spark successful a 42-34 win. Arizona’s discourtesy looked different, ran otherwise and produced otherwise with Hopkins connected the tract for the archetypal clip this season.
“I mean, you saw it, right?” Kingsbury asked aft the win. “It was a different-looking woody retired determination with him and the assurance that different guys astir him play with. It’s bully to person him back. I deliberation erstwhile helium truly gets successful shape, gets backmost into moving routes and is comfy successful the offense, helium tin truly bash immoderate things.”
Almost each facet of the Cardinals’ discourtesy was amended with Hopkins connected the tract Thursday, adjacent if some Kingsbury and backmost Kyler Murray thought determination was country to improve.
“Not to our modular obviously, but I thought we started well,” Kingsbury said.
Said Murray: “I deliberation determination are a batch of things that we could person done amended retired there.”
But the stats from Thursday painted a representation of Hopkins’ impact.
Murray’s completion percent with Hopkins connected the tract jumped to 69.2 compared to 64.9% without him, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
But, wait. There’s more. With Hopkins connected the field:
Murray’s yards per effort accrued 1.13 yards
His yards per completion jumped .93 yards
His yards per dropback accrued .83 yards
His QBR accrued to 64.3 (47.3 without Hopkins)
Arizona’s yards per walk play went from 4.82 to 5.36 with Hopkins connected the tract and they averaged astir an other half-yard connected the ground.
“If you look at, like, erstwhile he's played and helium hasn't, offensively it's beauteous dramatic,” Kingsbury said Friday. “Defenses person to play you differently. I mean, they conscionable do. The tally crippled opens up erstwhile they're rolling different feline to him."
Kingsbury pointed to 3 plays that showed Hopkins’ worth to the discourtesy that aren't measured successful a container score. Hopkins drew 3 penalties connected Thursday night, 1 connected third-and-10, 1 connected second-and-10 -- some of which were sacks of Murray that were negated -- and different connected a two-point conversion that allowed the Cardinals different changeable astatine it, which they converted.
Kingsbury showed those plays to the Cardinals successful a gathering connected Friday morning, calling it “hidden yardage.”
“Since he's been here, I can't archer you however galore times … there's not a stat, I don't think, connected that, but it's unthinkable however galore times he's helped america successful that department,” Kingsbury said. “So, you person his 10 catches positive you person those three.
“Those are immense swings successful the ballgame, particularly with the struggles we've had connected 3rd downs.”
Hopkins’ interaction wasn’t conscionable massive, it was besides immediate.
He accounted for 48% of the Cardinals’ targets, 50% of their receptions and 51% of their receiving yards connected Thursday.
Hopkins didn’t downplay it erstwhile asked whether his beingness helped the Cardinals’ discourtesy yet unfastened up. He knew it did.
“Yes, absolutely,” Hopkins said. “I deliberation reads are easier for Kyler. I’m not saying that they’re not with different players retired there, but helium and I person been playing unneurotic for a mates years now, so, obviously, we cognize each different precise well.”
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