James Conner doesn’t usually say much, so when he speaks, his teammates pay attention. His talk on Sunday may have helped turn around Arizona’s season.
“I was just telling them to push all their chips in for this week — that we’re still on a mission,” Conner said. “Just tell the guys don’t take anything for granted and just play good football. Push all your chips into this week, give it all you got.”
The Cardinals (3-4) reacted strongly, winning 17-15 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. Quarterback Kyler Murray ran for a 44-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter and led the game-winning drive in the last two minutes, finishing with Chad Ryland’s 32-yard field goal as time ran out.
Conner played a key role in the victory, too. He backed up his speech with one of his best performances this season, rushing for 101 yards and catching two passes for 51 yards. One of his catches was a tough 33-yard gain on the final drive that got the Cardinals into field goal range.
“He’s a safety valve,” Murray said. “Since I’ve been playing with James, I’ve known what type of back he is. Obviously, he’s underrated around the world in the league and how he’s viewed, but I know there’s nothing he can’t do in my eyes.”
Conner is currently sixth in the NFL with 504 rushing yards. The 29-year-old just finished his first 1,000-yard season.
At 3-4, the Cardinals are still in a good spot in the NFC West. They are just one game behind division leader Seattle and tied with San Francisco. They also have a 2-0 record in the division with wins over the 49ers and Rams.
