The Cardinals are trailing the Patriots by 2 points in their 4th quarter. James Conner is out for a major knee injury and DeAndre Hopkins has an apparent ankle sprain, but this does not seem to be enough to stop them from winning if they can just make it past the Patriots’ final drive.
The “james conner stats” is a story about the Cardinals’ star wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins. He was injured in week 15 and has not played since. This could put a quick end to their Super Bowl hopes.
For a long period, the Arizona Cardinals were the greatest team in the NFC and had the best record in the NFL. Kyler Murray was playing at an MVP level, James Conner seemed to be the best offseason steal, and Kliff Kingsbury demonstrated why he made the proper decision to join the NFL.
The Cardinals, on the other hand, have been dealt a major injury blow with the recent news on standout wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, which might throw their Super Bowl hopes into disarray. Oh, and Conner’s situation seems to be a little shaky as well.
With a knee injury, DeAndre Hopkins is projected to miss the rest of the regular season – and maybe longer.
DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals’ wide receiver, is projected to miss the remainder of the regular season with a sprained knee, but league sources tell me and @JFowlerESPN that the club hopes to get him back in the playoffs.
December 15, 2021 — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)
The Cardinals got tragic news on Hopkins only days after a tight defeat to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. Throughout the year, the gifted wide receiver has battled injuries, missing the whole month of November along with Murray.
But he returned against the Rams, catching five passes for 54 yards on 12 targets. Hopkins has just 572 yards and eight touchdowns in ten games this season, but he leads all Arizona receivers with eight touchdowns.
The Cardinals will now be without Hopkins for the remainder of the regular season, perhaps jeopardizing their chances of winning the NFC West. Hopkins is a tremendous danger and a headache for most teams to prepare against, even in his down year.
So, what are the Cardinals’ options now?
On the plus side? Hopkins might return for the playoffs, but no one knows for sure at this time.
With the latest injury blow, the Cardinals’ pass catchers must step up.
Who will it be this time?
There is talent in the room. The Cardinals have Christian Kirk, A.J. Green, and youngster Rondale Moore, who had an incredible catch against the San Francisco 49ers earlier this season.
With Zach Ertz out, Conner and Chase Edmonds should get more targets, and depending on their health, both running backs will see more touches. However, one of the receivers will have to take over as the man in Arizona at some time.
Hopkins is a one-of-a-kind talent, and no one can replace him, but the rest of the Arizona offense will have to strive to fill his shoes as best they can.
The skill and opportunity are there, but the big issue is who will stand forward. Someone has to, and without Hopkins for another lengthy period of time, Arizona’s offense will be drastically altered.
Arizona’s prospects of making the Super Bowl continue to dwindle as injuries pile.
DeAndre Hopkins and James Conner | Norm Hall/Getty Images
As if Hopkins’ injuries weren’t awful enough, the club has already lost J.J. Watt this season. Furthermore, Edmonds is still on Injured Reserve and has yet to be activated.
Conner suffered an injury and was scheduled for an MRI after scoring two touchdowns against the Rams, as if things couldn’t get much worse.
After his MRI, Kingsbury stated James Conner is “day to day.”
December 15, 2021 — Darren Urban (@Cardschatter)
Watt came first, followed by Hopkins, and now Conner. What comes next?
The Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Seattle Seahawks were Arizona’s last four teams, with two of them finishing above.500.
The Cardinals had the fifth-best Super Bowl chances before the Hopkins news broke, and with such a significant injury update, one can only guess how they will do now. Murray will have to go on a heroic stretch to keep this Cardinals club afloat, and it doesn’t help that he’s coming off a zero-TD, two-INT performance against the Rams.
This is simply another reminder of how rapidly things can change in the NFL, as the Cardinals have learned following a dreadful season in 2020.
Pro Football Reference provided the statistics.
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