Cardinals Face Tough Challenge Without Trey Benson
The Arizona Cardinals will head into their Week 13 showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without running back Trey Benson. Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed that Benson, along with Will Hernandez and Walter Nolen, has been ruled out for the upcoming game.
Benson, who was anticipated to make a return after having his 21-day practice window activated last week, has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in Week 4. This absence marks yet another hurdle for the Cardinals, who must now decide whether to activate him or place him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. Initially eligible to return by Week 10, Benson has yet to take the field despite participating in practice since his window opened. Gannon addressed the situation, opting to take a cautious approach, stating, “one day at a time” when asked about the severity of Benson’s injury.
Run Game Struggles Intensify
The Cardinals are acutely aware that their running game has not met expectations this season. Compared to last year, their ground attack has significantly faltered, prompting urgent discussions about how to fix the issue. Gannon acknowledged the team’s need for improvement.
“We have to get it going,” he said, emphasizing the difficulty of relying heavily on the passing game. “It’s a tough recipe to throw the ball as much as we’re throwing it right now and honestly as good as we’re throwing it. But when you drop back that many times, you’re just asking to take negatives.”
Gannon pointed to moments in their recent games where drives that could have led to scoring opportunities ended in setbacks, directly impacting their chances of winning. “We had two drives where at worst is a very makeable field goal and we go backwards. We knock ourselves out of points, and that’s not good. That contributes to losing the game.”
In terms of the run game, Gannon called for more effectiveness. “There are some runs in there that I feel like should go for six or seven and they’re going for three with the look and how we block it or the backs with what they’re doing. All 11 go into the run game, but we have to be able to run it a little bit better than what we’re doing right now.”
Looking Ahead to Tampa Bay
As the Cardinals prepare for their clash with Tampa Bay, they carry a disappointing 3-8 record, all but eliminating their postseason hopes. With the absence of Benson, the team will likely lean on running backs Bam Knight and Michael Carter to carry the load against the Buccaneers.
The stakes are high, as Arizona’s opportunity to play spoiler against Tampa Bay’s playoff aspirations presents a unique challenge. The Cardinals will need to find a way to revitalize their run game if they hope to make an impact in this critical matchup.
