Offensive Continuity Could Be Advantage For Cardinals

Big Red

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Mar 16, 2019
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Sometimes change can be a good thing, but building off last season made sense for the Cardinals offense. After a historically unproductive 2018 season, the group jumped up to No. 13 in offensive efficiency in 2019, per Football Outsiders.


More encouragingly, it was the seventh-most efficient offense in the NFL down the stretch. With quarterback Kyler Murray heading into his second year, the offense seems to be on a positive trajectory, and the familiarity could help minimize early-season hiccups.


The offensive line took some time to jell a year ago but played well at the end of the season, and the group's chemistry is expected to be a benefit in 2020.


"Us staying locked in and knowing the guys in the room, that's going to be a huge advantage for us," guard Justin Pugh said. "I'm trying to keep in contact with all those guys, working on the iPads, trying to get refreshed on the basic terminology so we can get back and hit the ground running."


Third-round pick Josh Jones would love to break into the starting lineup at some point. He would need to beat out returners Marcus Gilbert and Justin Murray for the right tackle job, but even Jones has familiarity with the offense because he played under Kingsbury's good friend, Dana Holgorsen, at the University of Houston last season.


"I don't think it's too far off at all," Jones said. "Coach Kingsbury already mentioned Dana as his guy, so they're basically under the same tree. I don't think it is too much of a difference except the speed and the level they play at. I think I'll be able to pick it up fairly quickly."


While the roster composition could contribute to a smooth offensive start, Kingsbury isn't taking anything for granted. The coronavirus has shifted the rhythm of the offseason, leaving an element of unknown for every team in the league.


"We're going to do every sort of tele-coaching that we can come up with," Kingsbury said. "There's nothing like being on the grass, but everybody's dealing with it. I think the teams that are able to adapt and adjust the best are going to be able to have the most success early in the season."

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