Ron Wolfley expects Patriots to corner Kyler Murray, run the ball against Cardinals

PHOENIX — The Arizona Cardinals return from a bye next week with a home game on Monday Night Football against the New England Patriots.

Arizona (4-8) has slim playoff hopes, but they can play spoiler for a Patriots team that is 6-6 and a game behind the New York Jets for the final spot in the AFC.

Cardinals radio personality and Arizona Sports host Ron Wolfley has ideas on how the Patriots will play the Cardinals.

“I think [Patriots coach Bill Belichick] is going to focus on rushing five, getting Kyler Murray into a pocket, going after him and keeping him in that pocket,” Wolfley told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Monday.

New England has one of the better pass defenses in football, allowing 200 yards per game, good for 10th in the NFL.

Murray was serviceable Nov. 27 against the Los Angeles Chargers in his return from injury, throwing for 191 yards and two touchdowns in a 25-24 loss.

The offense disappeared in the fourth quarter of that game, a factor that led to the loss.

“They’re going to force the Arizona Cardinals to try to move the ball down the field,” Wolfley said. “That’s something that the Cardinals have not been able to do basically with any consistency all season long.”

On offense, Wolfley expects a heavy dose of the ground game for the Patriots.

The Cardinals rank 10th in rushing defense, but Wolfley thinks it could be vulnerable.

“If [Belichick] thinks your defense struggles to stop the run — and the Cardinals’ defense has struggled from time to time to stop the run — I could see him running the ball an awful lot against the Cardinals,” Wolfley said.

Catch all the action next Monday with kickoff set for 6:15 p.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7, the Arizona Sports app or ArizonaSports.com.

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