Flush the Pocket will be your daily morning dose of the Arizona Cardinals. It’ll recap the top story line from the previous day and give you a look at what everyone is saying locally and nationally.
TEMPE, Ariz. -- In a story Monday, Bill Barnwell asked the question a lot of Cardinals fans have been asking themselves.
Why isn’t Andre Ellington playing more?
I can’t imagine Barnwell, who is Grantland’s football workhorse, has watched many Cardinals games -- although I could be wrong -- but for an outsider to make that observation says something.
“And the truth, honestly, is that I don't know why Ellington isn't playing more,” Barnwell wrote.
Then Barnwell went and broke down Ellington’s contribution to the Cards’ offense compared to that of starter Rashard Mendenhall. Ellington is averaging 7.2 yards a carry while Mendenhall is averaging 3.1. He makes arguments I’ve read all over Facebook and Twitter, so it’s not like he’s going out on a limb.
He nailed it right here:
“Instead, the most dangerous weapon on offense might very well be the NFL's most criminally underused playmaker. Andre Ellington wasn't expected to produce much as a rookie after the Cardinals took him out of Clemson with the 187th pick in April's draft, but since the season began, Ellington has been the player every fan dreams about: the guy who seems to make magic happen every time he touches the football. He's overqualified for a bigger role.”
Most. Criminally. Underused. Playmaker. Not a bad way to splash onto the national scene.
In other news ...
Bob McManaman of AZCentral.com writes about the Cardinals’ Victory Monday.
Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com writes about the Cardinals’ diversifying their offense.