Rashard Mendenhall remains Cardinals starting RB
By Josh Sanchez
Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Andre Ellington had a breakout game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9, which led to an increased role in the offense this past week in the win against the Houston Texans.
Many believed that Mendenhall could soon push for the starting job that is currently held by Rashard Mendenhall, but that doesn’t appear to be the case despite a late fumble as the team looked to secure their win.
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians was asked if Mendenhall would remain the starter after the game, to which he gave a firm response.
“Oh yeah,” Arians said, via ESPN.com. “There’s no doubt.”
Arians knows what Mendenhall can do on the ground from their time together with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so it is no surprise that he is sticking with his guy.
As for Ellington, Arians believes he is right where he needs to be with his role in terms of touches.
“I think it’s right where it needs to be,” Arians said. “He had plenty again today.”
The Cardinals currently sit at 5-4, with a good chance to secure their sixth win next week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If they are able to advance to 6-4, they will be in good position to be a serious contender in the NFC Wild Card race as the season winds down.