Cardinals OC Drew Petzing should just keep his playbook in his pocket

Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has talent at each skill position, a multi-faceted quarterback, and a stout defense to back him up. Still, Petzing can't seem to channel in plays to turn offensive drives into touchdowns at a consistent rate. Instead, the Cardinals offense has been outscored 26-9 in three consecutive fourth quarters this season. Obviously, if the Cardinals plan on making any playoff run, they will need to be more efficient on offense.

Ball distribution hasn't been an issue for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, but the team averaged just 4.1 yards per play on 64 total plays in Sunday's 16-15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Even with the Cardinals winning the time of possession 34:39 to 25:21, Petzing still somehow ended up being on the wrong side of the scoreboard, producing nearly 110 yards less than the opponent, who was playing with backup quarterback Mac Jones.

Perhaps Petzing may find alternative success if he spends more time operating out of 13 personnel groups and establishing the rushing attack. Running back Trey Benson did take off for a 29-yard run in Sunday's loss, so using the ground game to soften up the defense may help Murray in the pass game. As of now, the Cardinals are 2-1 primarily because of defensive coordinator Nick Rallis and his relentless endeavor to limit touchdowns. However, the team defense is being haunted by attrition and injury, so the offense needs to pick it up heading into the fourth game of the NFL season.

Petzing was hired to optimize the team offense, yet his playcalling has made the team offense look mediocre at best. Through three games, the Cardinals are producing just a 37 percent third-down conversion rate, a testament to the team's inability to sustain offensive drives. Hopefully, things will improve in Week 4 versus the Seattle Seahawks.

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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Cardinals OC Drew Petzing should just keep his playbook in his pocket