In Week 14, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins went down with what looked like a serious injury. In addition to an earlier hamstring issue, the Cardinals WR has had quite a few problems staying healthy this year. What injury did Hopkins sustain in Week 14, and when might he make a return to the field?
DeAndre Hopkins injury update
Unfortunately for Cardinals fans, their star WR suffered a torn MCL in Week 14. It was diagnosed quite quickly after the game, but Hopkins decided to get a second opinion. With both consultations showing the same results, Hopkins decided to have knee surgery, officially ending his regular season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Hopkins’ six-week recovery timetable after surgery would allow him to return for the NFC Championship Game or possibly the Super Bowl. However, for the team to make it that far, they are going to need to find a way to completely reinvent their offense.
Schefter also reported that it’s “unrealistic” to expect Hopkins to make it back onto the field sooner than that. The Cardinals are currently 10-4 in the NFL standings and are fighting for first place in the NFC.
Not only are they competing with teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers for that first-round bye, but they are also in a tight race with the Rams for the NFC West crown. They are currently only one game ahead of Los Angeles.
Can the Cardinals survive without their top WR?
As mentioned above, the Cardinals are in a tight race in the NFC. Unfortunately, in their first game without Hopkins after his MCL injury, things did not go well. They lost to the then-one-win Detroit Lions. Not only did they lose, but they were completely embarrassed on both sides of the ball.
Heading into halftime, Detroit had managed to not only shut out Arizona’s offense but also put up 17 points of their own.
Kyler Murray finished the game 23-of-41 for 257 yards with a touchdown and an interception, adding up to a 72.9 passer rating. Yet, Murray’s only TD was thrown with a little less than five minutes left in the game.
The offense looked understandably lost trying to adjust to life without their top WR option in Hopkins. Since starting 7-0, the Cardinals have lost four of their past seven games.
Who steps up for the Cardinals?
Behind Hopkins, Christian Kirk fell into the WR1 role. He finished with 94 yards on 9 receptions and a TD in Week 15. Kirk has had a quietly impressive season with Hopkins in and out of the lineup. He has 812 yards on 62 receptions and 5 TDs in 2021.
Luckily for Arizona, their first week without Hopkins was also their first with Chase Edmonds back from IR. Although he still split carries with James Conner, both backs looked good. Due to the game script, they were less involved when the Cardinals went down by double digits.
The Cardinals are fifth in the league in rushing attempts per game and will need to rely on a heavy dose of Conner and Edmonds to help replace the loss of Hopkins.