The Arizona Cardinals came out on top in their thrilling Week 2 clash with the Minnesota Vikings. In an offensive shootout, Arizona survived a late rally by the Vikings to remain undefeated on the season. It was a group effort by Arizona’s offense; with DeAndre Hopkins limited by Minnesota’s defense, the rest of the group picked up the slack. Rookie wideout Rondale Moore stole the show, and lead the game in receiving yards. Yet one of the more curious performances was that of tight end, Maxx Williams. A 94-yard day suggested Williams’ role in Arizona’s offense might be far more extensive and, indeed, impactful than Cardinals fans initially expected. This article will examine Maxx Williams’ Week 2 performance in a game that may have redefined his role in Arizona’s offense.
Maxx Williams’ Week 2 Performance Demonstrates He Is Capable Of A Wider Offensive Role
Williams Beats Minnesota’s Defensive Scheme
Maxx Williams has been a Cardinal for some time now. Yet the performance against the Vikings on Sunday was arguably his best in Cardinal red. The man so long derided by Cardinals fans as a blocking tight end showed his receiving skills, with 94-yards on seven receptions. Williams provided a reliable safety valve for Kyler Murray to hit consistently in the short game.
Although not a usual go-to for Kyler Murray, Williams’s performance against the Vikings was understandable due to several contributing factors. The absence of Anthony Barr played a significant role; the inside linebacker duo of Barr and Eric Kendricks is the best position group on the Vikings defense. Their effectiveness against both the run and pass allows Mike Zimmer to run a base nickel defense. His replacement Nick Vigil performed admirably, contributing a pick-six. However, Murray was able to hit Williams consistently out of a tight alignment.
The effective use of the tight end is integral in defeating the Cover-2 shell scheme favored by Mike Zimmer. Responsibilities in the middle of the field open up underneath options for the quarterback; with Williams often attached tight to the offensive line, quick throws in behind the defensive line, but in front of the retreating linebackers, gave Murray easy completions. Similarly, attacking the seam in the space behind and outside the linebacker in coverage causes problems against 2-deep formations. Murray successfully hit Williams on one of the tight end’s longer completions in his standout performance.
Williams’ Role In Arizona’s Offense
Cardinals fans were up in arms this summer when the organization let Dan Arnold walk in free agency. Arnold had settled into Arizona’s offense, becoming a viable downfield target for Kyler Murray. His departure seemingly left the Cardinals without a ‘receiving’ tight end, with much of the fanbase banging the drum for the Cardinals to pick up Zach Ertz, who appeared to be on his way out of the Philadelphia Eagles organization.
In some ways, that’s true. Maxx Williams is not a ‘receiving’ tight end. Often referred to as a ‘meat and potatoes guy’ by Cardinals media, Williams is a force as a blocker. He is a vital part of Arizona’s run game and regularly leads his position in PFF’s run-blocking grades.
Williams’ PFF grade of 90.4 against the Vikings on Sunday exemplified his ability as a dual-threat tight end; receiving leader Rondale Moore posted a 71.5, by comparison. His ability as a blocker was not the highlight of his performance, but it contributed to his exceptional grade. Meanwhile, his somewhat-revelatory ability as a receiver was on full display. A catch-and-run on a ball twice-tipped by Minnesota’s defense undoubtedly earned a place on Williams’ highlight reel, featuring prominently in amongst the game’s best plays. On Sunday, he caught, ran, and, yes, blocked his way to a team-leading performance.
Projecting Williams’ Role In Arizona’s Offense For 2021
Williams’ showing against Minnesota expectedly produced some knee-jerk reactions. He successfully quelled doubts about Arizona’s tight end group, if only for a week. Indeed, Cardinals fans cannot expect 90-yard performances out of their tight end regularly. Despite his performance, receiving is not Williams’ forte, and Kliff Kingsbury’s offense is not one that regularly targets the tight end. Schematically, his role will remain the same; he will be attached at the line of scrimmage and carving holes in the run game, with some opportunities to get out in the pattern.
What might have changed as a result of the Vikings game, though, is Murray’s willingness to look for him in the passing game. It is easy to target sure-handed receivers like DeAndre Hopkins, but Williams has demonstrated his ability to be a reliable target. Against teams and schemes that offer a favorable matchup against the tight end, Murray may look to Williams as not only a safe target but as a viable way of exploiting schematic deficiencies.
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Having displayed his dual-threat ability, Williams offers Arizona a versatility at tight end that many thought was missing. He offers Kliff Kingsbury the chance to run a variety of plays out of the same formation. Is Maxx Williams a blocking tight end? Yes, but he can also be so much more.
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