The Arizona Cardinals started off the season 4-0 and were looking like a solid playoff contender just one year after finishing with an 8-8 record and out of the postseason.
But after a 17-3 loss to the St. Louis Rams on Thursday night, the team will have to find a new way to win, especially after finding out that running back Ryan Williams will be out for the season.
Williams injured his shoulder in the game against St. Louis and will undergo surgery, making him miss the rest of the season.
"The timetable for recovery is probably three months, so that puts him out for the season," coach Ken Whisenhunt said to ESPN.com.
The shoulder is not the first time Williams has had a serious injury. He also was hurt last year during his rookie season after suffering a torn patella tendon in his right knee in the pre-season on his first run attempt of the game. He missed all 16 games.
The injury marks the second major loss for the Cardinals at running back. Starter Beanie Wells was injured earlier this season with a turf toe injury and will be out until at least Thanksgiving. He only played in three games this year, gaining 76 yards on 29 carries with no touchdowns.
The Cardinals have already had a difficult time running the ball this season and the injury will not help them in that regard. The team is 4-1 on the strength of its defense, but offensively the group is limited.
They have one of the best receivers in the league in Larry Fitzgerald, but the offensive line can't protect the quarterback, leaving Kevin Kolb to rush his throws and not be able to gain any comfort in the pocket. The team has allowed a staggering 17 sacks in the past two games.
The team ranks 31st in the league in rushing with 63.4 yards per game and haven't done much better with passing, ranking 25th with 209 yards per game.
The team is thin at running back, with LaRod Stephens-Howling, William Powell and Alfonso Smith left on the roster. All three are unproven. According to ESPN.com, the team added cornerback Crezdon Butler to the roster to take Williams' spot.
"I feel good about the guys that we've got," Whisenhunt said. "We're always going to look to get better at every position. If that opportunity is there, then we'll certainly try to act on it."
Wells had knee surgery in the offseason and looked tentative running before he was injured. The Cardinals have rushed for only 75 yards in the past two games. Williams had only gained 164 yards on the season on 58 carries, good for just a 2.8 average.
"That's the NFL," Whisenhunt said. "Teams have to fight through adversity and keep going. We've done a good job of that the first five weeks of the season, and now we've got another challenge, but that's OK. We'll work through it."
Williams was drafted with the 38th pick in the second round out of Virginia Tech in the 2011 NFL Draft to be an explosive threat for the Cardinals. Unfortunately for Williams he has not been able to stay healthy for a full season in two years with the team.
"I feel horrible for Ryan," Whisenhunt said, "but what I told Ryan when we sat down was that at least he won't have to deal with it through an offseason. He'll be able to go through the offseason program. He'll be able to go through practices and that will get him in better shape and ready to go next year."
The Cardinals will face off again the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The Bills have allowed the second-most rushing yards per game in the league with 171.8 yards.
