Arizona's James Conner looks to exploit favorable matchup against league's worst run defense

Arizona (7-7) at Carolina (3-11)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, FOX.

BetMGM Odds: Cardinals by 4 1/2.

Against the spread: Cardinals 9-5, Panthers 6-8.

Series record: Panthers lead 12-5.

Last meeting: Cardinals beat Panthers 26-16 on Oct. 22, 2022, in Carolina.

Last week: Cardinals beat Patriots 30-17; Panthers lost to Cowboys 30-14.

Cardinals offense: overall (11), rush (7), pass (21), scoring (t-15)

Cardinals defense: overall (16), rush (18), pass (18), scoring (10)

Panthers offense: overall (31), rush (24), pass (29), scoring (28)

Panthers defense: overall (31), rush (32), pass (12), scoring (32)

Turnover differential: Cardinals minus-2; Panthers minus-8.

TE Trey McBride has been quarterback Kyler Murray's favorite option for much of the season, but the connection has really gained steam over the past month. McBride has 40 catches for 386 yards over the past four games and continues to make the case that he's one of the NFL's elite tight ends.

WR Jalen Coker vs. Cardinals secondary. Coker is beginning to emerge as a deep option for Carolina. The undrafted rookie returned from a three-game absence last Sunday to have a career game with four receptions for 110 yards, including an 83-yard touchdown catch. With Xavier Legette out this week and David Moore's status uncertain because of a concussion, Coker could play a prominent role against the league's 18th-ranked pass defense.

Cardinals RB James Conner vs. Panthers run defense. Connor is coming off his best game of the season, rushing for 110 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns against New England. Now he gets the Panthers, a team that has struggled against the run. Rico Dowdle had a career game last week, running for 149 yards on 25 carries as the Cowboys racked up 211 yards on the ground. Carolina’s defense has allowed at least 190 yards rushing in five of its past six games.

Cardinals RB Trey Benson (ankle), OT Paris Johnson Jr. (knee), LB Jesse Luketa (thigh) and LB Mack Wilson Sr. (concussion) didn't practice on Wednesday. LB Zaven Collins (neck) and CBs Max Melton (shin) and Sean Murphy-Bunting (hand) were also limited early in the week. ... The Panthers placed two more linebackers on injured reserve this week, losing Claudin Cherelus (toe) and Trevin Wallace (shoulder), leaving them young at that position.

Including playoff games, the Panthers have defeated the Cardinals in six of the past seven meetings. The Panthers trounced the Cardinals 49-15 in the NFC championship game in the 2015 season to reach Super Bowl 50.

The Cardinals are 7-7 this season and looking for their first winning season since 2021. They're third in the NFC West, one game behind the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. ... Arizona's defense has allowed an average of just 17.9 points over the past eight games. That ranks second in the league over that span, trailing only Philadelphia. ... LB Baron Browning and rookie DL Darius Robinson both had their first sacks of the season last week against the Patriots. ... S Budda Baker signed a three-year extension this week, keeping him with the Cardinals through 2027. The two-time All-Pro leads the team with 142 tackles this season. ... The Cardinals have 16 different players who have a sack this season, which leads the NFL ... The Cardinals have been flagged for penalties just 71 times this season — the fewest in the league. ... The Panthers are 2-6 at home. ... QB Bryce Young had four turnovers in last week's loss to the Cowboys — two on interceptions and two on sack-fumbles — and was sacked a season-high six times. ... RB Chuba Hubbard has his first career 1,000-yard season, but is coming off a rough game last week in which he was held to 32 yards on 10 carries. ... WR Adam Thielen has been targeted 28 times and has 22 catches over the past three games for 252 yards and a touchdown. ... The Panthers have had six consecutive double-digit loss seasons and have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Marvin Harrison Jr. has been quiet of late with only six catches for 81 yards over the past two weeks, but Arizona's rookie wide receiver could be in for a big game against a Carolina defense that allowed Dallas' Cooper Rush to throw for a career-high three touchdown pass last week at home.

NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) scrambles against the New England Patriots during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) scrambles against the New England Patriots during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) runs for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons sacks Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young passes against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) scores a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones tackles Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Two familiar sounds were missing during the Buffalo Sabres’ first game under general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.

There was no hint of former GM Kevyn Adams pounding at the table in the Sabres’ executive suite next to the press box each time the team made a mistake. And there were no chants of “Fire Adams!” coming from the stands.

There were instead cheers following a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night, in an outing the Sabres began showing the character — and some of the consistency — Kekalainen placed an emphasis on in taking over after Adams was fired on Monday.

In extending their winning streak to a season-high four games, the Sabres overcame a slow start in which they were out-shot 12-4 in the opening period, and a 2-1 second-period deficit. Most importantly, they clamped down on defense by killing off a delay of game penalty in the final two-plus minutes, before Ryan McLeod sealed the victory with an empty-net goal.

“Obviously, one game doesn’t mean anything,” said Tage Thompson, who scored to extend his goals streak to five games. “But we’ve started to string some games together where we’re playing the right way. And we’re feeling confident knowing that we’re going to be able to close out games.”

This is the type of shot-blocking, don’t-let-down character Kekalainen said he was looking for in his opening news conference Tuesday. The problem, he said in having spent the past six-plus months watching the Sabres as a senior adviser, wasn’t the team’s talent, but it’s effort and consistency in too often getting out-worked.

Thursday’s outing represented but a start, because the Sabres still have much to do if they intend to climb back into contention and avoid extending their NHL-record playoff drought to a 15th season.

Improving to 15-14-4, Buffalo moved into 15th place in the 16-team Eastern Conference standings. But they’re only five points behind eighth-place Tampa Bay.

“Nothing really changes and nothing should change,” said goalie Alex Lyon, who stopped 24 shots and has accounted for all four wins in Buffalo’s run.

“I think it’s obviously been well documented that at times we get a little bit high and we get a little low,” he added. “It doesn’t matter what the score is. It doesn’t matter what your record is. You have to try to put the same product out there in practice, in games, all the time.”

Lyon’s was a message coach Lindy Ruff re-emphasized following his 915th career win, which moved him into fourth place on the NHL list.

“We need really to worry about one game: Saturday,” he said, looking only ahead to Buffalo’s next outing, a home game against the New York Islanders.

For all his wins, including 622 in what is now his second stint in Buffalo, Ruff has plenty at stake now working under a new GM and in the final year of his contract.

“I’m focused on finishing the job. I’m disappointed,” he said a day earlier in reference to the front-office shakeup.

“But we’ve got ourselves in position where we can really push ahead,” Ruff added, noting his roster was filling out with center Josh Norris and defenseman Michael Kesserling returning from injuries. “The getting healthier part is the part that excites me. We get to see the team we envisioned it to be.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (34) slides across the crease to make a save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Sabres center Noah Ostlund (86) and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) get separated by linesman Matt MacPherson (83) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Buffalo Sabres new general manager Jarmo Kekalainen addresses the media during an NHL hockey news conference Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/John Wawrow)

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod, left, celebrates his empty net goal with defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (23) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)