TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love did not practice Wednesday to rest his ailing left ankle and his status for Sunday’s game against the Rams isn’t clear as of yet, coach Mike LaFleur said.
The plan, LaFleur said, is to take Love’s ankle “one day at a time,” but the Cardinals understand for it to fully heal, the third-overall pick needs to stay off it.
“We all are in agreeance as much as he wants to battle through, we’re all in agreeance right now, it’s just, hey just give it a little bit of rest and see as the week goes on what that’ll entail for Sunday.”
Love’s style of play, however, makes it difficult for him to prevent the injury from lingering, LaFleur intimated.
“I’m going to try to be as candid as possible with also knowing that everyone’s listening to this, too,” LaFleur said, “but he’s a tough dude. “
But you guys see the way he plays and how aggressive he is with his cuts. And, I mean, imagine being a back in the NFL trying to put the foot down and cut the way that you’re capable of?”
Asked whether he was concerned about Love’s injury lingering, LaFleur swiftly pointed out which body part was injured.
“They’re ankles. It’s an ankle,” LaFleur said. “So, you don’t know. I’m not a doctor and each body’s a little bit different. The way he came back from the one in the preseason was unbelievable. I mean, he doesn’t even feel it. But this one is the one that happened when the regular season started and it’s just lingered.”
Love has rushed for 245 yards and one touchdown on 67 carries this season for an average of 3.7 yards per carry. He’s also contributed 36 receiving yards and a touchdown on 11 catches. His best game to date came in Week 3 at San Francisco, when he ran for 89 yards.
The Notre Dame star rushed for just 22 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions on 12 carries.
LaFleur said, in some ways, Love’s explosiveness has been affected by the ankle injury in recent weeks.
“You’d have to ask him that,” LaFleur said. “I know how explosive he is. I know how explosive he wants to be. So, I mean, I think that’s a fair assessment in some aspects. Again, I don’t think it’s an overall hindrance, but again, the rest for him is going to be vital.”
