At first glance, Drew Petzing’s Cardinals offenses looked ordinary. A deeper dive into EPA, personnel usage and efficiency tells a very different story.
The Detroit Lions are turning to Drew Petzing with the belief that his analytical profile — not just his play sheet — makes him the right fit to guide one of the NFC’s most talented offenses. A review of Petzing’s three seasons as offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals shows a coordinator whose results were closely tied to health, quarterback availability and an unusually efficient approach to personnel usage.
At his peak, Petzing’s offense graded among the league’s best. During the 2024-25 evaluation window, the Cardinals ranked seventh in overall offensive grade, eighth in the passing game and ninth in the running game, according to PFF and Sumer Sports. Arizona finished fifth in EPA per rush (0.04) and 12th in EPA per pass (0.08), a balanced profile that reflected Petzing’s emphasis on efficiency over volume. The Cardinals were not overwhelmed by injuries during that stretch, helping paint a clearer picture of his true offensive identity.
That identity was defined by personnel diversity. Arizona ran 11 personnel just 50.77% of the time, well below the league average of 61.15%, yet still ranked 12th in EPA from those sets. Petzing leaned heavily into heavier groupings, running 12 personnel on 28.86% of snaps compared to a league average of 21.79%, ranking sixth in EPA. Most notably, the Cardinals ran 13 personnel on 28.20% of snaps — nearly eight times the league average of 3.58% — finishing first in EPA from those alignments. The approach helped maximize tight end usage and create favorable run looks that consistently outperformed league norms.
The run game was the foundation. Arizona finished second in yards per carry in 2023 (5.0) and 2024 (5.3), before slipping to 16th in 2025 (4.3) amid extensive injuries. In 2023, despite ranking 19th in total yards per game and 24th in points per game, the Cardinals were fourth in rushing yards, second in yards per carry, ninth in rush DVOA and seventh in rush EPA. James Conner rushed for 1,040 yards, while Trey McBride emerged as a focal point with 825 receiving yards.
That production came amid major instability. Kyler Murray missed nine games, Josh Dobbs started eight, and Arizona lost Conner, Zach Ertz, Hollywood Brown and Michael Wilson for multiple games. The passing offense ranked 29th in yards per attempt, 27th in dropback EPA and 27th in dropback success rate, contributing to finishes of 22nd in EPA per play, 21st in offensive DVOA and 25th in overall success rate.
With Murray healthy for all 17 games in 2024, the efficiency gains were unmistakable. Arizona jumped to 11th in total yards per game (358.2), seventh in rushing yards (2,451), and 12th in points per game (23.5). The Cardinals finished 11th in offensive DVOA, 10th in EPA per play and 10th in success rate. Murray totaled 4,423 yards, while Conner rushed for 1,094 yards in 16 games. Arizona ranked third in yards per carry, ninth in rush DVOA, eighth in rush EPA and 10th in rush success rate, while the passing game climbed to 16th in yards per attempt, 13th in pass DVOA and sixth in dropback success rate.
Play-action efficiency was central to that leap. Petzing used play-action on 29.5% of dropbacks. On those plays, Murray ranked second in attempts (159), eighth in total EPA (+32.8%), 13th in EPA per dropback (0.18) and 16th in passer rating (104.0).
The 2025 season represented the other extreme. Murray missed 12 games, Conner missed 14, and Arizona lost multiple running backs, receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen. The Cardinals fell to 19th in total yards per game, 23rd in points per game, 24th in offensive DVOA, 23rd in EPA per play and 24th in success rate. Arizona ranked 31st in rushing yards per game and 29th in rush EPA, but still finished seventh in passing yards per game with Jacoby Brissett starting 12 contests. McBride earned first-team All-Pro honors, and Michael Wilson posted his first 1,000-yard season.
For Detroit, Petzing’s résumé shows a coordinator whose offenses rise or fall with health, but whose underlying efficiency, personnel creativity and run-game foundation consistently translate. The Lions are betting that with stability and talent, those numbers can climb even higher.