GLENDALE, Ariz. — Kyler Murray’s 2023 debut saw the Arizona Cardinals franchise quarterback show flashes of dynamic playmaking ability, with the fair-to-expect glitches of a quarterback who hasn’t played in a game in 11 months and was plopped into a new scheme on offense that he can only master with more time.
Leave it to fate to have Murray’s return come down to the wire, with the fifth-year pro forced into trying to lead the Arizona Cardinals on a scoring drive in the final two minutes, 33 seconds of the game. Murray couldn’t connect with Michael Wilson nor Rondale Moore, but electrified the crowd with a signature Murray-like scramble and burst of speed to convert a third-and-10.
And on an underthrown ball, Murray found his favorite target of the day, tight end Trey McBride, for 34 yards to put the Cardinals only a chip shot field away from win No. 2. Matt Prater converted with a 23-yard field goal, and Murray and his team walked off the field as happy winners, 25-23 over the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium.
Murray finished the game 19 for 32 for 249 yards with an interception and a touchdown run.
What started out well turned into a mixed bag of results that was enough for a victory, with Murray running for six, throwing accurately and moving well but also missing receivers, taking a penalty for delay of game and throwing a third quarter interception.
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Murray at times looked a lot like the pre-knee injury and surgery Murray, connecting with tight end Trey McBride for completions and looking confident in his throws. But it was that late-game scramble that seemed to say ‘Kyler is back.’
After a slant route pass for Brown went incomplete on Murray’s first pass of the day, Murray had run to avoid pressure. It was certainly a significant moment for Murray, to see how his knee held up.
Murray looked more confident as the game wore on, and didn’t appear nervous or apprehensive about anything. In his first game in 335 days, Murray looked nimble in avoiding the pass rush. He just missed good buddy Hollywood Brown for what would have been a touchdown in the second quarter, the ball off Brown’s hands, but on that play opted to throw deep instead of hitting McBride for an easy first down.
That was as close to a mistake for Murray until the middle of the third quarter, when he threw well behind McBride and was intercepted by Atlanta’s Nate Landman. Up to that point, Murray was 15 for 25 for 194 yards.
The interception came with Murray under center, which happened more than handful of times in the game. Murray was more effective out of the shotgun, but successful enough to win the game.
At times, he appeared to be walking with a bit of a limp. Maybe it was just the general soreness of playing a full game for the first time in a while. But nothing ever appeared wrong with Murray when he dropped back, scrambled, or moved around in the pocket.
As the field goal sailed through, the Cardinals didn’t celebrate like they’d won the Super Bowl. Much like Murray’s demeanor the whole game, they calmly congratulated each other and saluted the crowd.