Six years after Kyler Murray was the No. 1 pick, he's still trying to turn Cardinals into a winner

Published Dec. 23, 2024 7:07 p.m. ET

Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. He was charged with turning around a franchise that has been a perennial also-ran for most of the past century and hasn't won an NFL championship since 1947.

Six years later — even though Murray usually has played fairly well — it's still the same ol' Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals (7-8) were eliminated from the playoff race on Sunday after a 36-30 overtime loss to the lowly Carolina Panthers. Arizona fell into an early 20-3 hole before fighting back, but a handful of missed opportunities in overtime doomed the team's postseason hopes.

“We didn’t take this team lightly at all, but it’s the NFL,” Murray said. “When you come out and you do that, put yourself behind, we fought back though, and had a chance to win the game and that’s all that matters and we didn’t do it, so, that’s part of the game."

During Murray's six seasons, the Cardinals have played in exactly one playoff game, getting blown out by the Rams in 2021. Murray — a two-time Pro Bowl selection — has a 35-44-1 record as the starting quarterback.

To be fair, the Cardinals weren't expected to be great this year. They've already won three more games than last season, when they finished 4-13, and a finish around the .500 mark is a solid improvement.

But there's little doubt the past month was a missed opportunity. The Cardinals had a 6-4 record after a four-game winning streak, but they have dropped four of five since their bye week.

“I know they’re down,” second-year coach Jonathan Gannon said. “I know that’s real. Ultimately when you reflect on it, we haven’t done enough, you know what I mean? And it starts with me. We win together, we lose together, everyone had their hand in how this season went and why we are where we are and it starts with me.”

What’s working

It's no coincidence that Arizona's offense had problems once RB James Conner left in the third quarter with a knee injury. Conner rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, almost single-handedly willing the Cardinals back into the game. Conner's already run for a career-high 1,090 yards this season and the 29-year-old is still a powerful and versatile runner as he approaches his 30s.

What needs help

This is a franchise that just can't seem to shake its mediocre mojo. Gannon has brought an even-keel, professional approach and there's been slow improvement over his two seasons. He also has meshed with Murray, which is important. But it's unclear if the pairing is going to be able to turn the Cardinals into a consistent winner.

Stock up

Chad Ryland was a terrific in-season pickup by the Cardinals after veteran kicker Matt Prater went down with a knee injury. Ryland nailed a 58-yard field goal as time expired in regulation, giving Arizona a chance to win it in overtime. He is 25 of 29 on field goals over 11 games, and the 25-year-old looks as if he could be the team's long-term answer at the position.

Stock down

Marvin Harrison Jr. had another pedestrian day, finishing with four catches for 39 yards. He was targeted four other times, but the wide receiver couldn't come up with big plays when the Cardinals needed them. The No. 4 overall pick in this year's draft is still very young, so he can obviously get better, but it's fair to wonder if he's going to be the game-changing player that the Cardinals expected.

Gannon said he wants Harrison to be more physical, but is largely happy with his performance.

“I think he's done a really good job this year of learning and adapting his game and fitting where he fits in,” Gannon said. “He's made some plays and missed some plays. These are learning experiences for him. This was a good year for him to get under his belt.”

Injuries

RT Jonah Williams (knee), LB Baron Browning (neck) and Conner left during the Panthers' game, and there likely will be a lengthy injury report heading into this weekend's game against the Rams. LB Mack Wilson Sr. (concussion) and LT Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) were among those who didn't play against the Panthers.