Analysis: Murray injury feels like knockout blow to Arizona Cardinals’ disastrous season
Cardinals #Cardinals
Arizona Republic 11 mins ago José M. Romero, Arizona Republic
Everything that happened after the third play from scrimmage in Monday night’s 27-13 Arizona Cardinals loss to the New England Patriots game didn’t seem to matter much, at least from the home team’s perspective.
The Cardinals lost their field general, quarterback Kyler Murray, on a non-contact knee injury in the first quarter. Murray scrambled to his right on a first down play, and before anyone could come up tackle him, his legs appeared to buckle and his right knee appeared to dangle as he slipped to the ground.
Immediately a Patriots player called for medical attention from the sideline. A disconsolate Murray was loaded onto a cart, a towel draped over his head as the entire Cardinals team that had come out on the field looked on, and driven to the locker room.
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As if the Cardinals’ 2022 nightmare of a season could get any worse.
Before the first quarter ended, Murray was proclaimed out for the rest of the game. Backup Colt McCoy took over at quarterback.
After the injury, the quarterback whom the Cardinals expected to face this Sunday in Denver, who was evaluated for a concussion from the Broncos game this past Sunday, expressed his support for Murray. It seems likely that Murray and Wilson won’t face each other this week.
The rest of the game
The Cardinals had to find a way to regroup, and after Matt Prater missed a 50-yard field goal try on the drive in which Murray was injured, Arizona scored on three straight possessions in the second quarter.
Prater has tried just one 50-yard field this season. The Cardinals got in position for another 50-yard try late in the second quarter, but opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 and didn’t convert.
The first field goal was set up by “star”-backer Isaiah Simmons’ team-leading second interception of the season.
The Patriots took a 7-3 lead on a Kevin Harris 14-yard touchdown run, then Prater answered with another field goal.
James Conner capped off a seven-play, 63-yard drive with a punishing 10-yard touchdown run, on which the Cardinals offensive line got a strong push and Conner bulldozed the remaining Patriots up the middle and into the end zone.
The Patriots rallied to tie the game with a pair of Nick Folk field goals at the end of the first half and early in the second. The Cardinals tried another fourth down conversion in the third quarter that failed when Hollywood Brown dived but couldn’t catch a McCoy pass.
But the game turned on a play Cardinals fans never expect to see. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was lost the ball after a catch, and the Patriots’ Raekwon McMillian scooped up the loose ball before it rolled out of bounds and ran 23 yards for a touchdown.
New England went ahead 20-13, and never lost the lead.
The Cardinals were moving the ball late in the third quarter until McCoy underthrew Hopkins and was intercepted. It looked like McCoy was hit on the throw.
And then, the frustration of a key turnover that was overturned on the Cardinals. Zaven Collins thought he had an interception and return for a touchdown that would have tied the game, but the play was reviewed and changed to an incomplete pass.
The Patriots, a team full of players without much name recognition took a 27-13 lead on a Pierre Strong touchdown run set up by a 39-yard completion from Jones to tight end Hunter Henry, wide open down the field.
Fans began heading for the State Farm Stadium exits, not wanting to see the Cardinals’ sixth loss on their own field this season.
Fifth loss in six games, 4-9 overall
In the immediate aftermath, the Cardinals first have to be concerned about Murray, who signed a giant contract extension before the season but has never found consistent success.
On Monday, the Cardinals expected a heavy dose of Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who was injured and not a factor. The Patriots, who got a much needed win for their playoff hopes, didn’t look that dominant, but they were able to take advantage of Cardinals turnovers and failed fourth downs.
The Cardinals had their moments in the pass rush, but couldn’t generate much on offense without Murray and only Conner making an impact. Defensive lineman Zach Allen (hand) and cornerback Marco Wilson (stinger) didn’t finish the game.
For a team that wanted to believe that its best football was still yet to be played, it’s hard to imagine that ever happening going forward, especially without Murray.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Analysis: Murray injury feels like knockout blow to Arizona Cardinals’ disastrous season