The Arizona Cardinals avoided a dismal 0-2 start to the season due to the speed and unpredictability of quarterback Kyler Murray’s legs.
As the Cardinals entered the fourth quarter down the Raiders 23-7, they had their work cut out for them. The comeback started halfway through the fourth quarter when running back Darrel Williams scored from one yard out.
With the Cardinals behind 23-13, they chose to attempt a two-point conversion in an effort to trim the Raiders’ lead to one possession.
Murray fired his shotgun and assessed the area. Having found nothing to his taste, he began to run… in reverse.
For most quarterbacks in the league, such a play would be disastrous, but for Murray, rushing backwards merely creates more space for him to run forward later in the play.
Murray maneuvered like a video game character through the Raiders’ defense, eventually scoring a touchdown.
—SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)
September 18, 2022
Murray required the full 19 seconds to gain two yards, and he needed them all. According to NextGenStats, Murray gained two yards after covering around 85 yards around the field. Again, Murray wasted no time.
—Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats)
September 18, 2022
With the successful conversion, the Cardinals narrowed the Raiders’ advantage to eight points.
After a strong stop by the Arizona defense, Murray led the Cardinals on an 18-play, 73-yard drive that included four fourth-down conversions.
Murray again capped the drive by sprinting into the end zone on the final play of regulation after the Raiders defense was overwhelmed defending Arizona’s receivers.
—Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals)
September 18, 2022
The Cardinals required one more two-point convert to force OT, but nearly ruined their own chances by committing a delay-of-game penalty that pushed them back five yards on the try.
Murray didn’t care, as he sent a dart through the smallest opening to connect with A.J. Green.
—Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals)
September 18, 2022
The Cardinals’ opening drive in overtime stuttered, but the defense prevailed, forcing a scoop-and-score that finished the game.
—Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals)
September 18, 2022
Baseball game won by the Cardinals.
“I would say they dropped nine and had two individuals rushing. I anticipated that they would be unable to tackle me “Murray commented on his bizarre two-point convert following the game. “At that time, it was just backyard football, trying to find someone, move, become open, and make a play,”
Murray and the Cardinals made unfavorable news during the offseason when the quarterback inked a hefty agreement that contained a peculiar “homework” clause requiring Murray to perform his at-home film study without distractions, such as video games.
On Sunday, however, Murray was a new type of video game quarterback, executing plays that not even the finest Madden gamers in the world would attempt.
It is precisely this type of play that made Murray worth $230 million to begin with.
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