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Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Workers WriterNov 12, 2023, 09:42 PM ET
- Josh Weinfuss is a team author who covers the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL at ESPN. Josh has covered the Cardinals since 2012, joining ESPN in 2013. He is a member of the Pro Soccer Writers of The United States and a graduate of Indiana University. It’s most likely you’ll maybe presumably suppose him through Twitter @joshweinfuss.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — After Atlanta Falcons backup quarterback Desmond Ridder ran in a touchdown with 2:33 left in the game to establish Atlanta up by one Sunday, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, taking half in in his first game since tearing his ACL in December, view to himself: “Needless to divulge, it sets up bask in this.”
Then Murray did what he’s done most productive at some level of his five-year profession: Construct game-altering performs together with his toes and arm. He orchestrated a 70-yard drive that integrated one more spotlight-basic dart and a throw that showcased his arm strength and accuracy. It used to be capped by a 23-yard field draw from kicker Matt Prater to give Arizona a 25-23 win on the buzzer at Swear Farm Stadium.
It had been 335 days — exactly 11 months to the day — since Murray tore his appropriate ACL on “Monday Night time Soccer” in opposition to the New England Patriots, the first main break of his profession. Murray said he appropriate wanted one factor Sunday afternoon.
“I appropriate desire to win,” he said. “It feels precise to win. I mean, that is bask in the icing on the cake. It might maybe per chance presumably been a s—ty night to come out here and lose after which roughly appropriate all this assemble up for what, what I mean? So, I’m appropriate overjoyed for us and the team, man. I’m appropriate overjoyed.”
Prior to Murray took the sector to birth the final drive, he used to be told the place the line used to be for Prater’s vary. Murray replied, asserting he used to be going to get the ball all the approach down the sector. That’s exactly what he did.
After a handful of runs at some level of the game that proved that his rehabilitated knee wouldn’t hamper his play, Murray showed he used to be support to his customary self with 1:50 left in the game. On third-and-10, the play broke down and Murray used to be forced out of the pocket. First, he broke to his left after which reversed route to come support to his appropriate forward of taking off uncomplicated. He received 13 yards to pass Arizona into Atlanta territory, but he covered 74 yards and reached a top trail of 20.17 seconds, according to NFL NextGen Stats.
“It used to be bask in, ‘Man that felt precise for him to get that and get it in that approach,” said huge receiver Marquise Brown after looking at his precise friend juke his approach out of a bind and form something out of nothing.
Murray view the Falcons had done an actual job of containing him, nevertheless it wasn’t precise ample.
“Had to form my mind up,” Murray said. “It might maybe per chance presumably sound cliche or, bask in, no longer that you’re going to be in a draw to imagine, but for me, it used to be bask in, on the top of the day, if it comes down to it being in my fingers, I obtained to form something happen.”
If he had to rob winning to win the game, Murray said that’s what he used to be prepared to manufacture.
“Clearly, ought to that you need to also very well be working bask in that, every thing’s roughly blurry,” Murray said. “For me, it used to be appropriate manufacture whatever’s mandatory to win.”
Falcons coach Jonathan Gannon described the speed as “wild” and said Murray’s ability to form performs bask in that is “worthwhile.”
“Oh my god, that is crazy looking at it dwell,” middle Hjalte Froholdt said. “That’s who he is. He’s a playmaker and he makes performs in these scenarios, so crazy to are waiting for, but I manufacture no longer hold I’m too very a lot surprised.”
Two performs later, Murray hit tight slay Trey McBride, who location a profession high with 131 yards on eight catches, for a 33-yard traipse that traveled 40 yards in the air to pass Arizona to the Atlanta 9. Working support James Conner, who returned Sunday after lacking four video games with a knee break to speed for 73 yards on 16 carries, then bulldozed his approach to the 2-yard-line. After two performs of maneuvering to get the ball exactly the place Prater wanted it, he gave the Cardinals their second win of the season.
“He believes that whenever you give him the ball, he’s going to win the game,” Gannon said of Murray.