Arizona Cardinals must capitalize on three key matchups heading into Carolina

Kyler Murray versus Panthers pass rush

If the Cardinals take advantage of the Panthers weak run defense as mentioned in the previous slide, expect Kyler Murray to reap the rewards an open passing game will bring against an even weaker pass rush.

This isn’t to say he’ll play mistake-free football; he has yet to do so in 2020. However, you won’t see the fringe outing he put together against Detroit.

Murray can easily take advantage of a Panthers pass rush that just can’t get to the quarterback. Having logged just two sacks in three games, the Panthers rank 32nd in the league in the sack column. Their pass rush has also combined for just two quarterback knockdowns, which ranks 31st in the NFL.

If the Cardinals put the Panthers defense on its heels early and often with a steady run game, expect Kyler Murray to light up the passing game even if he’s missing his top target in DeAndre Hopkins, who is currently listed as Questionable heading into the final injury report.

As implied in the previous slide, you should also expect Murray to take advantage of the meager Panthers pass rush with his legs. Something he was unable to capitalize on against Detroit. But with better playcalling from Kingsbury, expect to see Murray once again make plays with his arm and legs against one of the NFL’s weaker pass-rushing units.