Three things the Arizona Cardinals must improve to make the playoffs

Let Kyler Murray Scramble

It seems that when Kyler Murray is the dual-threat quarterback we know him to be, the Cardinals offense erupts. And when Kliff Kingsbury returns to the dink-and-dunk game as we have seen in recent weeks, the Cards stagnate. Such was the case in weeks three and four against the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers.

That stagnation showed with the Cardinals scoring a season-low 17 points just one week after scoring a meager 21 points against the Seattle Seahawks. Sure, the sprained AC joint may have had something to do with Kyler’s lack of scrambling. But the Cardinals have built their offensive identity on Murray’s scrambling ability and they cook when he lets loose.

You can make a case that Kingsbury was hoping to protect Kyler’s shoulder from further damage. But remember that no quarterback in football protects himself better than Kyler Murray. He will duck out of bounds or slide in favor of taking a hit.

If the Cardinals want to start scoring again, they must let Murray play the dual-threat role. And they will need him to continue the role in the playoffs if they are fortunate enough to make it.