How to revive the Arizona Cardinals dismal offense

The Arizona Cardinals have scored 56 offensive points this season, good for 18.67 points per game. Where do you even start to fix this mess?

It’s no secret that the Arizona Cardinals are a disaster on offense. And while DeAndre Hopkins’ absence is not helping matters, it’s not like the Cardinals are barren of playmakers. They have a quarterback in Kyler Murray who has been to two Pro Bowls and won NFL Rookie of the Year.

The Cardinals also have an incredible duo at receiver in Marquise Brown and Greg Dortch, both of whom are on pace for 100-plus receptions. The Cardinals also have a productive tight end in Zach Ertz, who currently has 16 receptions and 134 yards on the season.

How to fix the Arizona Cardinals offense?

If something jumped out at me in Week 2 vs. the Las Vegas Raiders, Kyler Murray extended plays time and again. He wasn’t always dropping back and throwing the ball, or really doing anything textbook. Instead, he looked as though he were playing a game of backyard football, and it worked as the Cardinals outscored the Raiders 23-3 in the second half.

Then head coach Kliff Kingsbury thought it was a good idea to revert back to the textbook in Week 3 and the Cardinals offense played like it did vs. Kansas City. Historically, Murray is at his best when he plays in his own unorthodox way, and it translates into the Cardinals putting up big numbers in both the stat column and on the scoreboard.

During Kingsbury’s days at Texas Tech, he was known for his “Air Raid” offense. And it’s been proven that you can run the Air Raid in the NFL. But with a talent like Murray who can roll out, throw on the run, or even call his own number, you need to utilize those strengths, which Kingsbury doesn’t do enough.

Let him roll out more and fling one deep multiple times per game. He proved in the past he can connect. And most importantly, Murray also showed growth and leadership skills during the Epic in Vegas. He looked like a different quarterback than the one we knew between 2019 and 2021.

That growth and leadership ability will continue, especially if Kingsbury starts playing more to Murray’s strengths. And that, along with Pro Bowl-caliber talents like Brown, Ertz, and even Greg Dortch, will help revitalize what has been an abysmal Arizona Cardinals offense as of late.

(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)