Arizona Cardinals: How bad has Kyler Murray been in 2022?

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will always have his backers in the desert given his raw talent, but the real numbers speak otherwise. 

When we look at real numbers, we can see why the Arizona Cardinals offense stagnated under Kyler Murray in 2022. As mentioned in previous articles, many will point to head coach Kliff Kingsbury as the problem. And while they are correct to an extent, there was at least a time when coach and quarterback were clicking on all cylinders.

We saw it for a time in both 2020 and in 2021, when they combined for a ridiculous 12-2 record in Weeks 1 through 7. Not every game was a ringer, especially in 2020, but the Cardinals offense was explosive, fun to watch, and we all thought Murray was the guy beyond the shadow of a doubt.

Here we are, entering Week 14 of the 2022 season, and both coach and quarterback have seen nothing but dysfunction. So how bad has the Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray been after 10 starts this season? Worse than you think. Let’s look at some of his numbers, and it will tell you a lot.

Murray’s performances have dragged down the Arizona Cardinals offense

Earlier in the year, I stated that Murray was playing far worse than you think. This article elaborates on that aforementioned piece. Through 10 starts in 2022, Murray’s yards per attempt is a measly 6.1, putting him dead last in the league among qualified passers per Pro-Football-Reference, tied with rookie Kenny Pickett of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

His YPA has been so bad, Baker Mayfield, Davis Mills, and Carson Wentz all rank ahead of him at 6.5 and 6.4 yards, respectively. Other notable names include Zach Wilson, Russell Wilson, and Taylor Heinicke. That’s not good company to be a part of, and one I never thought Russell Wilson would join any time soon. But hey, the Seahawks had us all fooled.

Okay, so what about yards per completion? Dead last in the league, with 9.1 yards per, and 0.3 yards behind the next to last name on the list, who once again, is Pickett. And what about net yards gained per pass attempt, which comprise (passing yards – sack yards) divided by (pass attempts + times sacked)?

How does 5.23 sound? This puts Murray at 33rd in the league, and next to last overall, where he only leads, you guessed it, our friend, Kenny Pickett. The good news, however, is that he’s not too far behind the likes of Mayfield, Wentz, Mills, or the Wilsons.

Finally, his passer rating of 87.1 ranks 23rd, as does his QBR of 51.0. It’s also worth noting that at the moment, both are career lows. His 51.0 QBR is 6.3 points behind this previous career low, in case you are wondering.

Not looking good for Kyler Murray when it comes to offensive efficiency

Overall, Murray’s statistics look even worse considering the talent he’s had surrounding him this season at one point or another. Zach Ertz, DeAndre Hopkins, Marquise Brown, and even Rondale Moore are some of the league’s better receiving targets, yet Murray has come up empty-handed.

Murray is also a dual threat quarterback who could be using his legs more to scramble and extend plays. Yet in his last 24 starts, he has just 838 rushing yards. And when you look at his 6.3 yards per carry this season, you can’t help but ask yourself, “Why does this guy not run more often?”

We’ll see what Murray can do over the last five games of 2022. If he turns it around, it will give Arizona Cardinals fans everywhere faith that he could be the guy moving forward. If not, then hopefully the Redbirds aren’t stuck with the former top pick.

(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)

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