3 - Kyler Murray’s return
Yes, Kyler Murray’s eventual return will also help catapult this team over the projected 4.5 win mark. He will bring a dimension to the offense neither Colt McCoy nor even the athletic Clayton Tune is capable of, and he boasts an arm strong enough to get the ball downfield early and often when the run-first system causes opposing safeties to creep up.
This offense is also specifically built for Murray, which will allow him to showcase his strengths to a greater degree as opposed to what we saw in Kliff Kingsbury’s pass-first system. Once Murray returns, expect the Cards to pull off at least a couple of upsets.
Even more encouraging is that Murray appears to be getting along well with head coach Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, a stark contrast from what we saw between him and Kliff last season. That chemistry and trust alone will take the Cardinals farther in the win column this season in 2023 and beyond.