Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals have a crucial game ahead of them this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers’ starting quarterback, of course, is Baker Mayfield. Mayfield and Murray were teammates at Oklahoma, both won the Heisman Trophy and both were drafted No. 1 overall.
Murray and the Cards played Mayfield twice when was with the Cleveland Browns. Both times, the Cards defense had their way with Baker and Murray got the bragging rights, winning both games.
In their first meeting, Murray was a rookie in 2019 nearing the end of his first season. Mayfield and the Browns were not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but weren’t going to make it that year.
This game was in Arizona and the Cards won 38-24. The highlight of this game was former Cardinal Kenyan Drake’s four rushing touchdown performance that crushed any remaining playoff hopes the Browns had.
Murray and Mayfield both had solid outings, but Murray was more efficient on the day moving the ball.
The second time these two teams met was last season. The Cardinals were struck with a COVID bug and were missing Kliff Kingsbury and Chandler Jones. Kyler Murray put on a clinic with four passing touchdowns and the Cards won 37-14.
Mayfield had a hail mary at the end of the half but was injured late in the game on a sack by J.J. Watt. The Cardinals were in full control of the game by the fourth quarter.
While the Panthers have certainly had the Cardinals’ number, having not lost to them since 2013, the Cards have had plenty of success against Mayfield. Something’s got to give.
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