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I’ve been on this planet for quite some time and during those days the Arizona Cardinals have been mostly irrelevant to my Sunday football viewing.
They’re usually good at playing the role of the late game that you wouldn’t even know was going on if the Red Zone Channel wasn’t constantly updating you with their score because only like three games were going on.
But that has since changed, in a big way, thanks to one man — Kyler Murray.
The No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft has quickly become the most fun player in the league to watch and I’m suddenly finding myself searching out Arizona Cardinals games as if I was born in Phoenix or wherever they play their games.
Murray did another really fun thing Sunday when he flung a Hail Mary to DeAndre Hopkins who was somehow able to haul it in while being covered by every defensive back the Buffalo Bills had on their roster. The TD in the final second gave my Cardinals a 32-30 win and capped off another really good game for Murray.
Now don’t get me wrong – Hopkins’ catch (and the Bill O’Brien jokes after were really funny) was more impressive than the throw but it was still one heck of a throw and heck of a scrambling job by Murray just to be able to give his team a chance.
After the game Murray was even fun on Twitter as his breakdown of the final play was absolutely perfect and hilarious.
Murray has been sensational this year, both throwing the football and running with it, too, as he ran for two more scores against the Bills. Watching him scramble away from a defense for big gains and touchdowns has become my favorite thing to watch this season. It’s absolutely beautiful.
Last week my pal Steven Ruiz broke down the Cardinals’ Week 9 loss to the Dolphins and explained why he thinks Murray is a star. When Steven thinks you’re a star then you’re a star. Steven knows what he’s talking about way more than I do.
Murray now has my Cardinals at 6-3 and tied with the Rams and the Seahawks for the top spot in the NFC West. This Thursday they travel to Seattle just a few weeks after the two teams played arguably the best game of the season, which the Cardinals won in OT.
Now we get Murray vs. Wilson in primetime again and I can’t wait.
The Cardinals now deserve all the primetime games they can get because they are must-see TV, thanks to Murray.
And Hopkins.
Quick hits: Belichick becomes a meme again… Horrible roughing the passer call… Chubb costs gamblers with smart play… And more.
– Bill Belichick’s angry reaction to whatever a ref had told him quickly became a funny meme during the Patriots-Ravens game on Sunday night.
– The 49ers got burned by one of the worst roughing the passer calls you will ever see.
– Nick Chubb decided not to score an easy touchdown at the end of Sunday’s game, to the dismay of many gamblers.
– What Tiger Woods did after making a 10 on the par-3 12th at Augusta on Sunday was truly incredible.
– Dustin Johnson couldn’t stop crying after winning the Masters and it was awesome.