The Arizona Cardinals lost another close game on Sunday. This time it was 23-17 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray took responsibility for the loss.
“(It was) a game we should have won,” he said after the game. “If I don’t throw two interceptions, we probably win that game.”
Murray threw three interceptions on the afternoon. The final one was a desperation throw on fourth down on the Cardinals’ final possession.
The other two hurt.
The first came when the Cardinals were in field goal range in their first possession of the second half. They trailed 13-10 and had gotten to the Pittsburgh 26-yard line. Joe Haden made a fantastic read and jumped a route on a throw to running back Chase Edmonds.
If Murray doesn’t get picked off, the Cardinals likely get at least points on the drive, which would have tied the score.
His second interception was back-breaking. On fourth-and-2 at the Pittsburgh six-yard line, he had room to run for the first down but tried to make the throw to Maxx Williams in the end zone. T.J. Watt intercepted it. Instead of seven points, they got nothing. Instead of a first down and at least three points, they lose possession.
“Thinking back to it, I probably should have run it,” he told reporters. “It was two yards. Could have been a first down or scored. (I was) trying to do too much.”
The two picks took at least six points off the board.
Murray still had two touchdown passes in the game. However, he has now thrown four interceptions in his last two games after throwing five in the first 11.
He is learning. The team has had to rely a lot on his abilities. He made mistakes.
He isn’t worried, though. He isn’t going to be gunshy.
“As long as I’m on the football field, I feel in control,” he said. “Two interceptions don’t spook me or anything like that. I’m fine. I feel like if we would have just taken the points or I didn’t turn the ball over, we would have been fine, we would have won the game and everyone would be happy right now. That’s the frustrating part.”
He has three more games left in his rookie season. He already has set some team records.
One that is eluding him is the rookie record for wins. With one more, he will tie the record.
Next week, he should have more success against a very average Cleveland Browns defense.
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