Heading into Thursday night’s game, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was one of the Las Vegas favorites to win the MVP at +400.
The Cardinals were 7-0 and their opponent, the Green Bay Packers, were 6-1 and led by All Pro and 3X MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The game had all the elements for an all-timer.
The top two teams in the conference. Veteran all-time great versus the future of the league. A possible playoff preview.
The game was back and forth and late in the fourth quarter, and with seconds to go Murray had a chance for his MVP moment. Down three and in the red zone, Murray attempted the game-winning touchdown pass, only for it to be intercepted.
Game over.
RASUL DOUGLAS INTERCEPTS MURRAY. #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/ZIDly9m0Bc
— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2021
The win would’ve moved the Cardinals to 8-0. Murray would’ve had a victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, their main competition for the No. 1 seed. That game winning score and drive would’ve been perhaps the lead play in Murray’s MVP highlight montage.
As it stands now, the miscommunication between Murray and wide receiver AJ Green may gave cost Murray his MVP moment.
Like most people watching, Murray and the Cardinals were at a loss for words following the play.
“I honestly don’t know. Just a miscommunication,” Murray said. “I couldn’t tell you, but we just gotta be better.”
Yes, Murray’s odds to win the MVP have likely changed. Once the front-runner, he’s likely now back with the rest of the pack. But all isn’t lost.
The Cardinals are still tied for the best record in the conference, with a race that should go down to the wire. Plus, with games against the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys remaining on the schedule, there is still an opportunity for Murray’s signature moment.
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Murray is top 5 or 10 in all the relevant statistical quarterback metrics. QBR, completion percentage, yards per attempt, and TD/INT ratio.
If he continues to rack up the wins and put up some monster numbers, he’ll find himself back atop the MVP race. There is stiff competition, to be sure. But Murray seems to have that thing all great quarterbacks need.
A short memory and an insatiable appetite to get better.
“Obviously, after the fact that it’s … we both know we weren’t on the same page and it cost us. But we’ll be better because of it.”
Murray has always bet on himself and his ability to prove doubters wrong. At barely 5-10, he’s not the prototypical NFL quarterback. By now we all know what that means …
The 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and 2020 Pro Bowl team member has made a career thus far of defying the odds.
Potentially missing out on an MVP moment is only more fuel for an already burning fire.
Kyler’s potential MVP moment was robbed by AJ Green inexplicably thinking they were running the ball in a situation where they absolutely would never run the ball. https://t.co/xVGxX7njhP
— nick wright (@getnickwright) October 29, 2021
His opponent across the field on Thursday night, Aaron Rodgers, is certainly a believer in Murray.
“He’s so talented, arm talent, obviously he runs all over the place,” Rodgers said of Murray on the Fox broadcast after the game. “I said, ‘We’ll see you in the playoffs.'”
A Murray versus Rodgers rematch in the playoffs, with a potential Super Bowl berth on the line will definitely be must-see television.
