Getty Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray runs away from Los Angeles Rams defenders Sunday, October 3, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The “Kyler Murray for MVP” bandwagon grows more crowded with each Arizona Cardinals victory.
Following his nearly flawless performance in the Cardinals’ 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams, DraftKings and FanDuel were among the sportsbooks to elevate Murray as the odds-on favorite to win the NFL MVP award.
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Big road win over the Rams to improve to 4-0 has Kyler Murray skyrocketing up the MVP board. From +750 to +450 this week. pic.twitter.com/kE9QWLo9En
— Julian Edlow (@julianedlow) October 4, 2021
Latest odds to win NFL MVP 🏆
① Kyler Murray (+500)
② Josh Allen (+600)
③ Justin Herbert (+800)
④ Patrick Mahomes (+800)
⑤ Dak Prescott (+900)
⑥ Aaron Rodgers (+900)
Murray completed 24-of-32 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals improved to 4-0 and dealt the Rams their first loss of the season Sunday, October 3, in Inglewood, California. It was Murray’s first game this season without an interception, and he finished with a quarterback rating of 120.3.
The 24-year-old QB also carried six times for 39 yards in the game as the Cardinals snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Rams (3-1).
Is Kyler Murray the front-runner for MVP?
Former Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer both declared Murray to be the MVP of the league so far this season on separate radio shows Monday, October 4.
The third-year Cardinals QB also got the attention of a pair of former MVP quarterbacks — Steve Young and Rich Gannon — following his dismantling of the Rams defense.
Steve Young: ‘It Felt Like a Graduation’
Young called Murray’s performance against the Rams a “graduation” of sorts for the Cardinals’ young star.
“Every week we talk about how I would like the mobile quarterbacks — that are part of my tribe — to become sophisticated passers. This is an offense that allows for that kind of graduation,” the former two-time MVP with the San Francisco 49ers said on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown.”
“You look at the field-generalship of Kyler Murray, I can see him becoming that B+ mobile quarterback to an A+ professional, sophisticated thrower of the football,” Young said. “And I’ve seen that over the last couple of years, but now, this year seems to be a step forward.”
“This [Kliff Kingsbury] offense, I think is one that can find the full measure of the mobile quarterback.”
@SteveYoungQB on how the Cardinals’ offensive scheme is paying dividends for Kyler Murray this season.
Murray got Young’s attention with his command of the offense against the Rams.
“He’s guiding, he’s pointing, he’s telling people where to go,” Young said. “He’s like, ‘Hey, look, I’m running this show, and I’m going to be on top of this passing game.’ ”
While Murray had been having an MVP-caliber season prior to his performance against the Rams, Young said the Cardinals QB elevated his game in the matchup of NFC West rivals.
“It felt different yesterday,” Young said. “It’s been coming, but it felt like a graduation yesterday.”
Young also credited Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury with developing an offense that utilizes Murray’s skills as both a passer and a runner.
“This Kingsbury offense, I think it’s one that can find the full measure of the mobile quarterback. I wish all the mobile quarterbacks could get a chance in this offense,” he said.
Rich Gannon: ‘It’s Insane’ Watching Murray’s Moves
Gannon, the 2002 NFL MVP with the then-Oakland Raiders, also weighed in on Murray’s play this season on his “SiriusXM Blitz” radio show, describing the 5-foot-10, 207-pound QB as “gritty,” “tough” and “relentless.”
“Kyler Murray just seems like the kid in the neighborhood that, when he was younger, he was a small guy, he was a little runt, nobody wanted to pick him first for the pickup basketball game or for the flag football game or whatever they did,” Gannon said. “He just plays that way when you watch him.”
Gannon said he’s been impressed with Murray’s ability to make good things happen even when plays break down.
“He takes calculated risks … that a lot of quarterbacks simply wouldn’t do,” he said. “And he can do it because of his skill set. When you watch this guy run around, I mean, holy smokes!”
Roughly eight to 10 times per game, Murray turns a broken play “into something special and significant,” Gannon said.
“There’s not a lot of quarterbacks … in our game that can do it,” he said. “This guy does it every series. It’s insane when you watch him play.”
Fitz and Carson Campaign for Kyler
Former Cardinals Fitzgerald and Palmer both watched Murray work his magic against the Rams, then took to the airwaves to endorse his MPV candidacy.
“Kyler has really taken the next step,” Fitzgerald said on his SiriusXM radio show and podcast, “Let’s Go!” “He’s Rookie of the Year as a rookie, he made the Pro Bowl last season and now is the front-runner for MVP in my opinion.”
Fitzgerald, who played with Murray for two seasons before stepping away (but not retiring) from football, said he’s been impressed with the QB’s command of the offense and his decision-making at the line of scrimmage — both before and after the snap.
“This is a quarterback league, and Kyler looks extremely comfortable with what he’s doing,” he said. “He’s really in a great groove. His confidence is high. He’s still able to beat people with his feet, but he’s really, really dynamic in terms of the way he’s throwing the football. … He looks fabulous.”
Palmer echoed that praise during his weekly appearance on the “The Dan Patrick Show.” When asked about any potential problems for the Cardinals this seasons, Palmer cited recent injuries along the offensive line.
“I would say (the) offensive line could be an issue, but Kyler Murray is that dynamic that he doesn’t need five Pro Bowlers blocking for him,” he said. “I think, right now, he’s the MVP of the league.”
When it comes to the #Cardinals, it’s still ‘we’ for Carson Palmer. He joined us today to discuss what he thinks they still need to improve on.
For Carson’s full appearance: t.co/jn4peoN3Gf
Palmer also clarified his NFL allegiance when Patrick chided him about using “we” when speaking about the Cardinals. The former No. 1 overall pick of the Bengals in 2003 played seven seasons in Cincinnati, followed by two with the Raiders, prior to his five years in Arizona.
“I’m a Cardinal,” he said. “That’s where I finished my career. Those are the jerseys my kids wear on Sundays, so I’m a Cardinal.”