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Anytime a play breaks down and Kyler Murray starts to scramble, there’s a good chance something exciting is about to happen.
Sometimes those busted plays result in a touchdowns, as they did twice in the Arizona Cardinals’ 34-33 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, September 19. And on occasion, they end with Murray being brought down for negative yardage.
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Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury called the broken (or off-schedule) play “the hardest play to defend in football.” And with Murray in his offensive arsenal, Kingsbury said the team prepares each week for those inevitable breakdowns.
“It’s a big part of the game,” Kingsbury told reporters Wednesday, September 22. “We practice it, and we’ve had some huge plays off it so far.”
When plays break down and Murray starts to scramble, “our sense of urgency has to kick in,” receiver Christian Kirk said.
“We understand that it’s basically a second chance during that play,” Kirk said, “and we have to take those opportunities when they present themselves.”
The Cardinals had eight broken plays in the passing game against the Vikings and turned two of them into touchdowns — one to DeAndre Hopkins (15 yards) and the other to Rondale Moore (77 yards).
On the touchdown pass to Hopkins, Murray started to scramble to his right but found his path blocked by Vikings defenders. He quickly changed direction, rolled to the left side and found Hopkins in the end zone for the TD.
Murray’s second broken-play touchdown of the game was even more spectacular.
Late in the first half and the ball at Arizona’s 23-yard line, Murray looked to be in trouble when a pair of Vikings defenders busted through the offensive line and were bearing down on the Cardinals QB — one to his left and the other to his right.
Murray retreated to the 7-yard line, then used his speed to escape to his left before spotting Moore wide open at the Vikings’ 41-yard line. Still on the run, Murray lofted the ball to the rookie receiver, who made the catch and sprinted to the end zone untouched for a 77-yard touchdown.
“As he was scrambling, I was just like, ‘Hopefully he sees me,’ ” Moore said after the game.
‘It’s Not as Helter-Skelter as It Appears’
Murray says he’s been practicing scramble plays his entire life. When playing with a mobile quarterback, “it’s a huge part of the game,” he said.
“Sometimes stuff breaks down and you’ve got to be able to make plays, and that’s why we practice it,” said Murray, 24. “The guys know where they need to be.”
Kingsbury said receivers have spots on the field they’re supposed to get to when plays break down, depending on the particular play.
“It’s not just as helter-skelter as it appears,” he said.
The Cardinals ended up gaining yards on four of the eight broken plays against the Vikings. In addition to the two touchdowns, Murray scrambled for gains of 9 and 6 yards on broken plays.
He lost yardage on only one busted play when he was unable to escape Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter and was sacked for an 11-yard loss. Murray threw the ball away on the other three broken plays.
“We’re working hard, staying consistent, and good things end up happening when we do scramble,” the quarterback said. “People are open and making plays.
Murray Wins NFC Offensive Player of the Week
Murray collected the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award Wednesday, September 22, following his 400-yard, four-touchdown performance against the Vikings.
Murray completed 80.6% of his passes (29 of 36), including three touchdowns, and had a 117.6 passer rating. He also rushed for 31 yards and another TD.
It’s Murray’s fifth NFC Offensive Player of the Week award in his three years with the Cardinals, tying Kurt Warner for the most in team history.
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