Subscribe
Follow Us
The Arizona Cardinals are one of the most polarizing teams in the NFL, especially with the bag that they just handed their franchise quarterback. As they head into a pivotal season when they need to make the postseason, here are some Kyler Murray predictions for the 2022 NFL season.
With Murray earning a five-year contract extension worth $230.5 million ($189.5 million guaranteed), the Cardinals are tied to a QB that has some question marks surrounding him. His potential is sky high and his ceiling is one of the highest amongst all NFL players, but a failure to string together consistent performances, combined with certain off-field elements holding him back and Arizona has made what looks to be a calculated leap of faith by extending Murray.
Can the Cardinals finally win because of Murray? Will the daunting NFC West division fight back and keep Arizona out of the playoffs again? Will Kliff Kingsbury make good on the team’s investment in him or will he be looking for a new job soon?
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click here for a free trial)*
3. Murray leads the league in passing yards – but only through the first 8 games
A brutal three-game slate to open their season will certainly test the Cardinals, as they host the Kansas City Chiefs, visit the Las Vegas Rams, and host their first divisional matchup of the year in the Los Angeles Rams.
These three games are likely going to be high-scoring affairs, which means that Murray will need to be ultra-efficient if the Cardinals want to stay in these games. Seeing 300 passing yards and 3+ TDs out of Murray in each of these games is certainly possible, which would mean that he may have finally turned the corner in the Arizona offense.
After that opening grouping, they face the Panthers, Eagles, Seahawks, Saints, Vikings, and Seahawks again. None of these defensive units really are all that scary, meaning that Murray should be able to continue his hot start to the year through the air, even without DeAndre Hopkins for the beginning of the season.
The second half of their schedule gets tougher, and with Hopkins returning, they can become less reliant on the passing game, meaning the ball will not need to be thrown as often during the back half of the year.
2. Murray has his first career 30 passing TD season – but sets a career-high in INTs
With Hopkins suspended to start the year and Marquise Brown as his main target, Murray will need to do a lot more with less to start the season. With that also comes the potential to force the issue more, which will lead to him setting a career mark in interceptions.
Even without Hopkins, Brown will slot into the top target for Murray, with Zach Ertz and Rondale Moore as the next options in line. James Conner has been a reliable option in the passing game, a role that he will likely need to fill yet again this season.
Article Continues Below
Brown is going to be key for Murray’s development this year, so projecting Hollywood to haul in double-digit TDs (10-12) is a good first step. When Hopkins returns he likely can be penciled in for anywhere between 5-7, Conner should be good for 3-4, and Moore’s role expansion can give an easy shot at earning 5 scores this year. The remaining few can be divided amongst Ertz and other role players, making a path to 30 TDs an easy one for Murray to accomplish.
In the turnover department, 12 interceptions are the most Murray has thrown in a season, a mark he hit in both 2019 and 2020. Last season was better in the turnover department, having only thrown 10 INTs – taking care of the ball resulted in the highest QBR (100.6) and completion percentage (69.2%) of Murray’s career so far.
With there being a potential for a higher passing volume needed from Murray this year based on a tough schedule and many other reasons, a 2:1 split of TDs to INTs (30:15) is in the wheelhouse of likely outcomes for his 2022 NFL season.
1. Murray increases his rushing output and finishes top-3 in MVP voting
784 yards is how many Jalen Hurts ran for last season, which was tops in the NFL for rushing yards by a QB. 819 yards is the most yards that Murray has run for in a season, and he certainly should be able to get close to that output this year.
Last season saw a hefty downtick in rushing output by Murray, as he nearly saw a 50 percent decline in rushing yards. Around 50 fewer carries were the biggest reason why Murray was asked to do more through the air than on the ground, but Kingsbury will likely try and incorporate Murray in different ways to help offset Hopkins not being in the lineup.
This increase in rushing output will not only help the Cardinals win more games this year, but it will also help him in the NFL MVP race, one that is heavily catered to QBs. While he likely will not produce 40+ passing TDs like Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, Murray will move up the board simply due to his dual-threat abilities.
Even though his season won’t be enough to earn him those honors, Murray will be able to hang his hat on the best statistical season of his career so far, backing up the commitment the front office made with his contract extension.
