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Kliff Kingsbury converting the Arizona Cardinals to an Air Raid team was always going to take some time and have its speed bumps. But was it the worst offense ever seen in its first time in the NFL, according to Kingsbury, it was; at least through the first three quarters.
After tying with the Detroit Lions 27-all, Kingsbury admitted that he played “too cute” early on, per Darren Urban on the team's official website. So cute that it was the worst he's ever seen, as he said:
“Three quarters of the worst offense I’ve ever seen, and it was my fault.”
For an offense famed because of its ability to score in bunches, Kingsbury's Cardinals didn't do that for the majority of the game. The Redbirds fell behind the Lions 24-6 late, until the No. 1 overall pick, Kyler Murray, showed why he was the No. 1 overall pick.
After an ugly start where Murray went into halftime with a 6 for 16 for 41 yards and an interception and a rush for six yards stat line, Murray caught on fire when the Cardinals needed it most. He dug the Cardinals out of the whole his offense made, throwing two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Then in overtime, a 65-yard drive for a field goal.
Though the Cardinals offense started slowly, they caught on late. Kingsbury, despite his initial shortcomings, showed he could run a high-powered offense, and Murray showed he could conduct it. However, they did so for a quarter and ten minutes and finished with a tie. To secure his first NFL win as a head coach, Kingsbury will need to start quicker against the Baltimore Ravens Week 2.
