What's Wrong With Cardinals QB Kyler Murray?

The Arizona Cardinals, like clockwork, played an exceptionally poor contest with their backs against the wall, losing to the Seattle Seahawks for the sixth time in as many matchups by a score of 30-18.

But the game was once again well within reach - if Arizona simply executed. There was plenty of blame to go around, but the focus centered mostly on the performance of the Cardinals' franchise quarterback.

Kyler Murray's stat line might not be the ugliest of all time. He completed 25 of 38 passes for 259 yards and two scores.

But the true factor, and growing concern with the 27-year-old is the reemergence of his turnover issues.

After an opening drive saw Murray toss a brilliant 41-yarder to Michael Wilson for a 7-0 lead, he then immediately two inexcusable, poor interceptions in the first quarter alone, leading to a pair of easy scores for Seattle - on back-to-back throws.

It's been a rough go since the bye week for Murray. He has four passing touchdowns and five interceptions in the past three contests. Facing a trio of the biggest games of his career, he delivered uneven performances in each contest.

It is, of course, absolutely unfair to lump all three of Arizona's recent losses on Murray. He's made some exceptional plays in that time, and it seems that just about everything possible has gone wrong for the Cardinals.

The offense, coaching, and even surging defense at times has massively failed this franchise.

The problem is that it's nothing new. The Cardinals, other than a beatdown of the flailing Rams and flukey comeback against the worst 49ers team in 6 years, still cannot win tough divisional matchups, at least, not in the biggest moments. Unfortunately, in today's NFL, that responsibility will almost always land on your quarterback's shoulders.

I want to be clear: I'm not suggesting the Cardinals will, or should move off Murray anytime soon. He is talented, and part of this team's future plans. But your franchise quarterback has to win games like Sunday's, and he cannot be actively preventing the team from winning.

I'm sure Murray would say himself that he's not satisfied with his performances of late. I'm sure he'd love to have those throws back. But it's been a trend, and despite him playing some of his best football early on, that confidence, rhythm and accuracy has left.

So what's truly going wrong for Murray?

Well, I know what the usual suspects will say. No, it's not because of his height, or his attitude, or his work ethic, or video games. Those are lazy takes.

What we are seeing from Murray, however, is concerning. In big moments, whether that be individual drives or important games, there's been a shift in his demeanor.

It's not that his throws aren't generally accurate, or that he's not physically capable of making plays.

But he's not getting outside the pocket, and when his pocket does collapse eventually, he's either indecisively holding the ball too long (as was the case with his second interception), or he's staring down receivers (like the first interception).

In either circumstance, he's frequently not stepping into his throws on time, or at all. In fact, he's backpedaling, staying within containment, and lofting what seem to be prayers at times.

Just why that is might be a combination of factors. Poor playcalling, a lack of a downfield passing game, and poor o-line play certainly all contribute. It absolutely isn't all Murray's fault.

But the eye test simply shows a twitchier, more indecisive Murray. He's shown moments of excellent poise, and when he does deliver confidently and on time, great things happen (see the Miami game). He is capable of performing at a high level, and the physical talent is there.

Ultimately, what matters is the final score. Wins are not a quarterback stat, but unfortunately this loss is partially on a pair of exceptionally poor decisions and reads.

On a day where James Conner had 122 total yards, the Cardinals have to be able to win. But, as they've shown for years, when the lights come on, the fire goes out. How this team responds down the stretch will tell a great deal about head coach Jonathan Gannon.

It's not to say this team is doomed. They're still in the midst of the process. Asking for a playoff win in year two might have been hasty. But with not one but two opportunities to put the division away, and a trio of poor showings by your franchise quarterback, questions will arise.

Murray needs to find his rhythm again, and he needs to be able to sustain that confidence. He has the ability. I'd personally love to see Petzing try and roll him out, and try to work downfield throws in with some better utilization of Murray's greatest weapon - his legs.

I've been a Murray defender for a while. I do still believe he is a talented quarterback who can run this offense. But his mental game appears to be struggling, and he needs a confidence-boost performance or two against a lineup of less-talented opponents ahead.

With the division race looking to be out of reach, it's time to play to win games, and that's a call to both the coaching staff and Murray.