Atlanta Falcons vs. Arizona Cardinals Q&A: Is Kyler Murray Fully Healthy?
The Atlanta Falcons (4-5), who have lost two straight games and five of their last seven, are poised to hit the road for a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals (1-8).
Prior to Sunday's 4:05 p.m. EST kickoff, Sports Illustrated's Falcon Report received the full rundown of Arizona's current state from SI's All Cardinals beat writer Donnie Druin.
Here are Druin's answers on five of the most pressing questions ahead of the Week 10 contest ...
1. The story of the game surrounds the level of play that Kyler Murray can bring - is he fully healthy and how do you think he’ll play?
DRUIN: That's the golden question - isn't it? The team opened his 21 day practice window and exhausted every last day of it before activating him from PUP. I think he's probably as close to healthy as he'll get, and to Arizona's credit, they've been adamant from the jump they would take their time with Murray and not rush him back, and that's exactly what they've done. They're 1-8 and clearly there's no need to rush him back, so I'm confident Murray is fully healthy entering this week.
As to how he'll play, I am 100% holding my breath. I want to see how Murray utilizes his legs and if there's any hesitation when planting. In my opinion, the biggest hurdle as yet to be overcome, which is passing the mental road block. We'll see what he looks like come game time, though I'm very cautious with my expectations.
2. How big of a difference maker is James Conner on the Cardinals offense and how do things change if he can’t play?
DRUIN: Oh man, almost night and day without him. If I had to pick a midseason MVP, I would choose Conner. Part of why the Cardinals were a tough out in the early stages of the season was Conner's performance. He averaged over five yards per carry and the Cardinals were one of the top rushing offenses in the league before his injury.
Conner's absence has turned Arizona into a one-dimensional show with other quarterbacks such as Josh Dobbs and Clayton Tune, though it will be interesting to see how Murray's emergence changes that narrative if at all.
Regardless, if Conner can't play, the Cardinals will be relegated to a heavy passing attack with no suitable replacement behind him, which obviously makes them much easier to attack and plan for.
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner is tackled by Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell.
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
3. What’s the biggest reason for Arizona’s 1-8 start?
DRUIN: In short, lack of talent. The coaching is there. The culture is being built. The future in 2024 and beyond looks bright with draft picks/cap space, but the short-term success of the team was sacrificed as a result.
The roster was gutted of talent, sure. Names such as Byron Murphy, Zach Allen, Isaiah Simmons and DeAndre Hopkins aren't in the desert, though we have to remember this team went 4-13 last year with a considerably better team.
Jonathan Gannon can only give the rah-rah speech so many times. The Cardinals have so many holes it feels impossible to pick a bad spot to upgrade. They're simply multiple players away from being a truly competitive squad and that shows on nearly a weekly basis.
4. For Falcons fans who haven’t watched the Cardinals this year, who’s stood out on each side of the ball?
DRUIN: Offensively, I have to go with my guy Michael Wilson. The rookie receiver has made plenty of noise here and for good reason - his 6-2 frame and ability to come down with contested catches is something the Cardinals just don't have anywhere else in their WR corps.
He is steadily improving each week despite his target share not being where it should and as a result of playing second fiddle to Marquise Brown, he's been open plenty.
Defensively, linebacker Kyzir White has been the only constant in Arizona's defense in terms of health and performance. He played under Gannon and DC Nick Rallis last year in Philadelphia and has been an incredible addition as one of the few lone bright spots on either side of the ball thanks to his physicality and nose for the football, playing more like a traditional off-ball backer.
5. Game prediction - who wins, and what’s the score?
DRUIN: This game will either be very pretty for the Cardinals or very ugly - no between and solely hanging on the performance of Kyler Murray. Both teams are... not exactly great. As of right now, I'm in wait-and-see mode with Murray and anticipate a low scoring affair. Is this the week Bijan Robinson gets going? The Cardinals have failed to stop their opponent's top weapon each week.
I'll go out on a limb and call my shot now - the Falcons kick a game-winning field goal in overtime to win 20-17.
