In Arizona, DeAndre Hopkins is the guy. However, in 2021, Christian Kirk is Kyler Murray‘s guy. The Arizona Cardinals have put together a truly elite group of players at wide receiver. Headlined by arguably the league’s very best in Hopkins, the unit added former All-Pro A.J. Green and mercurial rookie talent Rondale Moore this off-season. Yet, for all of Arizona’s glittering additions, it is their longest-tenured receiver, Kirk, that is lighting it up for the Cardinals in 2021. Through three weeks, Kirk leads the team in receiving yards, whereas Hopkins has slid to fourth in Arizona’s receiving charts.
Christian Kirk is Kyler Murray’s Guy for the Arizona Cardinals
DeAndre Hopkins is Still the Guy
Hopkins is Arizona’s No.1 receiver; no Cardinals fan can debate that. He’s the ‘X’ receiver, lining up on Murray’s left and, all things being equal, is the primary target on passing downs. Despite rhetoric suggesting otherwise, Kliff Kingsbury’s gameplan has reflected Hopkins’ status as Arizona’s top wideout. Hopkins has been targeted early and often by Murray in each game. Against the Minnesota Vikings, Hopkins was Arizona’s top threat early. He recorded four catches for fifty-four yards and a touchdown in the first quarter. He didn’t touch the ball again in the game.
The Cardinals get what they can out of Hopkins before opposing defenses take him away. So far this season, Kingsbury has yet been unable to scheme him open, limiting his explosiveness; the majority of Hopkins’ production has come on shorter routes and receptions. Last season, Arizona’s offense stalled when Hopkins encountered stiffer resistance to his side of the field. His route tree was limited, and subsequently, his production, particularly in scoring, waned in the middle of 2020.
Supporting Cast Exploiting Hopkins Attention
When Hopkins slowed midway through 2020, Arizona’s offense stalled. In 2021, their new weapons are weaving a very different story. Hopkins has predictably received suffocating coverage against both the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars after early involvement. Yet Murray and the offense have eclipsed four hundred yards of offense in each game. One hundred yard games for Rondale Moore in Week 2 and A.J. Green and Christian Kirk in Week 3 have maintained Arizona’s offense in 2021.
Hopkins plays a role, even if he’s not catching the ball. The attention that he draws opens up the field for others, especially down the field. Using an All-Pro wideout like Hopkins as a decoy is a flagrant misuse of his talent, but Arizona’s offense keeps rolling without him. Offensive production is no longer dependant on Hopkins, and other players are winning games for the Cardinals. Kingsbury has to find a way to get Hopkins more involved down the stretch, but Murray has a wide array of effective receivers to target while his head coach figures it out.
Christian Kirk is Kyler Murray’s Guy
Arizona’s offensive production is a group effort, but Christian Kirk is at the tip of the spear. The Scottsdale product currently leads the team in receiving yards. His relationship with his quarterback stretches back to their brief time together at Texas A&M, is paying dividends. Murray has demonstrated not only a willingness but an intention to target Kirk. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kirk posted season-highs in both receptions and receiving yards.
One of the more telling statistics regarding Kirk is his league-leading 93.0 PFF grade against man coverage. Quarterbacks tend to target their best guy against man coverage; they have the best chance of winning one on one. Yet Murray targets Kirk, and he comes down with it frequently. It’s in those gotta-have-it situations that Murray looks to Kirk for a big play. Against both the Vikings and Tennessee Titans, Murray made two potentially game-sealing throws against the zero blitz. With no additional coverage on the back end, he targeted Kirk down the field in both instances, not Hopkins.
Now, it is questionable if Hopkins, thanks to additional coverage, is ever truly one on one with a corner. Throwing to Kirk might again just be a by-product of Hopkins opening up opportunities for others. Furthermore, hitting your guy out of the slot is the quickest throw for Murray to make, especially against heavy blitzes. Yet Murray’s relationship with Kirk is so much more than schematic convenience. It’s an instinct to target him, a faith buoyed by Kirk’s consistency so far this season.
Hopkins is Arizona’s best receiver, and he will produce in 2021. However, while Hopkins and Kingsbury work on that, the other receivers will stay the course. In a rogue’s gallery of exciting weapons, Christian Kirk is Kyler Murray’s guy in Arizona.
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