Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon announced that quarterback Kyler Murray will not start on Monday Night Football, which means veteran backup Jacoby Brissett will make his third straight start. Murray suffered a foot injury a few weeks back, and while Gannon says he is “getting better,” he’s apparently not healthy enough to start.
What makes this story interesting is that Gannon added he may be active for this week’s game, although he won’t start. The head coach said Murray may “have a role” in the offense this week, but it will depend on how his body handles the next few days of work.
This is interesting, to say the least, as one would assume you’d start your $230 million quarterback if he were physically capable of playing. However, seeing as Jacoby Brissett will start, it’s fair to wonder if Gannon is using the foot injury as an excuse to bench Kyler Murray.
Did the Cardinals Bench Kyler Murray For Jacoby Brissett?
Kyler Murray had a decent season prior to his injury, but it’s worth noting that Jacoby Brissett has effectively matched his production. In his five starts, Murray has completed 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 72.1 PFF grade. Brissett, meanwhile, has completed 64.2% of his passes for 599 yards, four touchdowns, one interception, and a 75.8 PFF grade in two starts. Brissett is one of the league’s better backup quarterbacks, but it’s a little concerning that his production is so similar to Murray’s, given the discrepancy in their respective salaries.
This wouldn’t be the first time this year a team has used an injury as a way to bench their starting quarterback. Minnesota Vikings second-year passer J.J. McCarthy suffered an ankle injury early in the season, forcing the team to turn to veteran Carson Wentz. While McCarthy’s original injury was enough to sideline him, he probably could have returned to the field earlier.
A similar dynamic could be at play here. Much like Wentz, Jacoby Brissett is not playing well enough to bench Kyler Murray indefinitely. However, as long as he maintains this relatively solid level of play, Arizona does not need to rush Murray back to the field and risk re-aggravating his injury.
Main Photo: Joe Rondone – Imagn Images
