Cardinals DB Byron Murphy Talks Game-Winning Play

The hero for the Arizona Cardinals in Byron Murphy Jr. spoke to media members and took us through the game-sealing play in Las Vegas.

Donnie Druin | Sep 19, 2022

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Arizona Cardinals

Whether you cheer for the Arizona Cardinals or not, it all happened in the blink of an eye.

Take yours truly, who was front and center in the Allegiant Stadium press box for one of the most notable comebacks of the season already.

The Raiders, after surrendering a 20-0 lead after halftime, appeared to be on the move for a potential game-winning score after stopping Kyler Murray and company on a fourth-and-one for the first overtime possession.

All Las Vegas needed was a field goal, and Daniel Carlson was 3-for-3 on the day already.

Arizona had other ideas.

Two plays prior, linebacker Zaven Collins forced a fumble that was ultimately recovered by Las Vegas.

After another roll of the dice, the Raiders crapped out.

CARDINALS WIN ON THE SCOOP & SCORE‼

Byron Murphy picks it up for the Cardinals' 22nd unanswered point and to seal the W in OT 🔥pic.twitter.com/pNDGWYp6CI
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 19, 2022

After the pandemonium dialed down, cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. was able to speak to reporters following Arizona's first win of the season.

"It felt good. First I gotta give a shout out to the defense as a whole. Obviously Isaiah [Simmons] was there to make the tackle and make him fumble. I was coming across the field, seen the ball and just made a play, so I was happy to make the play in the game," said Murphy.

"Everything was blurry. I just saw the end zone, I gotta get to the end zone to end this game. That's the first thing, I was thinking the whole time 'just end this game' the whole time."

The funny thing is, Murphy nearly didn't score. The ball came loose shortly after he crossed the goal line, prompting a review that delayed the ending of the game.

This would've been very wild: Byron Murphy came awfully close to throwing the ball away too early on his scoop-and-score TD.

I mean, wow.pic.twitter.com/Pbvg1JSTNP
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 19, 2022

"I think it was a little questionable, but now that I've seen that, I'm taking that ball all the way to the house, to the crib back to Arizona," said Murphy.

For six quarters, the Cardinals defense looked anything but interested in getting a stop. Las Vegas appeared to be on the same trajectory Kansas City took the week prior, as Arizona would need quite the second half performance to put themselves in position to win.

That's exactly what they did.

"It's a different feeling obviously, [we] didn't start out how we wanted to. Just to come back second half, get together as a whole team, just get that moment. A game-winning moment like that, I'm just excited, laughing now, getting that love from the locker room, from the players, from the coaches. Just to have a team win like that, that's the best feeling in the world," said Murphy.

"The biggest thing for me I would say when those plays come, just to make those plays. Offense or defense, when the opportunities there you got to make sure you make those plays count because sometimes they don't come as they want to go. But when those plays come to you as a team, we just gotta make those plays."

Wins are not easy in the NFL, as the margin for winning and losing is fine. There will be weeks where you need to dig yourselves out of a hole, and the Cardinals did just that on Sunday.

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