Arizona Cardinals' Kyler Murray 'Dynamic Athleticism' Threat for Los Angeles Rams

“Yeah, in the two games you look at against Atlanta and Houston, there's a dynamic athleticism that's always been a consistent theme for him," Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 25, 2023

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Los Angeles Rams

When the Los Angeles Rams saw the Arizona Cardinals on the schedule this season, they probably didn't expect to face Kyler Murray.

When the two NFC West rivals met last month, the Rams took care of business at home and held a Josh Dobbs-led offense to just nine points. However, there will be a different challenge for the Rams this week with Murray leading the offense.

In two starts so far with the Cardinals, Arizona looks like a completely different team and have been competitive in both games, even winning in Week 10 against the Atlanta Falcons.

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray / Michael Chow-USA TODAY Sports

“Yeah, in the two games you look at against Atlanta and Houston, there's a dynamic athleticism that's always been a consistent theme for him," coach Sean McVay said. "He's throwing the ball really well. I think he's seeing the field well. I think they do a nice job of being able to utilize him and take advantage of his athleticism while still protecting him. You definitely have seen that the last couple weeks.”

The Cardinals' success with Murray in the lineup has been apparent because not only is he able to make an impact on his own, but he's capable of making the players around him better.

"He can certainly make all of the throws," McVay said. "They can utilize him as a runner so he can change the math in their favor. He's a great playmaker that elevates people around him. He's got a play energy about himself. It's really important to be able to try to just keep him contained because he's an explosive playmaker that can make you pay with his legs or obviously his arm.”

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In order for the Rams to contain Murray, they need to keep him in the pocket and prevent him from extending plays. If he's able to stay upright and utilize his receivers, the Rams could be in trouble on Sunday.

Kickoff between the Rams and Cardinals is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. PT.

Published Nov 25, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.