Kyler Murray or Daniel Jones? Debate ensues as Cardinals to face Giants

With the Arizona Cardinals’ game against the New York Giants on the horizon for Week 7, quarterback Kyler Murray will face a fellow rookie for the first time this season.

So of course, talk shows couldn’t not compare the two after Murray was selected first overall and Daniel Jones was selected sixth overall in this year’s draft.

Consider one important factor: Murray has started all six games for the Cardinals this season while Jones has played only five games, starting four (he attempted just four passes in the Giants’ 35-17 loss to the Cowboys in Week 1, and didn’t play at all in Week 2).

Still, even rate stats for Murray are more favorable than Jones, who in five games has completed 60.7% of his passes for 921 yards, five touchdowns six interceptions and a 74.1 passer rating. Compare that with Murray, who owns a 64.3% completion rate for 1,664 yards, seven touchdowns, four interceptions and an 87.6 passer rating.

Murray also has 39 rushing attempts for 238 yards (6.1 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns. Jones has 15 attempts for 86 yards (5.7 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns.

ESPN’s First Take, a morning talk show known for hot takes and outlandish arguments, presented the question on Tuesday morning: Who would you rather have, Kyler Murray or Daniel Jones?

The results were mixed among the hosts (these comments have been trimmed down for brevity):

Max Kellerman

“Daniel Jones has the height, he’s got the arm. Besides that, there are guys with stronger arms, but he can make all the throws. But he’s got arm talent. Sometimes you see a quarterback can throw laser beams, but it’s not catch-friendly. Daniel Jones, the fact that they call him Danny Dimes is exactly right. He drops it right into their hands.

“If you’re saying a quarterback who can really play from the pocket and he can also move, versus a quarterback who, when you think of him, you think of him moving first, but also he can play in the pocket, I like the first guy better, and that’s Daniel Jones. I admit some bias, he’s a Giant, but from what I’ve seen so far. And guys, he’s doing it with no offensive weapons right now. He’s got no receivers, no tight ends, no running backs, no backup running back, nothing. And he’s still looking like, you go, ‘That’s a quarterback.'”

Stephen A. Smith

“I’m going to go with Kyler Murray right now for this simple reason: 64% of his passes, just four interceptions in six games, three full games this year where hasn’t thrown one single interception, oh by the way, got a rookie head coach who didn’t produce in college, by the way, but somehow he managed to get a head coaching job in the National Football League.

“Here’s the reality: Kyler Murray, undersized and all, can fling that football, clearly can move out of the pocket. He’s incredibly mobile. And I look at that, along with his ability to fling that football, and that’s where I got to give him love and respect in that regard. I think that he is a dynamic player. I think when we look at Daniel Jones, we see a prototypical quarterback that can get it done and we’re impressed and relieved, because we no longer have to see Eli Manning.

“I think when we look at Kyler Murray, we see a miniature dynamo who’s incredibly dynamic and electrifying, both with his arm and with his feet and we salivate over the possibilities. If I have lesser talent to work with, meaning guys injured, guys traded, et cetera, I’d rather have Kyler Murray.”

Marcus Spears

“No way, no chance I can go with Kyler Murray. And I’m going to tell you why, because you project in this business. We’re having a conversation about both of these guys. … Kyler Murray’s playing well, this is not about how Kyler Murray is playing. This is about what I see from Daniel Jones … I see the prototypical type quarterback that has been the mainstay in winning Super Bowls, NFC, AFC Championships, in Daniel Jones.

“Kyler Murray to me, is too specific. It’s hard for me to say Kyler Murray is going to have success when the athleticism runs out. Same conversation we’re having with Cam Newton. If Kyler Murray becomes a guy that has to stay in the pocket — what if it’s a high ankle sprain? … I’m going with Daniel Jones. And another reason being is because Jared Goff just played in the Super Bowl, Tom Brady’s been in the Super Bowl, Pat Mahomes was in the AFC Championship last year, we saw Aaron Rodgers go win a Super Bowl. Outside of Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, because that’s who they like to compare, they’re anomalies.”

Array

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