Kyler Murray, Cardinals strike fast in Week 11 tilt vs. Texans

Nov 19, 2023, 11:36 AM | Updated: 3:55 pm

Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals warms up prior to a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium on November 19, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

BY TYLER DRAKE

Cardinals reporter, ArizonaSports.com editor

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray wasted little time making his presence felt against the Houston Texans in his return to Texas on Sunday.

Home (state) sweet home (state).

After being held without a passing touchdown in his 2023 debut — 11 months removed from tearing his ACL — Murray connected with Rondale Moore for a 48-yard bomb on the opening drive of the Week 11 matchup.

Murray and the Cardinals offense needed just three plays (and an illegal contact penalty) to go 75 yards for the score.

The signal caller opened up the drive with a 13-yard screen pass to second-year pro and tight end Trey McBride before the illegal contact penalty and a James Conner nine-yard run set up a second-and-one look at Houston’s 48-yard line.

One play later, Murray let it fly to Moore:

The throw 🎯
The catch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4bJeASirK6

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 19, 2023

While Moore has scored as a runner, he had yet to score through the air before Sunday. Through 10 games played, the wide receiver caught 25 balls for 171 yards with just one play of at least 20 yards.

He can now add another tally to that last category with the touchdown grab in Houston.

And much like the offense, Arizona’s defense rose to the occasion early on against rookie C.J. Stroud and the Texans.

After using 10 plays to move 60 yards and get down to Arizona’s 15-yard line, the Cardinals defense bent but didn’t break behind a big fourth-and-two stop to keep the Texans scoreless early on.

Houston wouldn’t be held down long, however, as Stroud orchestrated a five-play, 61-yard scoring drive that ended with a 20-yard touchdown strike to tight end Dalton Schultz that tied things up 7-7.