NFL Network’s Brandt: Kyler Murray short jokes, video games jokes can go away now

It’s taken just two games, including one less-than-perfect opener, but the type of attention on Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals has shifted quickly.

A 41-10 thrashing of the Los Angeles Rams will do that.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky on Monday called Murray’s perfect passer rating, 266 passing yards and 59 rushing yards “top-five player” stuff.

And Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt is taking it a step further as he awarded Murray the show’s game ball on Monday.

My gameball goes to a guy who is no longer yours to kick around… @gmfb pic.twitter.com/V78SkQ43V4

— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) September 16, 2024

“For the aggregators, for the content creators, for the podcasters, for the tweeters, Kyler Murray is no longer yours to kick around. I’m sorry,” the host said. “You’re going to have to find a new joke. It’s over guys. You’ve been feasting on this guy for two years, three years.

“The short jokes. The video game jokes. I’m going to go all in here. It has been brought to my attention that there is a new edition of the ‘Call Of Duty’ franchise that comes out this fall. It comes out Oct. 25. …I’m going to say right now that Kyler Murray is going to be brilliant in that game (against the Miami Dolphins days later).”

Nice to see Brandt getting ahead of it, even though Murray’s success won’t exactly put a dead end to those jokes.

THIS DUO IS SPECIAL pic.twitter.com/76H3mCTusj

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) September 16, 2024

Kyler Murray is playing really well. You have a sell high window until Week 8. pic.twitter.com/peQywjK1OX

— Al Smizzle (@AlZeidenfeld) September 15, 2024

 

Brandt has been pushing positive Cardinals vibes since the preseason. He named Arizona as a playoff team in early September, a pick that at the time stood out.

Still, turning others into believers has happened more quickly than expected.

Murray’s highlight reels and stats have done the talking.

Murray’s performance against the Rams was historic.

He’s the second NFL player ever and first since 1974 to surpass 250 passing yards and 50 rushing yards with a perfect passer rating.

It’s a small, two-game sample size with a perfect passer rating carrying some weight. But as of Monday morning before the final game of the week, Murray ranks fourth in passer rating (122.9) and second in adjusted QBR (91.2), the latter of which accounts for his threat on the ground.

Murray ranks first in ESPN’s points above average (PAA) and second in expected points added (EPA) as well.

In more graspable terms, he’s completing 73% of his passes, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt, has thrown for four touchdowns without an interception and has added 116 rushing yards on just 10 carries through two games.

And in more blunt terms, he’s causing problems for opponents.

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