What will the Cardinals experience when Kyler Murray makes his return on Sunday?

What Can Cardinals Expect When Kyler Murray Returns Sunday?
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After tearing his ACL against New England on Dec. 12, 2022, quarterback Kyler Murray is set to make his long-awaited return to the field this Sunday, rejoining the Arizona Cardinals as their top playmaker.

Ever since the non-contact injury nearly a year ago, the Cardinals have faced a tough road, managing only one win in their last 13 games. They have lost eight out of their first nine games this season, with multiple quarterbacks filling in for Murray. As a result, the Cardinals currently have the worst Super Bowl odds in the entire NFL.

Yengols.com analyzed Murray’s performance after returning from injuries in his NFL career ahead of the game against Atlanta, who had a 4-5 record.

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Upon Murray’s return from injury

YearGames MissedReturn GameStats
20222L.A. Chargers 25, Arizona 24191 yds. Passing; 2 TDs; 56 yds rushing; 1 TD
20213Arizona 33, Chicago 22123 yds. passing; 2 TDs; 59 yds rushing; 2 TDs

The Arizona Cardinals are currently listed as 2-point underdogs for their upcoming home game against Atlanta, as reported by ESPN BET.

Murray is making his third return from injury.

After returning from injury, Murray has posted impressive stats in the two games he played. He averaged 157 passing yards and four total touchdowns, while also recording an average of 57.5 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

The Cardinals have won one and lost one of those games, falling to the L.A. Chargers 25-24 in 2022 and beating the Chicago Bears 33-22 in 2021 when Murray was injured. Despite Murray’s performance, his return is anticipated to spark a resurgence in interest in Arizona sports betting for the team.

Despite suffering in-game injuries in both 2019 (hamstring sprain) and 2020 (shoulder sprain), Murray was able to play through the pain without sitting out any games.

Can Murray make a comeback similar to Burrow’s?

Upon his return, Murray can find motivation in Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow’s journey of overcoming a torn ACL in his rookie season to come back stronger and perform exceptionally on the field.

Burrow made a strong comeback from injury, throwing for 4,611 yards (averaging 288.2 per game) and tallying 34 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. He skillfully guided the Bengals to the Super Bowl, but they ultimately fell short, losing to the Rams 23-20.

In Week 1 of the 2021 regular season, Burrow had a remarkable comeback, throwing for 261 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions on a 74.1% completion rate (20-of-27). His outstanding performance helped the Bengals secure a 27-24 overtime victory against Minnesota. Burrow is now ranked with the fifth-best MVP odds at +750 on Arizona betting apps.

If Murray can sustain his performance in the future, particularly in 2024, Cardinals fans will likely overlook the team’s struggles during the quarterback’s rehabilitation.

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Author

Peterson Christopher

Peterson Christopher, with over seven years of experience covering sports and sports betting in Arizona, is currently the lead writer at yengols.com. His previous roles include positions at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News.

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