Murray’s first playoff start a nightmare for Cardinals

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kyler Murray’s first NFL playoff begin rapidly changed into a nightmare.

The dynamic quarterback and his Arizona Cardinals teammates had in regards to the worst begin conceivable in Monday evening’s 34-11 loss to the Los Angeles Rams within the NFC wild-card spherical. By the point the Cardinals acquired their preliminary first down, they have been trailing 21-0 halfway via the second quarter.

“We didn’t even make it a sport,” stated Murray, who accomplished 19 of 34 passes for 137 yards and two interceptions. “I put rather a lot on my shoulders. To play the best way I did was disappointing.”

The Cardinals went three-and-out on their first 4 possessions, the primary time that’s occurred in a playoff sport in not less than 10 seasons. They have been outgained 180-40 within the first half and averaged simply 1.5 yards per play, the second-worst common in a playoff sport over the past 20 seasons.

Murray was underneath strain from the beginning. He was sacked twice within the first half and was practically introduced down for a security within the second quarter earlier than throwing an ill-advised move that was picked off by David Lengthy for a 3-yard landing return to make it 21-0.

Murray was unable to seek out any success throwing downfield. He accomplished just one move past 15 air yards on eight makes an attempt, and 11 of his 34 makes an attempt have been passes behind the road of scrimmage.

“It simply acquired out of hand early. You will have to have the ability to run the ball on these guys. Once you get right into a passing sport, they've three of the most effective move rushers together with good gamers on the again finish,” Murray stated.

The Cardinals got here into the sport tenth within the league in dashing, averaging 122 yards per sport, however have been held to a season-low 61 in opposition to the Rams. Murray had a season-low two dashing makes an attempt and gained six yards.

“I simply assume total as an offense we have been simply out of sync on a few issues early that would have modified the sport,” coach Kliff Kingsbury stated. “We by no means acquired in a rhythm they usually made some massive performs.”

Arizona’s solely landing got here halfway via the third quarter when James Conner’s 2-yard run capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive to get the Cardinals inside 28-8. That drive additionally marked the primary time Arizona crossed midfield.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) walks off the sector after the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cardinals in an NFL wild-card playoff soccer sport in Inglewood, Calif., Monday, Jan. 17, 2022.

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“When you might have unfavorable play after unfavorable play, it’s simply exhausting to get your self out of that,” huge receiver Christian Kirk stated. “As soon as we did get on a roll within the second half we began doing a little good issues, but it surely was simply too late.”

The blowout loss continued a pattern throughout Kingsbury’s tenure — quick begins to the season earlier than collapsing down the stretch. Arizona gained its first seven video games and was the NFL’s final unbeaten group, making it one of many early favorites within the NFC.

At 10-2, the Cardinals had the NFC’s greatest document and a two-game lead within the West earlier than they misplaced 4 of their remaining 5 regular-season video games and fell to the fifth seed.

Defensive lineman J.J. Watt was activated off injured reserve earlier than the sport after present process shoulder surgical procedure in late October. Regardless of his return, the 11-year veteran couldn’t cover his disappointment over the end result.

“From what we have been able to doing and confirmed what we will do, there’s no different method than to explain this as a failure,“ Watt stated. ”You get to benefit from the highs however it's a must to stay with the lows. We began the season nice and completed horrible.”

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