Thursday night marked the official announcement of the 2022-23 NFL schedule release and for the Arizona Cardinals, it was quite a doozy.
While the opponents for the Cardinals have been known for some time, seeing what is now definitively the second hardest slate based on strength of schedule outlined over 18 weeks makes it all the more permanent. From a home opener against the vaunted Kansas City Chiefs, to a Christmas day meeting with Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there will be minimal opportunities for the Cardinals to come up for air this season.
Despite the gauntlet of Pro Bowl quarterbacks on Arizona’s schedule, Vegas oddsmakers still have the Cardinals firmly positioned as a borderline playoff club. Their rationale?
Kyler. Murray.
That’s the benefit of sporting a top-10, franchise quarterback in the modern-day NFL. Even with an offseason that has seen cornerstone players Chandler Jones and Christian Kirk walk out the door, the mere presence of Murray gives the Cardinals a fighting chance no matter the opponent. Which is why, unlike last season, Arizona will rely on their soon-to-be-$40-million-plus-dollar man all the more. With all due respect to backup Colt McCoy, for the Cardinals to survive next season, they’ll need Murray’s most complete campaign to date. Which means no more missing games mid-year and no more faded play down the stretch.
Kyler Murray must play like a definitive top-five quarterback in order for the Cardinals to make the playoffs in 2022. Anything less will see Arizona’s season end following their Week-18 matchup at San Francisco. That necessitates a jump in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, both of which took a hit last year following Murray’s three-game absence. Maximizing his efficiency when throwing from the pocket, while leaning on his feet when necessary, is undoubtedly the key to unlocking Murray’s most productive self. It is also Arizona’s best bet at keeping its undersized signal caller upright and healthy over the course of a now 18-game regular season.
Even with a relatively modest offseason, the Cardinals’ front office has done an admirable job ensuring Murray is well-equipped for a huge jump in production. From the acquisition of best friend and first-round wide receiver Hollywood Brown, to the re-upping of Pro Bowl talents Zach Ertz and James Conner, the Cardinals wisely used their limited resources to fortify an already explosive offense for coach Kliff Kingsbury. That’s because, even with an uneven defense that may be headed for a transition year, general manager Steve Keim understands that this club goes only as far as No. 1 takes them.
Should the Cardinals field a top-five offense, even with a middling defense, they will likely be playing meaningful football in January. Flip it in reserve and there’s a better than good chance that Arizona will be slotted to pick in the top half of next April’s NFL Draft. That’s the difference that an effective Murray can bring to this organization. It’s the differentiator between a Week-1 shellacking of future No. 1 seeded Tennessee and a dismal home loss to the Carolina Panthers sans Murray.
Over the course of the next several months, Keim and the front office will continue to churn out the bottom third of this Arizona roster with the hope of securing the necessary depth needed to successfully conquer a schedule that sports a Week-13 bye week. Regardless of what fourth corner is signed or which rotational defensive tackle is worked out, this 2022 campaign will inevitably be decided by the play of the soon-to-be highest paid player in franchise history.
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