Kyler Murray's sharp passing propels Cardinals to blowout of Jets
League: NFL
Posted on: 11 Nov, 2024 at 01:37 AM
Credit: Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray passed for 266 yards and set a team record with 17 consecutive completions as the Cardinals rolled to a 31-6 victory over the New York Jets Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.
Murray finished with 22 completions on 24 attempts, throwing for one touchdown and running for two more scores as Arizona (6-4) won its fourth straight and remained in first place in the NFC West.
It is the best start through 10 games for the Cardinals since they opened the 2021 season 8-2.
In completing his final 17 passes, Murray broke the team record of 16 straight, set by Carson Palmer over two games in 2017.
The Cardinals were sharp against a Jets defense which entered as the fifth-best unit in the league, yielding 290.8 yards per game. Arizona scored four touchdowns and a field goal on its first five possessions. From there, New York (3-7) never seriously challenged.
The Cardinals held the Jets to 207 yards. It was the third straight home game in which Arizona did not yield a touchdown.
Aaron Rodgers completed 22 of 35 passes for 151 yards without a touchdown or an interception for the slumping Jets, who lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.
In his fourth game with New York, Davante Adams had six catches for 31 yards on 13 targets.
The Cardinals tallied a touchdown on their opening drive for the sixth time this season, needing just six plays to score as James Conner cashed in on a 1-yard run.
The touchdown came two plays after Conner took a misdirection screen from Murray and tiptoed down the sideline after eluding a tackler at the Jets' 20.
Conner accounted for 113 yards from scrimmage, including 80 yards on five receptions. Trey Benson added 62 yards on 10 rushes, helping fuel a Cardinals offense that produced 406 yards.
When Murray scored untouched, jogging into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run, it put the Cardinals up 14-3 late in the first quarter.
Murray began his completion streak in the second quarter, going 8-for-8 on a 70-yard touchdown drive which he capped with a 9-yard scoring pass on a fade route to Marvin Harrison Jr., which increased the Cardinals lead to 21-6.
Chad Ryland's 37-yard field goal on the final play of the first half made it 24-6.
With a 12-yard touchdown run on Arizona's first possession of the second half, Murray stretched the lead to 31-6.
--Field Level Media