The Arizona Cardinals enter Week 9 facing uncertainty about the status of quarterback Kyler Murray, who was limited in practice for the second consecutive day, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This comes ahead of Monday night’s matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Murray has been dealing with a toe and foot injury sustained in Week 5, causing him to miss the past two games. He continued to work on a restricted basis throughout this week’s practices. On Friday, backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett took the majority of the first-team reps, throwing to top targets Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, and Trey McBride. Meanwhile, Murray primarily worked with reserve receivers such as Simi Fehoko and Xavier Weaver.
During team drills, Brissett attempted 16 passes compared to Murray’s eight, signaling that Arizona may once again be preparing its veteran backup to start. Head coach Jonathan Gannon stated Thursday that the team is preparing Murray to start, but the quarterback’s limited workload raises ongoing doubts about his readiness.
Throughout Week 7, Murray was listed as a limited participant before ultimately being ruled inactive on game day. Despite the extra rest from the bye week, his status for Week 9 remains uncertain.
Murray’s potential absence would be significant, especially considering his perfect 9-0 record at AT&T Stadium. This unbeaten streak includes his time playing for Allen High School (5-0), Texas A&M (1-0), Oklahoma (1-0), and the Arizona Cardinals (2-0).
In his two NFL wins against Dallas, Murray combined for 377 passing yards and four touchdowns. Those victories include a dominant 38-10 rout in 2020 and a tight 25-22 triumph in 2022 — his only win against Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott to date.
On the other hand, Brissett has thrown for 599 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception over the past two games — both of which ended in losses. The 10-year veteran holds a 19-36 career record as a starter.
With a 2-5 record, the Cardinals will need stability at the quarterback position as they face a Cowboys team (3-4-1) looking to bounce back on home turf.
Arizona’s offense currently ranks 19th in scoring, averaging 21.9 points per game, and 22nd in total yardage with 310.3 yards per game. Defensively, the Cardinals sit 13th in points allowed, giving up 22.0 points per game.
Kyler Murray has been the driving force behind Arizona’s offense this season, completing 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions over five games. He has also contributed 173 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
In addition to Murray, the Cardinals listed several players as limited participants during Friday’s practice. These included Emari Demercado (ankle), Zay Jones (knee), BJ Ojulari (knee), Walter Nolen III (calf), Garrett Williams (knee), and Kitan Crawford (ankle).
The team is expected to release its final injury designations after Saturday’s practice. However, Kyler Murray’s availability remains the biggest question heading into Monday night’s primetime matchup in Arlington.
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