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Cardinals -- And Kyler Murray -- Are Taking Care Of The Ball

Oct 15, 2019 at 12:24 PM

azcardinals.com

For all the things Kyler Murray could've been as an NFL rookie quarterback -- especially one who throws it as much as he has -- turnover-prone could've been understandable.

Yet he is not. The Cardinals aren't in general (on either side of the ball, actually, but we can touch on that in a minute.)

Since 1940, there have been 376 times when an NFL team has run at least 400 offensive plays through the first six games of the season. Only three of those 376 offenses have committed four or fewer turnovers. The Jets (4) in 1985, the Patriots (4) in 2009 -- and the 2019 Cardinals (4). Murray is the culprit with four interceptions, although he hasn't thrown one in two games. Not only has Murray not lost a fumble, he has fumbled only once, and that wasn't really a fumble -- center A.Q. Shipley snapped the ball when Murray wasn't ready in Baltimore, and Murray was charged with the fumble when he fell on the ball. The way Murray runs around with the ball -- and has been sacked 21 times (albeit once the last two games) -- a few "regular" fumbles would've seemed to be a foregone conclusion, but ... nope.

His touchdown-to-turnover ratio of 9-4 (7 passing, 2 running) is impressive for a rookie, too. And the Cardinals pass catchers and runners also need to be included on the pat-on-a-back list given that they haven't lost a fumble. (Yes, I know Damiere Byrd probably got lucky in that regard Sunday.)

The Cardinals only had four turnovers in their first six games of 2014 as well. That team ended up with 17 turnovers -- 12 interceptions spread across Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton and Ryan Lindley, along with five lost fumbles. That was also a playoff team that started the season 9-1.

That team also generated a few turnovers -- 25 total. The Cardinals' defense in 2019 isn't there. As has been noted multiple times, the Cardinals still don't have an interception in six games, and have recovered three fumbles, two of which came on strip-sacks and one on a muffed punt. That the Cards could only have four turnovers and still be a minus-one in turnover ratio is kind of amazing.