SANTA CLARA, Calif. — On his team’s second offensive play of the game, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray let the San Francisco 49ers know what kind of day was in store.
The fleet-footed quarterback kept it himself on a zone read, darting 50 yards for the longest run in his career. But about 40 yards from the end zone, Murray threw up the “peace” sign to let Arizona defenders know no one was catching him.
“I didn’t know what [was happening] — if he was celebrating early or what he was doing,” said Cardinals running back James Conner, who bludgeoned the 49ers for 86 rushing yards of his own. “But I was like, ‘Score.’ And that’s what he did. He’s fast enough to do that.”
Murray knew very early on in the run that he was going to score.
“I knew once Elijah [TE Elijah Higgins] got the block and I cleared those two dudes, I was gone,” Murray said. “There’s not that many times you can do that in the NFL. So to be able to finally hit a long run was good.”
According to Next Gen Stats, Murray reached a speed of 21.27 mph on the play, the fastest speed by a quarterback over the past eight seasons. The QB’s speed literally had Brady oohing and aahing on the FOX broadcast.
The Cardinals played with the kind of swagger and bravado Murray showed on that tone-setting play, fighting back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to earn an impressive 24-23 victory over last season’s Super Bowl runners-up.
According to FOX Sports Research, it’s the first time under Kyle Shanahan that the 49ers lost after holding a double-digit lead in the final quarter, breaking a 38-0 record.
Murray was the catalyst, completing 19 of 30 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown, along with running for another 83 yards and a score. For his effort, Murray received the Tom Brady LFG Player of the Game.
After remarking about Murry’s blistering speed, Brady told the QB: “Keep being that great leader that you are. I’m really proud of you.”
Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray
Brady described Murray and the Cardinals as showing a lot of resiliency and character in fighting back. They snapped a four-game losing streak against San Francisco and gave head coach Jonathan Gannon his first victory over the 49ers. Brady also pointed to Gannon as a reason Arizona hung in the game.
“I appreciate that,” Gannon said. “But it’s not about me. It’s about the players and the coaches, you know what I mean? And we’ve got a good group in there. We’ll enjoy this one, and then it’s on to Green Bay.”
Murray’s accolade comes three weeks after being named one of Tom Brady’s 3 Stars for Week 2. Linebacker Zaven Collins, who was part of an Arizona defense that held Brock Purdy and San Francisco’s explosive offense to zero points in the second half, said his group gained confidence from the way Murray and the offense played.
The 49ers finished 1-of-6 in the red zone and turned the ball over three times. And while the defense bent but didn’t break, Murray kept the offense humming.
“He gets us out of so many situations that sometimes certain offenses can’t get out of with his feet and running ability — and also putting the ball in certain areas,” Collins said of Murray. “We get to see it every day, but when you go back and watch the film, it’s really crazy throws.”
The Cardinals beat the 49ers at their own game, bullying San Francisco at the line of scrimmage and turning the game into a slugfest in the second half.
“We came out here and we battled,” said Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White, who sealed the victory with a game-clinching interception on the final defensive possession of the game. “We got punched in the mouth at times, but we kept punching back and ultimately came out with the win.
“I’m definitely proud of my guys and I feel like it could still be a lot better.”
Along with one of the best teams in the NFL, the Cardinals also had to battle the blistering heat and the adversity of not having starting kicker Matt Prater available because of a knee issue. Instead, Chad Ryland, signed to the practice squad this week, started in Prater’s place.
Things did not go well early, as Ryland had a 45-yard field goal blocked by San Francisco defensive lineman Jordan Elliott and returned 61 yards for a score by Deommodore Lenoir. However, Ryland converted field goals from 30 and 42 yards, and the game-winner from 35 yards with 1:37 left.
That drive for Ryland’s winning kick included Murray converting a fourth-and-5 from Arizona’s 40-yard line by finding rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on an out route for 14 yards to keep the drive alive. The Ohio State product finished with just two receptions for 36 yards on seven targets — but he came up clutch when Arizona needed him to make a play.
“That just shows you the confidence and trust [I have in him],” Murray said. “On fourth down, who am I going to with a one-on-one? I trust Marvin to win.”
At 2-3 on the year — 2-0 in the NFC West — the Cardinals have the same record as San Francisco (2-3) and sit just a game out of first place in the division behind the Seattle Seahawks (3-2).
A lot of that has to do with the electric playmaking ability of Murray.
“To come in here and beat a great team like the 49ers is a great way to bounce back,” Murray said. “I’m proud of the guys. We fought for 60 minutes. It was a hell of a win.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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