Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals Moving in Right Direction but “Playoffs or Bust” is Fallacy for 2024

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals Moving in Right Direction but “Playoffs or Bust” is Fallacy for 2024

with training camp less than a week away it’s time to play a fun old game I like to call Allin or pump the bricks let’s [Music] discuss you are locked on Cardinals your daily Arizona Cardinals podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day Cardinals Alex Clancy here follow me on Twitter at clany corner _ the podcast at locked on a cards thank you for making locked on Cardinals your first listen free wherever you get your podcast and on YouTube part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day please go to the YouTube channel search locked on Arizona Cardinals hit that subscribe button man turn notifications on if you want to go leave a review where reviews are left you’re welcome to uh you know that I’m just happy that you’re here every Dar thanks for being with me whether it be from day one and 2017 or you know if you’re a new every day or starting today maybe make tomorrow your second listen been sports radio since 2011 uh hosting this lovely podcast since 2017 going on my eth season hosting lock on Cardinals uh there’s no place I’d rather be so thank you for being a part of it with me today’s episode of Locked on Cardinals is brought to you by fandu will make every moment more as playoffs wind down the Sports Stop sporting like we want them to but this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that’s right if there’s some there’s something for everyone every day all summer long visit fanduel.com lockon to get started so today after doing my uh six episode series highlighting every single game the Cardinals will have and you know discussing what could happen to storylines what the Cardinals path to Victory would be whether it be position group or the offense as a whole or anywhere in between check those out those were the last six episodes today I kind of want to take a beat okay there’s been a lot of positive which is awesome there’s been a lot of great things a lot of great Vibes a massive shift in culture Foundation leadership Etc whether it be from GM head coach coordinators or qb1 and this is the time of the year where everything is roses this is the time of the year where you get excited about everything this is the time of the year where you’re looking at the countdown to week one and everything is exciting because as rational or irrational as it may seem everybody and if you don’t you’re lying to yourself or lying to me everybody has a little 0 Z 100 times one% thought in their mind as an Arizona Cardinals Fan thinking they could go 18-0 17 and0 everybody starts zero and zero it could happen and it’s something that while amazing and incredible and the definition of sport hoping for your team that you love or that you’ve covered for a long time like me can talk about more positive things than negative so during this you know during this episode I want to do a couple things in the final segment I’ll give kind of my thoughts about how the Cardinals are in a great position okay kind of tie a bow on this as we pivot towards Camp starting Monday of next week I’m going to give my topics to where the Cardinals need to pump the braks and fans need to pump the brakes not the Cardinal themselves where fans need to pump the brakes on expectations but first the real fun stuff what you should go all in about and yeah listen you’re an adult you can think as you wish this is what I suggest people be going all in about in regarding pumping the braides in the next segment things that the Cardinals fans and people who you know whether National media members or local Med members whatever things you should go all in regarding one the leadership is proper the leadership is there this is not a facad you know right away what Monte Ford is regardless of the man that he’s replacing as GM you would give him a thumbs up over the last 20 months or so regardless even if the last GM won seven Super Bowls what Monty oord has done during this rebuild has been great has been masterful the future pacing elements and opportunities are there and that’s what you want the roster building is there they’ve got a whole bunch of cheese not only this season still they got over $20 million to spend but they’re gonna have top five money next offseason Jonathan Ganon Nick RS and Drew petzing are fit for the job being gumshoes last year being rookies at their respective positions they took a ragtag group of guys built a team out of them made them prepared and ready for every week where they were favored to win zero games last year and came out and competed one of the more fun teams to watch by football nerds out there especially in the beginning of the season the cardo easily when I say easily easily could have won seven games last year they just didn’t have the talent to do it early on that’s one all in number two Kyler Murray is finally in a situation ecosystem where he has the opportunity to thrive that kind of parlays what I was talking about at number one but Kyler Murray’s also taken advantage of that situation and made the most out of it and that’s a big deal the biggest knock on Kyler Murray was does he even want to play like does he even does he work hard does he like playing football would he rather play baseball that was early and then oh the homework clause and blah blah blah listen yeah probably didn’t watch as much tape as he should that’s on him everything Kyler Marie has done since tearing his ACL is everything you’d wished he would be as he matured into a true NFL quarterback didn’t have the best position early on didn’t have the best situation early on didn’t have a good coach early on Michael Bidwell didn’t know what the hell he was doing Steve K didn’t know what the hell he was doing Michael Bidwell since removing Cliff Kingsbury and Steve K has done everything necessary in an effort to rewrite the history on him as an owner and this organization as a whole and that includes putting Kyler Murray in a situation to succeed Kyler Murray has reaped the benefits and the rewards and maximized that so far to put himself and by proxy his entire team in position to win more so and more strongly than since he’s coming to the league in 2019 that is something you can go all in another thing this offense is the best offense Kye marray has had in the NFL say if you want future pacing or not regardless of where Larry fitgerald was in his career production wise the rest of the offense was was bad just was you had James Conor come in great 2021 good wasn’t sustainable it just wasn’t sustainable this is the most balanced offense albeit young in very key positions that Kyler Mar’s had the offensive line is the best offensive line Kyler Maria had so my old adage every day as you’ll know this the best offensive linean Kyler KY the best offensive line in the Arizona Cardinals have is Kyler Murray’s legs that is slowly going to dissipate Into The Ether if Paris Johnson becomes what everybody expects him to be with the compliments especially on the right side of jel for hold and will Hernandez and and Jonah Williams we’ll see if I if if Isaiah Adams will be the guy at left guard this offense is the best and most complete that Kyler maras had as a pro couple that would Drew pettings run first play action feature the tight end Marvin Harrison Jr on the outside offense not to mention Michael uh Michael Wilson and and G Greg dor are gonna have opportunities like they’ve never had before that’s it that’s an Allin thing and then finally the Allin that everybody should be jumping towards is this team is ready to play for themselves and ready mentally at least to compete perpetually in relevance for playoff positions and playoff runs mentally they are ready and that’s a lot of the battle it’s a lot of the battle and that is something that has happened in two offseasons and one full season most of which was played Without Kyler Murray they haven’t even hit Camp yet in the second off season and it’s already there and while you know the Tik Tok videos and Instagram videos of Kyler Murray and and all the wide receivers working out that’s fantastic it’s a perfect segue into let’s pump the brakes a little bit on things this isn’t fairy tale land yet this isn’t Disneyland this isn’t La La Land This is the NFL and the and the Arizona Cardinals are not ready to compete for a playoff spot yet sorry it’s true I’ll discuss it next As We Roll on here lock on Cardinals your team every day this episode of Locked on Cardinals is brought to you by our friends at FanDuel I love sports I love them so much I never want them to stop but as the playoffs wind down we get fewer games and the sports aren’t sportsing like I want them to naturally but FanDuel lets me keep the sports going whenever I want all I have to do is open the app and dream up bets anytime I’m in the mood and this summer fendel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that’s right there’s something for everyone every day all summer long so head to fanduel.com and start making the most out of your summer listen if you want to bet on who’s going to win the NBA championship they lines up for that believe the Boston Celtics are the odds on favorite you want to get those odds early you can do that with fandel this off season who’s going to win the NL MVP the AL MVP Major League World Series who’s gonna win it FanDuel has you covered for all of it NFL obviously who’s gon to win week what did Buffalo they’ve got lines who’s going to be NFL MVP everything like that just because their aren’t games doesn’t mean FanDuel doesn’t have you covered because they won 100% do again head to fanduel.com and start making the most out of your summer FanDuel official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball there are some pump the braks things that I feel like I owe people to discuss now again this isn’t putting a wet blanking on something that’s fantastic because everything so far has been rainbows and butterflies and to think that that could last is not an irrational thought that’s not what this segment specifically is about this isn’t to Counterpoint this isn’t to just say something that other people aren’t saying that’s not it’s never been my thing people accuse me of that but I just say what I think the thought that the Arizona Cardinals that were shoeing to make the playoffs in 2024 just because Kyler Murray and the wide receivers are working out together is a fallacy of Epic Proportions just because things are going well doesn’t mean the Cardinals are so ahead of scheduled that they’re 100% going to win 10 games and make the playoffs or VI for the NFC West Crown in 2024 could they sure if the offense is goes goes Bonkers and the defense specifically really takes that massive zero to one jump especially with second year guys like be oari and um and Garrett Williams obviously kazer white second year with the Cardinals and then Max Melton Elijah Jones Shawn Murphy bunting you know the the secondary really takes that jump to where they could be a top 20 they don’t need to be a top 10 defense for the Cardinals to make the playoffs top 20 for sure though especially with who the Cardinals are playing against sure there’s a world where that could happen it’s not the most far-fetched thing like saying last year the Cardinal were going to win the Super Bowl that’s not the same Gap as the Cardinal making the playoffs this year naturally and the Cardinals still have a long way to we haven’t seen any of this yet we haven’t seen what the target dispersion is going to be we haven’t seen if James Conor exactly going to be a replica of last year we haven’t seen Trey Benson as going to be the guy who’s the a parent and I’m not saying this as an easy argument like well obviously we haven’t seen it how can you make an argument based on what we haven’t seen people discussing the playoffs as a Surefire thing in 2024 is leveraging things that we haven’t scen also look at that one-handed catch by Marvin Harrison Jr when nobody’s wearing pads six months before the season start oh playoffs oh these guys are working out together playoffs can’t do it can’t do it things are trending in the right direction I will still use my old adage that any step that isn’t a step backwards is a step forwards and while those are less while those are more prevalent than the few and far between that we had seen in years past that doesn’t mean that this season would be a disappointment if the Cardinals don’t make the playoffs this season won’t be a disappointment if the Cardinals don’t miss the playoffs now if they win four games and Kyler Murray’s terrible and Marvin Harrison Jr has a rookie block five weeks in and Trey McBride regresses and James Conor is old and the offensive line doesn’t work and none of the Court like that’s not going to happen we’ve removed ourselves from thinking about that and that lends more to the well they’re GNA win more than four games for sure so aren’t playoffs or bust kind of a thing or aren’t in the hunt in week 15 through 18 a you know let like that’s that’s a must if that four- win thing isn’t no if you tell me the Cardinals win seven games they win three more games they win 75% more games than they did a year ago that’s a win man like I struggle when people compare the Cardinals to any other organization that’s won anything before like a super bowl or multiple you can’t the Cardinals are on their own timeline theard Cardinal have their own definition of success the Cardinals have they let Urban Meyer stay for four years instead of getting rid of him after a year like Jacksonville did it’s not the same this may as well be year three of kylo Murray’s career and that’s not an excuse that’s a reason why they are where they are 11 and2 was the biggest Ponzi scheme Bernie made off thing ever seen this is real this is organic and it takes time on the other side I find it hard to believe that they don’t win seven plus games of Ky healthy the entire year if they don’t have any sort of big injuries the offense is good enough the defense is just gonna have to hold up that’s on Nick RIS that’s on Jonathan Ganon that’s what they were brought in to do and they’ve got enough veterans in key spots to be able to withhold any sort of real explosion from happening where they give him a 50 Burger three times this year with all that said just because Tik Tok videos are fun and Instagram videos are fun and it shows cohesion that is absolutely absolutely necessary and has been you know devoid in some capacity over the last couple seasons does not directly correlate to playoffs everybody has this every cohesive quarterback and wide receiver unit has what the Cardinals have been shown now it’s time for the Cardinals to take that put it on the field Implement with Drew Ping’s offense and win games and until you see that it is a Fool’s errand to think that the Cardinals are playoff ready in 2024 it’s fun it’s exciting it’s necessary to see and the beauty of what Kyler Murray Kyler Murray has done in his transition from recluse is a bad word but very quiet in the media and outside of the media on the field all of that from where he was in 2019 to where he is now it has been incredibly inspiring and uplifting to see what he’s become because the Arizona Cardinals have needed it he’s being paid handsomely for it now and when things like this start when transitions like this start from quiet to Absolute leader it doesn’t stop it only gets better and that’s something while you have to pump the Briggs on many things like the Cardinals must make the playoffs for this season to be a success watching the stepbystep moments of this Cardinals off season has been nothing short of incredible and you got to love that and the Cardinals are in a great position in 2024 because of it I’ll discuss it next all on here lock down Cardinals your team yours every day this episode of Locked on Cardinals is brought to you by our friends at LinkedIn when you’re hiring for your 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a review saying you love the podcast that’d be great if not you know I’m just happy that you’re here are you watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day have to turn down the volume with all the shouting make the switch to locked on sports today a free 247 streaming channel sports related program for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming locked on sports today brings you can’t miss analysis opinions and news streaming 247 on YouTube or the free Amazon Fire TV channels app part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day so let’s recap great things have been happening since the beginning of last season that you’re free to go all in on leadership is there Kyler Marie has matured and is now finally in a in a culture and a setting where he can Thrive and on top of that he’s taken advantage in a positive way and maximized the ability to be able to do that make the most out of this new shifted trajectory of the Arizona Cardinals and he’s got the best offense he’s had in the NFL even though most players are very young from the skill position group that’s okay that’s great and that’s the power of montias for putting players on this roster on the offensive side of the ball that are going to be in a position to succeed from day one pump the breaks on the Arizona Cardinals must make the playoffs or they’re going to make the playoffs by the playoff tickets just because they’re posting stuff on Tik Tok together stop it I’m not trying to be a wet blanket here but the rainbows and butterflies are great it’s fantastic this is the trajectory you want this is the growth and maturity and birth of functionality and it’s great and it doesn’t mean that they have to make the playoffs or it’s a disaster that would be insane thinking to think that in my opinion having said that ping pong in on the other side the Cardinals are in a great position all of these things can be true simultaneously the Cardinals have the long Runway they’ve got the longest runway of any NFC West team if things happen the way the Cardinals expect them to in the opportunistic fashion that not only has this roster been built upon the salary cap has been Miser upon and where the allocation of draft picks of the last couple years have been placed the Cardinals can be great for five seven eight years especially if the defense pans out but let’s look at where the Cardinals were in 2022 coming off an embarrassing showing in the playoffs didn’t really know which side was up the massive win by Kyler Murray against the Raiders which was culminated by Byron Murphy’s scoop and score on Hunter rro second fumble in two plays in the overtime set up by Kyler Murray’s heroics in the second half to and then K Murray tearing his ACO uninspired football afterwards the the the in the inspired level of football played in the beginning of last season compared to the end of the season after Kyler Murray was hurt you can’t even put them in the same Arena that’s coaching that’s preparation that’s buying from top to bottom that’s what the Cardinals have they have cohesion they have buyin and it’s without it’s subconscious at this point it’s been flipped it doesn’t have to be preached anymore even though it will be it’s there already and it’s going to be there that is a great position for the Cardinal to be in it what’s set to be one of the most pivotal seasons in the history of the of the team and the reason why I say that you can say oh this is the biggest year in the history of the team you can say that but this isn’t the old Arizona Cardinals it’s not we don’t know what it’s going to be yet there’s plenty of question marks plenty plenty plenty I talk about it every show but these question marks are different than question marks of oh I wonder what Steve com’s gonna do this year as opposed to is Marvin Harrison Jr gonna be ready right away if so great if not your two got it is Michael Wilson gonna be healthy enough to be able to be that wide receiver too is Greg dorch going to thrive under the spotlight in the first time where he actually has expectations you know on his chest is try MC Bry gonna be a top five tight end is James Conor gonna continue to show people that age is just a number it’s Trey Benson ready in the wings for when the time comes to where James Conor takes that leer blunt roll that I th that I yearn for him to take at some point is budha Baker and Jaylen Thompson as a group going to show that they’re not over the hill especially Buddha Baker and is Kye Murray going to step into action and be the quarterback everybody expects him to be or thinks he can be at the MVP level he was during the first half of the 2021 season and I know that was years ago and I know A lot’s happened since then he’s never been a better in a better position to succeed than he is right now and that is another reason why the Cardinals are in a great position Kyler Murray at his best doesn’t have to be 300 all per yards four touchdowns every game 21 for 25 220 two touchdowns maybe an interception 30 yards on the ground that’s all he needs to do this isn’t Madden and the Cardinals are in a situation that can allocate him the ability to just have to do that and not be Superman to go win games because of the inaptitude of a head coach and a play and and a and a game plan so while pumping the brakes is necessary especially when we’re months out and we don’t even know what the depth chart’s really going to look like yet you know 1 to 22 while the pump that breaks of it’s not playoffs or bust just because some Tik Tok videos went out that’s not to put a damper on what’s happening because the spirit behind it is something that has been severely lacking since K Murray’s been drafted which is it’s been incredible to watch so fun to watch and it’s great and it resonates and it’s real and it’s important and it’s Foundation strength thing and it’s culture strength thing and it’s trajectory shifting and all of those things that still doesn’t mean that if the Cardinals don’t make the playoffs that it’s been a bust that is a Fool’s Aaron thought process the Cardinals ripped this roster down to the studs if you think that it’s playoff for bust in year two First full year with kylo Mar’s quarterback under new regime and new GM and all the young players that haven’t played with kylo Maria down in the NFL yet I think you’re gonna be disappointed at the end of the year again that’s not to say the Cardinal can’t make the playoffs the defense is going to be the anchor holding behind the Cardinals moving forward but if the defense is top 20 and the Cardinals offense is 80% of we think it could definitely be and there’s no big injuries the Cardinal can make the playoffs this year but I do think just pump the braks even with pumping the brakes on that playoff specifically the Cardinals are in the best position they’ve been for Perpetual relevance starting week one in Orchard Park against Buffalo than maybe we’ve ever seen this organization be Alex Lany locked on Cardinals remember without you there is no me remember that dang it I’ll talk to you more

The 2024 Arizona Cardinals is completely unrecognizable compared to the history of the Cardinals organization. Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon have set the stage for Kyler Murray to lead and thrive. Murray has been very present and his growth is undeniable not only as a leader, but as a person. He looks to be having more fun than ever, while building a family that’s poised to jump back into relevancy come 2024 and not go anywhere for a while. Whether it’s TikTok videos of Kyler Murray working out with Marvin Harrison Jr, Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and James Conner, or Murray giving away a couple copies of the new NCAA Football 25, Kyler Murray has made the most of the massive culture shift brought by the new regime heading the Arizona Cardinals. There are so many things fans can feel comfortable going “all-in” about, and those are a few. With that, pumping the breaks is necessary still. Things are better than they’ve been in a long time for the Arizona Cardinals heading into a season, but that doesn’t mean that playoffs are on the menu for 2024. There are still many unknowns on this roster, mainly rookie and second-year players and how they’ll impact the team this season. Regardless of it’s “all-in” or “pumping the breaks” on certain aspects of the team looking forward to the 2024 NFL season, one thing is for sure: good things are on the horizon.

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