Brett Kollmann and E.J. Snyder: "This game ended the Kyler Murray era in Arizona"
by Walter Mitchell
In this week's hugely popular Bootleg Football Podcast, Brett Kollmann and E.J. Snyder profiled 6 teams' seasons that they believe "are already over."
You may have guessed it. The Cardinals are one of them.
As always, listening to Brett and E.J. is entertaining and enlightening, to say the least.
To watch and listen to their segment on the Cardinals, which they purposely saved for last, fast forward to the 51:00 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaQ5GQzyf8g
Highlights:
BK: "We want to discuss where the Cardinals are as a franchise."
BK: "This game (EJ: "even though Kyler didn't play") ended the Kyler Murray era in Arizona."
EJ: "This game provided a preponderance of evidence that the offense looked different in a number of different ways."
Screen reference:
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Jacoby Brissett threw for 320 yards and 2 TDs today.
The last time Kyler Murray did that was 34 games and nearly three years ago (Week 8, 2022).
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EJ:" The last time a Cardinals' QB threw for 320 yards and 2 TDs was Kyler Murray three years ago, and this week the Cardinals' got that production from a backup QB."
BK: "At this point at QB you are essentially what you are."
QB Stat Lines:
Week 8 2022: Kyler Murray (in 34-26 L to MIN): 31/44, 326 yards, 3-2 TD/int. 1 lost fumble, 48.7 QBR
Week 6 2025: Jacoby Brissett (in 31-27 L @ IND): 27/44, 320 yards, 2-1 TD/int, 65.4 QBR
Note:
Week 11 2021: Colt McCoy (in a 27-21 W @ SEA): 35/44, 328 yards, 2-0 TD/int, 81.9 QBR
This was the last time the Cardinals have beaten the Seahawks, who in all of their 8 straight wins over the Cardinals were never listed as prohibitive favorites, in fact the Cardinals were favored in several of those games,
Cardinals' 8 straight losses to the Seahawks
2021 Week 18 --- 38-30 L --- Kyler Murray 44.5 QBR
2022 Week 6 --- 19-9 L --- Kyler Murray 30.4 QBR
2022 Week 9 --- 31-21 L --- Kyler Murray 46.5 QBR
2023 Week 7 --- 20-10 L --- Josh Dobbs 39.7 QBR
2023 Week 18 --- 21-20 L - Kyler Murray 54.0 QBR
2024 Week 12 --- 16-6 L --- Kyler Murray 49.8 QBR
2024 Week 14 --- 31-11 L --- Kyler Murray 37.4 QBR
2025 Week 4 --- 23-20 L --- Kyler Murray 24.0 QBR
Kyler Murray's Career Records vs. NFC West:
vs SF: 4-5
vs LAR: 2-8
vs SEA: 2-9
Overall: 8 -22 (.267)
Colt McCoy's Career Records vs. NFC West while with Cardinals:
vs SF: 1-1
vs LAR: 1-0
vs SEA: 1-0
Overall: 3-1 (.750)
Colt's 3 NFC West wins:
2021 @ SF --- 31-17 --- 73.3 QBR
2021 @ SEA --- 23-13 --- 81.9 QBR
2202 @ LAR --- 27-27 --- 69.1 QBR
Conclusion:
Like E.J. Snyder said, there was ample evidence in the Colts' game that the Cardinals' offense was much more efficient and looked strikingly "different" with Jacoby Brissett at QB than it has looked this season with Kyler Murray.
What I wanted also to point out is that the same was true during the second half of the Cardinals' 11-6 season in 2021 when Colt McCoy won the two key NFC Road games versus the 49ers and Seahawks, both in highly efficient and convincing fashion.
What's also meaningful about what E.J. Snyder said is that he is one of the most passionate Seahawks' fans on the planet. One would think that given the Seahawks' dominant 8-gamw winning streak over the Cardinals that he wouldn't mind at all it if the Cardinals keep the current status quo at HC/OC/DC/QB. Instead, he has the football integrity to suggest not only for the Cardinals move on from Kyler Murray and the current coaching staff, but that Monti should try to get trade values asap while he can for some of the Cardinals' top players who won't be Cardinals much longer anyway.
What I will venture to argue in a new article soon is my confidence that the next coaching staff will not need a 3-year rebuild as long as this time the plan is for them to try to win games right away. E.J. suggests it's going to require another 3-year plan --- but I am not so sure that has t be the case, given the young talent that is already on the roster and some of the key free agents the Cardinals have signed to multiple-year deals.
Have to give Brett and E.J. props for their prescience--- here was their title of their 2025 Arizona Cardinals Preview:
“Maybe (Almost) Good” —- “Nobody Beat the Cardinals like the Cardinals Do” ---
And here is a verbatim of how Brett started the preview:
BK: “Ah, the Arizona Cardinals, or as I like to call them, the slowest slow burn in the entire NFL. We are in year three of a complete teardown and rebuild in the desert —- what Cardinals’ fans want to know is have they done enough to make the playoffs this season?”
What do you think of Brett Kollmann's and E.J. Snyder's post Week 6 Bootleg Football Podcast?
Great podcast- almost as insightful and entertaining as the Red Rain Podcast! Who could disagree with their thoughts and condemnation of our QB, coaches and franchise. I really appreciated the comments on Petzing's amateurish play calling when in the red zone the end of the game. Illuminates the neophyte coaching by our OC. Their thoughts on keeping MO as GM should depend on how his FA and draft picks finish the season and, more eimprotantly, is there a better GM candidate available because MO has clearly failed the coaching staff, training staff assemblage effort. I after the bye, KM is no longer is our starting QB, the next imminent rebuild will begin.
ReplyDeleteI agree with their evaluation of this team. Stick a fork in it...this fan base is done with the short dual threat QB experiment. For decades I've heard about the cheapness of the Bidwill's and keeping Kyler purely because of his contract reinforces that overly frugal ideology. I know the NFL is a business and if I don't like the product my local team fields, I don't have to watch which is exactly how I think MB views this teams local fanbase. I agree, KM is on thin ice in AZ but for me, the 230-million-dollar question is, will MB make the right decisions to move-on from the biggest mistake of the SK era or will he ride his mistake into the ground knowing his opposing team fanbase will back him every step of that way.
ReplyDeleteHello Walter, My name is Isaiah, and I am an avid reader of your articles, and I have followed you since the early days of ROTB.
ReplyDeleteI have some staff and roster changes that I think would make the Arizona Cardinals competitive; let me know what you think.
I believe the Cardinals should fire Gannon and Monti Ossenfort; in 3 seasons, both have been inconsistent and shown minimal growth in their time in the desert. I believe it's time to start over.
I think the cards should promote Dave Sears to GM, though he might not take it because he might not want to tie himself to Bidwell. Some other options would be Eagles assistant GMs Alec Hallaby or Jon Ferrari.
There are head coaching options I think would put the Cardinals into win-now mode.
1. Brian Flores: I think he fits what the Cardinals need the most—consistency and accountability. He would make the Cardinals a top 10 defense overnight.
2. Robert Sallah: He has the most experience in the NFC West out of any of the candidates on my list and has shown an ability to craft a dominant defense in the vaunted NFC West.
3. Klayton Adams: He has experience with the Cardinals, and he was the architect of Arizona's most dominant rushing offense in recent years. He also has excellent chemistry with the O-line.
4. Chris Shula: He has been the mastermind behind the Rams' tenacious defense without Aaron Donald. His defense was the primary reason the Rams were one game away from the Super Bowl. He comes from a blue-blooded football bloodline; he's the grandson of the legendary Don Shula, he has plenty of coaching experience, and he's been with the Rams for 10-plus years. What's better than having a coach who knows the McVay offense inside and out and has done a tremendous job of defending NFC West offenses?
5. Klint Kubiak He's done wonders in San Francisco and Seattle. He's shown an ability to get the most out of below-average talent.
Quarterback Change.
I believe it's time to move on from Kyler Murray. He's played 7 seasons in the desert and has only one playoff berth. That's unacceptable and would be downright malpractice to give him another season and hitch a new coach to his wagon.
1. Malik Willis is my number one option. He has played excellently in Matt LaFleur's West Coast offense; he has a big arm and mobility. I think he could be the next QB to have a career revival after spending time with a talented coaching staff. My prediction is he's next year's Daniel Jones.
2. Zach Wilson or Trey Lance. These two are a bit more of a wildcard, but I do believe they have the talent to be starting quarterbacks with the right coaching staff.
Draft.
Online and Edge are the Cardinals' two top priorities, in my opinion. I predict the Cardinals pick 10 overall. I would draft Spencer Fano; he's a mauler at right tackle. I would have an edge in the second, a guard in the third, a linebacker in the 4th, and a QB in the 5th, someone like Carson Beck.
Hey great stuff, Imax3456! Thank you. My preferences align with yours with these choices:
DeleteGM Dave Sears --- asst. GM Cardinals
HC Klayton Adams --- OC Cowboys
OC Marcus Brady --- Passing Game Coordinator Chargers (coached with Klayton in IND)
STC Jeff Rodgers --- STC Cardinals
Veteran QB: Jacoby Brissett --- Veteran QB Cardinals
R1QB: Ty Simpson, Alabama
First let me say how much I always enjoy Kohlman's take on things. This like past articles hits on point with regard to the problem is the 'organization' as a whole. We've now been in "rebuild" mode for 10yrs with multiple regime changes.
ReplyDeleteSo re-re-rebuild should begin asap. Plan for Yr 2 to be contenders (no reason it need take 3yrs - to 'figure out our mistake') -- IMax & Walter have both given sound plans (different in approach, but the new HC should decide how he wants to build his assistant coaches and roster priority). I kinda prefer TMax choice to forego adding R1QB in 26 but focus on O-Line in R1 to shore up line. But perhaps Adams as HC would eliminate immediate need because he can influence Oline coach.
I think it is clear to the overwhelming majority of fans that Kyler and Gannon aren't it, but it all comes down to MB. Is he comfortable moving on from the "face of the franchise" and eating the rest of his guaranteed money? Is he willing to hire a competent coach and give him the freedom to run the team or is he going to hire yet another inexperienced coach who he can control?
ReplyDeleteAs for a rebuild, there's no need. This team is loaded with talent as evidenced by their play in the first 3 quarters of every game this season. It's the leadership on the team that's failing the roster.