TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury has high expectations for quarterback Kyler Murray heading into their first NFL playoff game Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
“I think this is what he’s been waiting for for three years,” Kingsbury said Wednesday. “He’s a guy who wants to be playing for something and knows he’s playing for something.
“This is his first shot at the playoffs, and I expect him to probably play the best game of his career. I know he’s going to give it everything he’s got.”
No pressure or anything.
Murray has experience in big, pressure-packed games with decisive outcomes on the line. He won three straight state championships in high school and led the Oklahoma Sooners to the 2018 College Football Playoff semifinals — and that’s on top of the countless prime-time games he played in throughout his career.
He’s 22-23-1 as the Cardinals’ starter, a vast change from the success he had before reaching the NFL.
Kingsbury rooted his expectation for Murray’s performance Monday night in Murray’s personality. He said Murray doesn’t have tells or signs that would lead Kingsbury to believe Murray will have a certain type of game.
“I wouldn’t say there’s anything to that extent; it’s more just knowing the competitor that he is, knowing that he’s been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Kingsbury said. “It’s been a grind, three years of trying to build this thing to get into the playoffs, day in and day out, a lot of ups and downs; I know he’s just looking forward to this opportunity and he’ll give everything he’s got.”