The Cardinals have sputtered to a 3-6 record, and I don’t think they’re going to flip things around anytime soon. Their next two are against the Rams and 49ers, and those are defenses that have given them problems.

Both teams have good defenses, and both see Arizona twice per year, giving them a better feel for that offense’s scheme and personnel.

With the 49ers, they’ve got a defensive line that should create all kinds of problems for Arizona’s modest offensive line.

With the Rams, they also have talent up front, and they’ve tended to have Arizona’s numbers – 7-1 against the Cardinals since Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray showed up.

Arizona didn’t get in the end zone in Week 3 against the Rams. And when those teams met in the playoffs last year, it was a disaster for the Cardinals, with their only touchdown coming long after the game was over.

Murray has started 40 games since 2020. In only 10 of those games did he finish with fewer than 20 points (traditional scoring), and half of those games have been against the Rams and 49ers.

KYLER MURRAY, LAST 40 STARTS
YearOppResultComAttYdsTDIntRushingPoints
2020Mia.L 31-3421262833011-106-142.8
2020Sea.W 37-3434483603114-67-142.7
2020Phil.W 33-262736406318-29-141.2
2021Min.W 34-332936400325-31-141.1
2021at Ten.W 38-132132289415-20-138.5
2020Was.W 30-152638286118-67-237.0
2020Buff.W 32-3022322451111-61-234.4
2020at NYJW 30-102737380119-31-132.1
2021at Chi.W 33-2211151232010-59-232.1
2022at Min.L 26-343144326326-36-031.9
2020at Dall.W 38-109241882010-74-130.8
2020at S.F.W 24-2026402301113-91-130.6
2020Det.L 23-262335270235-29-130.4
2021at Cle.W 37-142030229407-6-028.1
2022at Car.W 26-1623322072112-26-127.0
2022at L.V.W 29-233149277115-28-126.7
2020at Car.L 21-312431133306-78-026.5
2021Hou.W 31-52028261316-10-026.1
2021at Dall.W 25-222638263209-44-025.6
2021at LARW 37-202432268206-39-025.3
2021LARL 23-303249383027-61-025.3
2021at Jac.W 31-192834316017-19-123.7
2021Ind.L 16-222743245104-74-023.7
2020at Sea.L 21-282942269205-15-023.0
2022Sea.L 21-312535175208-60-022.8
2020LARL 28-382139173315-15-022.2
2022at Sea.L 9-1923372220110-100-021.1
2020at NYGW 26-724352441013-47-020.9
2022Phil.L 17-202842250114-42-020.7
2022K.C.L 21-442234193205-29-020.6
2020S.F.L 12-203150247018-75-019.9
2021Sea.L 30-382839240105-35-019.5
2022N.O.W 42-342029204107-30-017.2
2021at Det.L 12-302341257114-3-017.2
2022LARL 12-203758314002-8-016.5
2021S.F.W 17-102231239107-1-016.1
2021G.B.L 21-242233274026-21-015.8
2020at N.E.L 17-202334170015-31-011.6
2021at LARL 11-341934137022-6-07.5
2020at LARL 7-1881187002-3-04.7

—Ian Allan