The Arizona Cardinals suffered one of the worst second-half collapses of the season in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, blowing a 15-point lead and handing the Titans their first win of the year.
Now, things look bleak heading into Sunday's matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
Starting quarterback Kyler Murray briefly left last week's game with a foot injury before returning, and his status has been in doubt all week. On Saturday night, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Cardinals are seemingly preparing for backup Jacoby Brissett to start on Sunday, as Murray is likely to be sidelined.
This will be Brissett's first start in a Cardinals uniform, and it comes against a team he played for from 2017–2020. Brissett spent the 2017 and 2019 seasons as the Colts' primary starter, throwing for over 2,900 yards each year, with 13 touchdowns in 2017 and 18 in 2019.
His experience gives the Cardinals a capable option under center, but losing Kyler Murray's playmaking ability is a significant blow facing a red-hot Colts team that is 4-1 to start the season. Arizona, currently 2-3, could fall two games below .500, with a Week 7 matchup against the Green Bay Packers looming.
Murray returned to practice on Friday, giving fans hope that he might play on Sunday.
However, with a full season still ahead, holding him out for a week may be the best decision for both Murray and the team's long-term future.
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