To be clear, the start of the Kyler Murray Era for the Cardinals wasn't perfect. He had an incomplete pass.
Truth be told though, the 2019 NFL Draft's No. 1 pick couldn't have been much better.
He completed his first six passes for 44 yards and a 92.9 quarterback rating.
Good start. pic.twitter.com/P9rmVNvQxE
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 9, 2019
"I thought it was smooth," Murray said at halftime. "I was anxious to get out there, move around and throw it a little bit. I really just tried to execute whatever Coach called, and I think we did that for the most part."
The only real slip-up on the Cardinals rookie quarterback’s part, according to azcentral.com, was when he literally slipped and fell on a third-and-9 play and it had to be counted as a sack.
Speaking of azcentral.com, it should be noted that on its website Friday morning, next to "Cardinals rookie Kyler Murray looked calm, in total control against Chargers" was another story with a telling headline: "Cardinals' Kyler Murray, Kliff Kingsbury won't succeed without an improved offensive line."
But Thursday night there certainly were flashes of what can be for Murray, who future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald says knows Kingsbury's offense better than anyone and clearly is right in that assessment.
His final line: 6 for 7 passing for 44 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Coach Kingsbury discusses Kyler Murray's performance, Trent Sherfield's effort and more. pic.twitter.com/VZwlrhry3C
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) August 9, 2019
For Kingsbury, there wasn't a lone Murray highlight that stood out. For the first-year coach, also an NFL rookie, it’s the big picture.
"I think just overall I’ve been proud of the way he’s handled things," Kingsbury said of Murray. "To be kind of pushed in as kind of the guy, there's no kind of grace period or like leading him in with any veteran presence at that position. He's remained humble, he's remained diligent in his work ethic, and really handled his business. So, I've been proud of that for him."
For Murray, it just felt good: "It's really crazy. It feels like a dream come true to finally be here in front of the fans. A new team for me with new guys, so it felt good."
