Cardinals QB Must Answer This Question

It's not untrue to say Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray has been the center of a great deal of scrutiny in his six seasons in the desert. Praise and criticism have abounded equally — some fair, some not.

It's hard to draw the line exactly between what are serious concerns with Murray's game that need improvement and what is baseless finger-pointing. But ultimately, Murray has not had stability with regard to roster talent, coaching staffs and overall infrastructure in Arizona — that much is true, whether or not it constitutes a valid excuse.

But there is one dilemma for Murray, ahead of a pivotal year three under Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort:

Consistency over Production

It's not just a Murray thing. QBs across the NFL are often hit with the phrase "he's talented, he's just inconsistent."

On top of that, it's undeniably true that the Cardinals' offense in general was wildly inconsistent, in many more departments than just QB.

Murray has immense raw talent, and has showcased that in numerous ways. But that has also given way to performances that leave one scratching their head, wondering where the elite passer they saw the prior week went.

The Cardinals' signal-caller has a more beneficial situation these days. No longer is he the sole hero of this offense. He can comfortably slot into what some derogatorily call a "game manager" role. It's used as an insult, but it's not.

With a sturdy run game and much-improved defense, Murray does not have to produce high volume to get the job done. All he has to do is be able to consistently execute what is asked of him.

Easier said than done, yes, and mistakes will always happen. But rather than showing explosives one week and a lack thereof the next, Murray needs to find a more consistent balance between the two — he has the infrastructure in place to do so now.

So what does all that intangible verbiage really mean? At its core, it's relatively simple. Murray doesn't need to throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns per game. What he does need to do is complete passes he should complete, and avoid turnovers he doesn't need to make.

It may seem obvious, and it's certainly a simplification of the most complex, difficult position in football. But Murray no longer has the pressure of putting on the superman cape. Now, it's time to simply keep the machine moving — consistently.