By Jim Souhan
I re-watched the Vikings game, taking note of formations and detailing Kyler Murray’s second-half performance. Here’s what I found:
-With the game dangerously close, he completed his last nine passes, and his last pass would have produced a touchdown if T.J. Hockenson hadn’t knelt just short of the goalline.
-Murray made at least three beautiful, tight-window throws, particularly to Hockenson and Jordan Addison.
-His only two incompletions in the second half were throwaways when he was under pressure and didn’t want to take a sack or risk an interception.
-When passing out of the shotgun or pistol in the second half, he went 15-for-15 for 137 yards and what should have been a touchdown.
-His second half passing totals when starting a play under center: 1-for-3 for 8 yards.
-When Murray was under center in the second half, the Vikings ran the ball four times for nine yards. When Murray was set back, the Vikings ran the ball 10 times for 51 yards. (These reflect running plays, not end-of-the-game kneeldowns.)
-By my definition, he threw only one bad pass in the second half – when he had Aaron Jones open in the right flat and threw the ball low, forcing Jones to reach down for it and keeping him from turning up field for a first down.
-In the second half of a close game, without Justin Jefferson, Josh Oliver or the left side of the offensive line, Murray was almost perfect. No, he didn’t throw deep often, but even the TV cameras showed that Addison, his only true deep threat, was well-covered when he ran deep.
-In the fourth quarter, Murray went 13-for-14 for 120 yards.
Those are the facts. Added to the fact that Murray threw two completions to Jefferson early in the Bucs game before Jefferson was hurt, and a logical conclusion would be that Murray, if allowed to play out of the shotgun or pistol, and if supported with decent offensive line play, could be quite good the rest of the season.
That’s if O’Connell sets him up for success, a few yards behind center.
-The hot listen: Roy Smalley, LaVelle Neal and me had a great time telling umpire, manager and Gardy stories on the latest Chin Music.
-Want to advertise with TalkNorth.com? Contact VP of business development Tami Henderson at THenderson@talknorth.com