Could Kyler Murray win the MVP despite missing three games? | You Pod to Win the Game
Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson and Frank Schwab discuss Kyler Murray’s incredible performance against the Bears returning to action after missing three weeks due to injury. If Murray continues to play at this level for the remainder of the season, why shouldn’t he win the MVP? Hear the full conversation on the You Pod to Win the Game podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
CHARLES ROBINSON: I'm going to tell you right now, if Kyler had not gotten hurt, probably-- probably the MVP. Like he's probably sailing right now as the MVP. Because he came out in this game, and I thought it's going to be first game back. He's been out a long time. He's not going to be sharp. You know, it's in Chicago, let's see what the weather's like. Yadda, yadda.
Yeah, I know DeAndre Hopkins has come back great. No. I was stunned. I'm like, man, he looks great. You know, he didn't have to throw it a ton. But I mean, doing what he does well-- running it in spots, creating. A throw, a beautiful touchdown pass to Hopkins. I mean tucked it in right inside the pylon. I mean he just looked fantastic.
And the funny thing is it overshadowed really what I think this team has going for it that makes me believe it could be a Super Bowl team, is the defense is legit. Like it's been there pretty much-- I mean, a spot here and there, where they got thumped. But pretty much on balance, the defense creates turnovers, they fly around, there are a lot of fun to watch. Chandler Jones is having a great season. Budda Baker. I mean it's-- I'll tell you what Arizona.
And listen, Chicago, I get it. I'm not super excited. I know it's the Bears. Andy Dalton looks to me like he's probably a backup now. You know it's just sort of a phase of his career. Yeah, it's where he is. It's not like it's a world beating team that you beat down. But just to have that guy walk right back in and to play the way that he did was really-- I'm kind of like, hey it's real!
And, oh, by the way. You know what else is interesting, that I really didn't appreciate until Colt McCoy was in there, all of a sudden it is a-- with James Conner they've figured out a way to be not just your sort of spread Kliff Kingsbury. You're Gunning it all-- no, they run the football really well. And that's continued. Against the Bears they ran it well.
FRANK SCHWAB: Yeah, absolutely. Let me ask you this. I mean you talked about Kyler, can't win MVP because, why not? Why can't Kyler Murray have a great final stretch here? It's rare, I get it. The only time as far as I know-- I've written about this, I think this is correct. The only time an MVP has won was 1989 Joe Montana. He played 12 out of 16 games. That's the almost an MVP has ever missed. But that did happen.
And let's say Kyler, in these last five games they have, let's just say they win four or five. They have a Monday night game coming up against the Rams next week.
CHARLES ROBINSON: They have games, too.
FRANK SCHWAB: So if he plays well against the Rams on a big stage on Monday night, and all of a sudden we start saying, well none of these other candidates, Brady, Rodgers, Dak, whoever, is blowing us away. Why not Kyler? Yeah, he missed three weeks. So what? He's been the best player. I think he has. And I think if this Arizona team finish is 14 and 3 with the number one seed in the NFC, And Kyler plays like he did today the rest of the way, and doesn't get hurt again and miss any more time, I don't think-- it'd be rare, but I don't think it'd be crazy to vote him MVP at all.
CHARLES ROBINSON: I wouldn't-- I'm not going to cross him-- I mean, you can't cross him off. Because you don't know what's going to happen. And frankly, the way he played today, that's what I thought in my mind. Was like, God, it's kind of a shame this dude missed three games. Because I would think right now, maybe I'd just be like, oh, clear and away is probably the leader in the clubhouse for MVP.
I won't discount that he could fight his way into it down the stretch. And you know, as you said, he's still got an ability to play 14 games. You know. So it's not with that extra game. And the remainder of the schedule is not a cream puff schedule. We're going to find out in the next three games really-- next four games. I mean just, I guess, subtract Detroit out of the mix down the stretch. But we're going to find out really how good this team is.
