After five straight losses, the Arizona Cardinals finally showed life, without Kyler Murray. He missed the game against the Dallas Cowboys due to a Week 5 foot sprain, and veteran Jacoby Brissett stepped in with a strong performance. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has now made his decision on the quarterback situation.

As good as Brissett was tonight, Gannon won’t be changing his quarterback plans anytime soon. When asked about what the quarterback situation would look like when Murray’s healthy, he said, “Nothing’s changed on that.” He said that he had “nothing to add to that” when asked whether Brissett had earned more playing time after tonight or not.

Murray missed his third straight game on Monday with a foot injury, and once again, Brissett handled things under center. The veteran didn’t disappoint, leading the Cardinals to a 27–17 win and looking steady throughout. Brissett went 21-of-31 for 261 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.

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The previous two games didn’t go Arizona’s way with losses to the Colts and Packers, but those defeats weren’t on Brissett. Over that span, he threw for 599 yards, four touchdowns, and just one pick. What hurt the Cardinals was protection and defense.

Brissett took two sacks against Indianapolis and six more against Green Bay, often left to fend for himself behind a broken OL.

Against the Cowboys, the pressure was still there as he took three more sacks, but this time, the result was different. Brissett made smart reads, took what the defense gave him, and finished drives when it mattered. And his performances have made everyone question whether Murray should be the Cardinals’ starting QB or not.

Arizona started the season well, winning its first two. But things unraveled quickly. Since that point, with Murray in the lineup, the offense stalled. He put up just three touchdown passes and two interceptions across three starts before he went down. Now, some important names in the league believe that Jonathan Gannon should move on from his QB1.

Calls for benching Kyler Murray intensify

When the Cardinals brought Jacoby Brissett back in March, it was viewed as a sensible move. A decent backup for Kyler Murray, someone steady enough to keep things afloat if needed. No one imagined it might spark a full-blown quarterback discussion by midseason.

After all, Murray is tied to a $230 million contract and, on paper, as secure a QB1 as anyone in the league. That assumption doesn’t feel quite as certain anymore. And now, the conversation isn’t limited to fans or media.

Legendary quarterback Troy Aikman added his voice to the discussion Monday night. I don’t think they will (use Murray as QB1). I don’t think you can, quite honestly, because it wasn’t like they were playing good offensively while Kyler Murray was playing.”

“The best football’s been the last three games. This win, this is big. And I don’t know how you then send Jacoby Brissett to the bench,” he added. Commentator Joe Buck echoed Aikman’s sentiment. “I don’t know how you take (Brissett) off the field,” he said. And even the Cardinals fans can’t really criticize them for making this point right now.

The Cardinals have reached the postseason only once during Murray’s tenure, and that was back in 2019. Over time, patience has worn thin. Some of that falls on the organization; they haven’t really surrounded him with top-end talent. But at some point, the results have to match the investment, and they simply haven’t.

Brissett, on the other hand, has developed quick chemistry with his receivers, especially tight end Trey McBride, who’s caught four touchdowns in the past three games. The offense looks more structured now. Jonathan Gannon might still see Murray as QB1, but that can change very easily.