Since Jacoby Brissett stepped in as the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, the chatter about who truly gives the team the edge hasn’t died down. Currently, Kyler Murray is sidelined with a foot injury and officially on injured reserve. But even with Brissett showing undeniable command, one legendary Cardinals quarterback isn’t ready to bet against Murray just yet.

On the Rich Eisen Show, Hall of Famer and NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner broke down the differences between the Cards’ quarterbacks. When asked if Brissett operates offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s system better than Murray, Warner had an answer ready.

“He’s [Jacoby] always been a pocket-type passer that plays on time and on schedule. Kyler, although really good when he’s throwing to his number one guy…knows where he wants to go with the football,” Warner said. “When you’re looking at in structure and timing, Jacoby’s playing this offense and playing within this offense better than I think Kyler did, but they’re just different.” 

Warner’s take hints at the difference between the steady, system-first Jacoby Brissett versus the instinct-driven Kyler Murray. Despite the performances Brissett has put in, he doesn’t seem to be losing hope on Murray future.

“Even though Kyler may not do some of the things Jacoby has done, he does other things that makes their team better or different. That’s the interesting dynamic here. It’s easy to throw on the tape and say, ‘Okay, this looks better. This looks more on schedule.’ But that doesn’t automatically mean that this team is better and their offense is better without Kyler Murray and the dynamics that he brings,” Warner added.

Brissett’s impact didn’t actually help start winning games right away. In the first two matches he started, Arizona lost 27-31 to the Indianapolis Colts and 23-27 to the Green Bay Packers. But after the bye week, Brissett led the Cards to win 27-17 against the Dallas Cowboys. 

Even head coach Jonathan Gannon praised the unit’s execution.

“There’s some things to clean up, but I did think that we put it together for what we needed to for sixty minutes in all three phases, that was good to see, that was a good win,” Gannon said.

This season, Brissett has a total of 860 passing yards with six touchdowns and one interception. His consistent pace and pocket presence have reinvigorated the offense with an impact now clearly visible in the last win. With Brissett’s performances, Murray’s future could soon be debated.

Murray’s long-term future isn’t so certain. He’s locked into a massive $230.5 million contract, and the two-time Pro Bowler has been the franchise’s face since his 2019 debut. Yet his recent setbacks and Brissett’s hot streak have created whispers in the Valley of the Sun. 

Jacoby Brissett’s breakout

Brissett’s command of the Cardinals’ offense has injected new life into the season. In impact, the West Palm Beach native has thrown with a 65,2% completion accuracy, with 112 attempts and 73 completions.

His stability has helped the Cardinals average over 23 points in those games he started, a sharp uptick from the early-season numbers. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing even applauded Brissett’s steadiness.

“I think it’s a couple different things, certainly the yard to gain is a big part of it, and that’s something we always talk about staying on schedule and putting yourself in third and manageable,” Petzing remarked. “He’s [Brissett] playing at a high level. (We’ve) got to with the guys that are healthy in the games and we’re excited about where we’re at and ready to go.” 

In sum, the Cards are riding the wave of a quarterback who plays smart, clean football, keeps defenses honest, and looks like a good bet to lead the Bird Gang into the playoffs right now. But as Kurt Warner reminds the faithful, having Murray back could shift the dynamic again.