Kyler Murray's season-ending injury sums up the Cardinals' dismal year
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Kyler Murray is carted off the field Monday. Photo: Norm Hall/Getty Images
When quarterback Kyler Murray left the game with a knee injury on Monday, he took what little hope was left in the Arizona Cardinals' disappointing season with him.
Driving the news: Murray suffered a non-contact knee injury during Monday night's loss to the New England Patriots. An MRI Tuesday confirmed an ACL tear that ended his season.
- Backup QB Colt McCoy will be under center for the last four games of the season.
- Arizona beat the Rams and lost to the 49ers last month with McCoy filling in for an injured Murray.
What's next: Torn ACLs usually require nine to 12 months of recovery, meaning there's a good chance Murray will miss the start of next season.
State of play: Overall, it's been a dismal year for the Cards, whose 4-9 record leaves them tied for the bottom spot in the NFC West.
- Star wideout DeAndre Hopkins was suspended for the first six games of the season and tight end Zach Ertz suffered a season-ending knee injury in November.
What they're saying: "This has been a dumpster fire for the Arizona Cardinals. And now with the franchise quarterback in question as to his availability for next year, there's a lot of decisions that have to be made and a lot of really tough decisions that have to be made," NFL legend Troy Aikman said on SportsCenter after the team's loss to the Patriots.
The big picture: Though the Cards aren't yet mathematically eliminated from a playoff spot, their chances are virtually nonexistent. They'd need several other teams to lose out even if they won all four of their remaining games to grab a wild card spot.
What we're watching: Embattled head coach Kliff Kingsbury has been on the hot seat for much of the season, and GM Steve Keim is under increasing pressure as well.
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