https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/cardinals-jonathan-gannon-says-jacoby-brissett-will-start-vs-seahawks-as-kyler-murrays-recovery-continues-215815870.html
Less than 24 hours after defeating the Dallas Cowboys 27-17 on “Monday Night Football,” Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Tuesday that Jacoby Brissett will continue to start at quarterback Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Brissett has been filling in for Kyler Murray, who is still recovering from a foot injury that he suffered in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans.
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When asked if the decision to go with Brissett in Seattle is fully health-related, Gannon simply responded, “Yeah.”
Gannon then faced the question of why he was willing to rule out the possibility of Murray starting against the Seahawks five days before the Week 10 matchup, compared to last week when he kept things vague leading up to game day and even initially confirmed last Thursday that they were preparing Murray to start against the Cowboys.
“Yeah, I think with the clarity that it provides game planning for our team,” Gannon said Tuesday, “I think that’s important.”
Murray and the Cardinals have consulted with multiple doctors on his injury, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who also reported Tuesday that the team has learned the timetable for recovery from the kind of foot issue the two-time Pro Bowler is dealing with can range from four to eight weeks.
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Schefter added that the Cardinals have been told there’s an increased chance of setback until Murray’s foot is properly healed.
A reporter inquired Tuesday if injured reserve is on the table for Murray.
“Yeah, I don’t know that,” said Gannon, who noted that the seventh-year quarterback “wants to be out there” and that he’s a “good teammate” who’s working to get healthy.
Gannon conceded that Murray’s recovery has taken longer than he first expected.
“It never goes how you think it’s going to go,” the third-year Cardinals head coach said. “But I understand why it’s at where it’s at right now.”
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Gannon was asked postgame Monday night if Murray would resume his role as the team’s starting quarterback when he returned. Gannon responded, “Nothing’s changed on that.”
Has anything changed since?
“Not much,” Gannon said Tuesday.
He continued, though: “I do like how we’re operating as an offense. So that has — in my mind, I take all the variables that I have to make a decision and make the decision when I need to, and I think we’re doing a pretty good job on offense. I like what the offense is doing right now.”
In Brissett’s three starts, the Cardinals have gone 1-2 and averaged 25.7 points and 356.7 yards per game while converting 56.1% of their third downs. In Murray’s five starts this season, Arizona went 2-3 and averaged 20.6 points and 288.4 yards per game while converting 39.7% of their third downs.
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With Brissett quarterbacking the offense, Arizona has been able to push the ball downfield more. He’s 8 of 14 on passes traveling 20-plus air yards this season, whereas Murray is 6 of 16 in that depth, per PFF.
Gannon attributes the spike in efficiency to the entire offense.
“I think all 11 are doing a good job. I mean we’re doing the things that are needed to move the ball, stay on the field and score points,” he said.
With Brissett running the show, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has turned to a heavy dose of play-action while making the most of the journeyman’s abilities as an under-center quarterback.
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Of Brissett’s 31 pass attempts against the Cowboys, 16 came on play-action, according to PFF, which had him down as 10 of 16 on those throws with 141 yards and a touchdown resulting from that concept.
“There’s a combination of factors what play-action does to a defense, and I think that Drew’s doing a good job of calling ’em in different situations that you might not be thinking that’s the play type, and then it gets really challenging when you don’t think that’s the play type,” Gannon explained.
“It can keep a defense off balance a little bit. So I just think it’s good. It kind of firms up the pocket a little bit. It lets our guys get down the field a little bit, and you still have answers if they take it away to hopefully create a productive play for you.”
Brissett has found success as Murray’s replacement. He’ll remain the starter this week, but that’s as far out as Gannon appears to be looking right now.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/breaking-news/article/cardinals-jonathan-gannon-says-jacoby-brissett-will-start-vs-seahawks-as-kyler-murrays-recovery-continues-215815870.html
