FLOWERY BRANCH — The Falcons will start preparing for Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday, not knowing what to expect.
The Falcons (4-5) are set to play the Cardinals (1-8) at 4:05 p.m. Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
After the Cardinals traded Joshua Dobbs to the Vikings on Oct. 31, Clayton Tune, a fifth-round pick out of Houston, started against the Browns on Sunday and was not productive. The Browns spanked the Cardinals 27-0.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who has not played all season and is recovering from knee surgery, is expected to start against the Falcons. There is no film of Murray playing in the new offensive scheme the Cardinals installed under first-year coach Jonathan Gannon.
“He’ll take the ‘One’ reps and if all goes well, he’ll start,” Gannon told the Phoenix area media Monday.
Murray is to be activated from the NFL’s “physically unable to perform” list Wednesday, according to Gannon.
“We have to be willing to understand it might not look like Kyler,” Gannon said. “I think he has a good expectation of that, the coaches have a good expectation of that. I know this, he’s going to come out there, play his game and help us win.”
Murray, who was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2019 draft, signed a five-year, $230 million contract extension July 21, 2022. A total of $160 million of the deal was guaranteed.
He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021, while guiding the Cardinals to a 8-8 mark and 9-5 marks. He has started 57 NFL games and has a 25-31-1 record as a starter.
The Cardinals were 3-8 last season, when Murray sustained a torn ACL in his right knee in December in a game against the Patriots.
“We’ll monitor it,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “You’ve got to have a plan for both (Murray and Tune).”
The Falcons faced Tennessee rookie quarterback Will Levis on Oct. 29 in his first NFL start. The defense had to scramble Sunday when Vikings rookie quarterback Jaren Hall was knocked out of the last game with a concussion. Dobbs came on to guide the Vikings to a 31-28 victory.
“I’d expect Murray if they think it’s the time to do it,” Smith said.
Murray is good at running around and making throws on the run. Dobbs hurt the Falcons with his scrambling, and he rushed seven times for 66 yards and an 18-yard touchdown.
“We’ve got to shut down the quarterback extension plays,” Smith said. “He’s as good as anybody,” Smith said of Murray’s running ability.
Tune, making his first start, was 11-of-20 passing for 58 yards with two interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 20.8. Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is a first-year coordinator, and there’s not much out there on his tendencies. He previously was the quarterbacks coach in Cleveland for the past three seasons and spent time with the Vikings.
The Falcons will have to stick to the basic rules of their scheme early and then make in-game adjustments.
However, teams have dug into the film archives and found plays that have hurt the Falcons’ defense and have been able to repeat them.
Tennessee’s DeAndre Hopkins’ 47-yard touchdown catch, appeared to be the same route that Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans scored on from 40 yards out. Hopkins’ 61-yard touchdown on a seam route was the same route concept the Texans used to find Dalton Schultz open and tie the score late.
On Sunday, Minnesota’s Brandon Powell said the game-winning play was taken from the Falcons’ game against the Detroit in Week 3. The Falcons played the same coverage – Cover 4 with a tucked nickel – and the play was still open.
“As the season goes on, there’s things that you’re doing well,” Smith said. “Things come up, and you’ve got to put a stop to it.”
Veteran Calais Campbell has discussed cutting down those lapses on defense, and safety Jessie Bates has been on a crusade to cut down the explosive plays. Against the Vikings and the 6-foot-3 and 216-pound Dobbs, the Falcons missed 16 tackles.
“The biggest thing is just paying attention to the details,” Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata said. “So many things we could have done way better from the first snap in the first quarter all the way down through the game that shouldn’t have put us in the situation that we ended up being in.”
The Falcons won’t glean much from studying old Murray video in the Air Raid/pro-style mash-up that former coach Kliff Kingsbury was trying to put together.
“So, the thing is also honing in and make the defense our own and making the play calls are own,” Onyemata said. “Knowing that we are the key to the plays. We are the ones that make the plays go. Being in the right position. Being in the right alignment. Being in the right places at the right time.”
This will be the 33rd regular-season meeting between the teams. The series is tied 16-16. The Falcons won the last meeting, 20-19 on Jan. 1.
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