Kliff Kinsgbury and the Cardinals Get Flexed to Prime Time
Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury went on Monday Night Football this week and dominated the Dallas Cowboys. Utterly dominated. It wasn't close. Offense, defense, and special teams were all won by the Cardinals who are now 4-2 on the season heading into their next matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.
That game between the NFC West leader Seattle Seahawks, who are undefeated, and the 2nd place Cardinals is now set for Sunday Night after being flexed from the afternoon spot.
In conjunction, the NFL will be moving the Buccaneers and Raiders from the primetime game into the afternoon slot. The reasoning behind the Bucs-Raiders move is COVID-19 related with the Raiders potentially having to shut down this week. The choice for the NFL to move the Cardinals and Seahawks into primetime over a game like Steelers vs Titans or Saints vs Panthers is evidence that the Cardinals are improving under new coach Kliff Kingsbury.
The Cardinals aren't a team you think of when you start listing off the teams that demand an audience in the NFL. Teams like the Cowboys, Steelers, Patriots and Packers have national audiences and generally get the benefit of the doubt in these flex scenarios. With the rise of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs and the offensive boom in the league, the all-of-a-sudden Air Raid Seahawks vs Kyler Murray and the Cardinals is a matchup that can potentially provide some fireworks.
Kingsbury's 4-2 start is a game better than last season's 3-3 start in his first season. The Cardinals and Seahawks split last season with the Cardinals winning the game in Seattle.