Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray recently took to Instagram to share a series of workout photos captioned “bet the over,” hinting at heightened expectations for the upcoming NFL season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The post generated a flurry of supportive comments from both current and former teammates, highlighting the excitement surrounding Murray’s return to the field for a full season. James Conner commented, “Work days,” Trey Benson added, “Almost that time..,” Paris Johnson Jr. wrote, “Taking it every time,” and JJ Watt humorously replied, “idk man, 10 pounds seems pretty accurate. You really thinking it might be 11?”
Murray’s journey back to peak form has been filled with challenges. In 2022, he suffered a torn ACL that sidelined him for a significant portion of the season. His return in Week 10 of the 2023 season marked a critical moment for both Murray and the Cardinals, as he managed to throw for 1,799 yards and 10 touchdowns despite the injury.
However, critics have not been kind to Arizona’s franchise quarterback. Pro Football Talk recently labeled Murray as the Cardinals’ most overrated player. This criticism largely stems from the controversial “independent study clause” included in his $230.5 million contract signed before the 2022 season, which questioned his dedication to game preparation.
With the addition of wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., expectations for Murray are on the rise. Despite this, sportsbooks still set relatively low projections for his season stats. Some notable betting lines that Murray may be referencing with his “bet the over” post include:
- Cardinals win line set at 6.5
- Cardinals at +1300 to win the NFC West
- Kyler Murray at +3000 to win Comeback Player of the Year
- Kyler Murray’s regular season passing yards line at 3,400.5 (he exceeded this mark in each of his first three seasons)
- Kyler Murray’s regular season touchdown passes line set at 21.5 (he surpassed this in 2020 and 2021)
So, despite entering the season with an improved offense around him and a fully healthy set of legs, Murray is still expected to perform worst that he did during the first three seasons of his career.
Is it time to bet the over on K1 and the Cardinals?
