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Five straight wins haven’t earned Kyler Murray any benefit of the doubt from Kyle Brandt.
On “First Take,” Brandt pushed back against the optimism surrounding the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings, predicting their postseason would end after one game because their quarterback has never come through with a season on the line.
Brandt didn’t soften it. “I actually disagree. I think this version, I think they’re one-and-dones in the playoffs,” he said.
Murray’s thin postseason record drives the skepticism. “But the fact is, he has never been a guy in a big-time moment. Never. We’ve never seen it. We talked about this, Jordan. One playoff game ever,” Brandt said.
That lone appearance still sticks with him. “I don’t think he was on this planet for that playoff game. It was one of the strangest performances I’ve ever seen,” he added.
He wants one week of Murray taking over on a bad defensive day, trailing by four in the final two minutes of a postseason game in January.
Count Brandt as a doubter. “I just don’t think he’s that guy, and I can’t trust the team when he’s not,” he said.
Minnesota has leaned on a dominant defense and one of the NFL’s best special teams units while its quarterback play has lagged.
Free agency brought Murray to Minnesota this offseason after his run with the Arizona Cardinals. Injuries had derailed two of his three seasons before that.
A concussion knocked him out of his Week 1 debut against the Green Bay Packers and cost him Week 2.
Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints was different. Murray opened 12 for 12 and finished 24 of 30 with 51 rushing yards.
His 15-yard touchdown to star receiver Justin Jefferson, thrown into triple coverage, keyed a 23-13 win.
A single strong game hasn’t changed the outside view. Sports Illustrated’s latest quarterback rankings place Murray at No. 26, one spot above the New York Giants’ Jameis Winston and one below Arizona’s Jacoby Brissett.
Yes, that’s Murray’s old team. The test Brandt laid out can’t arrive before January. For now, the only playoff game on Murray’s résumé is the one Brandt still can’t shake.