Watch Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals in action at the Seattle Seahawks to open Week 11 in the NFL - live on Sky Sports NFL from 1.20am, Friday; Young was appearing on NFL Overtime, Tuesdays, 9pm, Sky Sports NFL
Wednesday 18 November 2020 08:56, UK
Vince Young says Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is changing the game in the NFL following his Hail Mary touchdown heroics with two seconds left of Arizona's win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
The Cardinals went behind 30-26 to the Bills in the final minute after a touchdown pass by Buffalo QB Josh Allen - whose performance Young also praised - but Murray took one final shot to the endzone from 43 yards out in the dying seconds and DeAndre Hopkins came down with the game-winning grab in a stunning finish.
"There is nothing you can do to stop that," said former Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young on NFL Overtime.
"It was an outstanding game by both teams; both quarterbacks did pretty much everything they could do to lead their team to a victory.
"One team had to lose and it just had to be like that. Everybody thought Buffalo had won, but when you've got guys like Mr Hopkins and Murray, the sky is the limit.
"It was good to see those two young quarterbacks, they are changing the game in the NFL."
Murray, a Texas native like Young, was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 after an impressive debut season in the NFL, but he is being touted as a contender for the league MVP award in his second season.
Murray had 3,722 passing yards in his rookie year, with 20 touchdowns. After nine games of his sophomore season, he boasts 2,375 yards and 17 TDs through the air and has already toppled his 2019 rushing totals (544 yards, four TDs) by tallying a staggering 604 yards and 10 scores, with seven games still to be played.
As a result, Murray is on pace to become the first player in NFL history to have over 4,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
"As a rookie quarterback coming in, he has to play catchup," Young added. "It takes a while but, at the same time, I cannot give him enough praise, because it happens in the offseason.
"He worked his butt off to do these things that you guys are seeing right now. He has been doing it since he was a kid - I've been watching him since high school - and now he is bringing that talent into the NFL and taking the game to another level.
"He's up there [in the MVP race]. His speed, he has you on the edge of your seat the whole game.
"A lot of people probably counted them out in this game, because the Buffalo defence actually did a really good job on him.
"But I guess he got the 'Space Jam' juice and he took over the game, he put it on his back."
As for the 'Hail Murray' play itself, as it has become known, NFL Overtime host Josh Denzel also pointed out the role Hopkins had to play - an offseason acquisition via trade from the Houston Texans.
Hopkins, a three-time All-Pro receiver who has put up over 1,000 yards in five of his seven seasons in the NFL, has 861 yards and four touchdown receptions so far for the Cardinals. The Texans are struggling at 2-7 on the season, firing head coach Bill O'Brien after losing their opening four games.
"Bill O'Brien must be sat at home thinking, 'why did I trade away Hopkins? What was I thinking?'", said Denzel.
"He is the best when it is contested catches, there isn't anyone better. He has 10 inch hands and a crazy vertical leap - it's like he's wearing a baseball mitt catching the ball.
"He is a fantastic player and he is taking this team to another level.
"It's that individual brilliance from both of them [Hopkins and Murray] that makes the Cardinals a contender."
Watch Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals in action at the Seattle Seahawks to open Week 11 in the NFL, live on Sky Sports NFL from 1.20am in the early hours of Friday morning.
