The Detroit Lions will be the defense Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray will face in his first NFL regular season game.
General Manager Steve Keim told Rich Eisen today, coming as no surprise, that their first-overall pick will start the season opener.
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“We didn’t draft him one overall to ride the pine,” Keim added on The Rich Eisen Show this week. “I know it’s a lot to put on his back, but that’s why we drafted him. He’s a fierce competitor, and that’s what he did at Oklahoma this year. He put the team on his back. They didn’t have a great defense, and he knew he had to score on almost every series to give them a chance to win. I sort of like the chances there.”
If you're a Lions fan, the prospect of facing a rookie quarterback is terrifying. Just look at last year, for example.
The Lions entered their season opener against the New York Jets as favorites, facing rookie QB Sam Darnold. It didn't go so well for Detroit.
Darnold started the game with a pick-6, but then rebounded quickly, throwing for two touchdowns and nearly 200 yards in his first NFL game. With some help from the Jets defense, New York beat the Lions, 48-17.
Back in 2012, then rookie QB Andrew Luck dropped four touchdowns, including a last-second winner, against the Lions at Ford Field.
We won't talk about Matt Flynn, because he wasn't a rookie, but you get the point.
Will Kyler Murray start his NFL career with a win against the Lions? We'll soon find out.