19 days till Arizona Cardinals' opener: Remembering the 2019 season

As the Arizona Cardinals' 2019 season comes to a close, they faced 19 days until their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 13. The team, led by first-year head coach Kliff Kingsbury, started their journey under challenging circumstances, as the previous season ended with a 3-13 record. Despite the struggles, the 2019 campaign held some promise. The Cardinals finished the season with a 5-10-1 record, marking a turnaround from their previous year's dismal performance.

The offense, while not outstanding, showed improvement over the previous season. The team ranked 21st in yards and 16th in points, displaying a moderate offensive performance. Defensively, the Cardinals were struck by the worst yards allowed and 28th in points, indicating significant areas for improvement.

Among the individual accolades, quarterback Kyler Murray stood out, earning the prestigious Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Safety Budda Baker and outside linebacker Chander Jones were named Pro Bowlers, with Jones also securing first-team All-Pro honors. Jones excelled in defensive player rankings, finishing second in the voting.

Murray demonstrated his versatility, passing for 3,722 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, while also rushing for four touchdowns. Midseason addition Kenyan Drake contributed significantly on the ground, leading the team with 643 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Murray's second-round rushing output totaled 544 yards.

Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald contributed with 75 catches for 804 yards, while fellow receiver Christian Kirk had a slightly lower target count with 68 receptions for 709 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Jones led the league with 19 sacks and eight forced fumbles, while Budda Baker led the NFL with 104 solo tackles. Rookie cornerback Byron Murphy made an immediate impact with 10 pass breakups.