Gannon: Brissett still backup after win vs. Dallas

ARLINGTON, Texas — Despite backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett leading the Cardinals to their first win since mid-September and directing the offense to its best three-game stretch of the season, Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said he isn’t changing course on his starting quarterback.

“Nothing’s changed on that,” Gannon said after Monday night’s 27-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.

Gannon has said for weeks that when starter Kyler Murray has recovered from a foot injury that has sidelined him the past three games, Murray will play. Gannon said Murray didn’t play Monday night because he “just wasn’t healthy enough to go.”

Pressed on why, after Brissett’s recent run, he’ll stick with Murray, Gannon said it is “just how I feel.”

Gannon said he had nothing to add to the conversation when asked whether Brissett had shown him enough to earn the job.

Brissett threw for 261 yards — his third straight outing of more than 260 passing yards — and two touchdowns on 21-of-31 passing against the Cowboys.

Gannon said he thought Brissett played well and that he liked how he operated.

But Brissett didn’t want to discuss whether he should start for a fourth straight game when Arizona plays at the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

“I don’t get into that stuff, man,” Brissett said. “I’m just trying to go out here and win games, be a good teammate and do the best that I can when I get my opportunity.

“That’s all I can ask for.”

In his three starts, Brissett is averaging 256 passing yards per game and 7.7 yards per attempt while throwing for six touchdowns with one interception. Murray averaged 170 passing yards per game and 6.0 yards per attempt in his five starts this season and threw for six touchdowns with three interceptions. Each quarterback has run for a touchdown, despite Murray rushing 14 more times and for 122 more yards. Brissett has thrown for 860 total passing yards in three games, while Murray has thrown for 962 in five.

The offense has been statistically more productive with Brissett running it, averaging 25.7 points and 357 yards per game as compared with 18.8 points and 288.4 yards when Murray starts.

Brissett has stood out on third down, as well. Arizona is converting 56% of third downs in Brissett’s starts and 40% in Murray’s.

The Cardinals gained 15 first downs in the first half against the Cowboys, which is tied for their most first downs in a half this season, matching the second half at the Indianapolis Colts in Week 6 during another Brissett start. In three games, Brissett has thrown for 44 first downs as compared with Murray’s 50 in his five starts.

Yet Brissett deflected any credit for the offense finding its rhythm and success with him running the scheme.

He said it’s a matter of the Cardinals’ offense figuring itself out after a slow start.

“I don’t think it’s me. I really don’t,” Brissett said. “I think it’s just everybody gets caught up in the beginning of the season.”

“And the good teams in this league find ways to continue to get better, and that’s what we’re doing at this point in the season, is just finding ways to continue to get better. You tweak things, you go back to the drawing board,” he added. “We’re going to go back after this game and say we should have did this better, that better, that better. And I think that’s what we’re doing a good job [of].

“And like I said, I really don’t think it’s me. I just think it’s over the time and through the season, I think we’ll continue to get better.”

Arizona wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who set a career high with seven catches Monday, said Brissett does a good job of communicating his likes and dislikes as well as what he’s looking for with both his teammates and his coaches.

“Just kind of making sure we’re all in the right positions to kind of be successful,” Harrison said, “and then he just does his part.”