Lions vs. Cardinals: Arizona's Kyler Murray only rookie quarterback to start NFL Week 1

Both the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals finished last in their respective divisions last season and won just a combined nine games – fewer than 11 individual teams. However, their matchup in the desert on Sunday afternoon is rather intriguing simply because it's the NFL debut of Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. ET from State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Detroit is a 2.5-point favorite on the Lions vs. Cardinals spread with an over-under of 47.

Murray was historically good last year at Oklahoma in winning the school's second straight Heisman Trophy. He was also the second straight OU quarterback to go No. 1 in the NFL Draft, and if Murray has a rookie season like Cleveland's Baker Mayfield did then Cardinals officials would be thrilled. Murray is the favorite on the NFL futures odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The last Cardinal to win that was receiver Anquan Boldin in 2003.

There were three quarterbacks taken in the first round of this year's draft: Murray, Duke's Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall to the Giants and Ohio State's Dwyane Haskins at No. 15 to the Redskins. Murray will be the only one to start Week 1, although it seems only a matter of time before Jones and Haskins get their chances with both New York and Washington likely to struggle. At least one rookie quarterback has started a Week 1 game in 11 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950. Arizona didn't start rookie Josh Rosen under center until Week 4 last year. Rosen had a horrible season and was traded to Miami.

The Cardinals hosted Detroit in Week 14 in 2018 and the Lions won 17-3. It was their first win in Arizona since 1993. Rosen threw one pick and it was returned 67 yards for a touchdown. The game's other touchdown was a Zach Zenner 1-yard run with 4:05 to go. Matthew Stafford wasn't good at all in throwing for just 101 yards.

If Detroit doesn't win this game, it could be 0-4 entering its Week 5 bye because it then hosts the Chargers, visits the Eagles and hosts the Chiefs – all playoff teams last year and legitimate Super Bowl contenders this season. SportsLine's game forecast page sees a 25-20 Lions win. 

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