This is a collection of photos chosen by AP photo editors.
Xenia Krizsan, of Hungary, pauses while participating in the women's heptathlon javelin at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Alexis Holmes, of the United States, prepares to start in her women's 400-meter semifinal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Britain's Amber Jo Rutter ejects empty cartridges from her gun as she competes in the Skeet women's final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Noah Lyles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal in in the men's 100 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Spain's Paula Soria Gutierrez gives a sign to server Liliana Fernandez Steiner in a beach volleyball match against Switzerland at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Mauritius' Kate Foo Kune plays against Refugee Olympic Team's Dorsa Yavarivafa during their women's singles badminton group stage match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Erin Gemmell, of the United States, prepares to start in her heat in the women's 200-meter freestyle at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
France's Remi Bassereau goes for the block in a beach volleyball match against Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Eve Thomas, of New Zealand, competes during a heat in the women's 1500-meter freestyle at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Italy's Arianna Errigo reacts during the women's team foil semifinal match against Japan during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
United States' Anna Peplowsky swims in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Tovizi Petra Anita Fuezi, of Hungary, holds the ball during a women's handball match against Netherlands at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Eleni-Klaoudia Polak, of Greece, prepares for the women's pole vault qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Croatia team leader Sunsica Cebecic, her nails painted for the occasion, pats Marin Rantes, of Croatia, during the cycling BMX freestyle men's park qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. Rantes failed to qualify for the final. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Taryn Gollshewsky, of Australia, wears the Olympic rings on her nails during the women's discus throw qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Ukraine's Polia Buhrova has her finger nails painted with the colors of Ukrainian flag and the Olympic rings during her women's singles badminton group stage match against Czechia's Tereza Svabikova at Porte de la Chapelle Arena during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Jeremy Goupille shows his nails painted with the rainbow colors and the Olympic rings at the opening of Pride House, the safe space for the LGBT+ community of athletes, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Sha'Carri Richardson, of the United States, shows off her nails while traveling along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis,Pool)
Click to Gallery
This is a collection of photos chosen by AP photo editors.
Alexis Holmes, of the United States, prepares to start in her women's 400-meter semifinal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Britain's Amber Jo Rutter ejects empty cartridges from her gun as she competes in the Skeet women's final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Noah Lyles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal in in the men's 100 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Spain's Paula Soria Gutierrez gives a sign to server Liliana Fernandez Steiner in a beach volleyball match against Switzerland at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Mauritius' Kate Foo Kune plays against Refugee Olympic Team's Dorsa Yavarivafa during their women's singles badminton group stage match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Erin Gemmell, of the United States, prepares to start in her heat in the women's 200-meter freestyle at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
France's Remi Bassereau goes for the block in a beach volleyball match against Germany at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Eve Thomas, of New Zealand, competes during a heat in the women's 1500-meter freestyle at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Italy's Arianna Errigo reacts during the women's team foil semifinal match against Japan during the 2024 Summer Olympics at the Grand Palais, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
United States' Anna Peplowsky swims in the women's 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Tovizi Petra Anita Fuezi, of Hungary, holds the ball during a women's handball match against Netherlands at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Eleni-Klaoudia Polak, of Greece, prepares for the women's pole vault qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Croatia team leader Sunsica Cebecic, her nails painted for the occasion, pats Marin Rantes, of Croatia, during the cycling BMX freestyle men's park qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. Rantes failed to qualify for the final. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Taryn Gollshewsky, of Australia, wears the Olympic rings on her nails during the women's discus throw qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Ukraine's Polia Buhrova has her finger nails painted with the colors of Ukrainian flag and the Olympic rings during her women's singles badminton group stage match against Czechia's Tereza Svabikova at Porte de la Chapelle Arena during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Jeremy Goupille shows his nails painted with the rainbow colors and the Olympic rings at the opening of Pride House, the safe space for the LGBT+ community of athletes, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Sha'Carri Richardson, of the United States, shows off her nails while traveling along the Seine River in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis,Pool)
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Kyler Murray recently turned 27, but he brushed off a suggestion during preseason camp that he might be creeping toward veteran status in the NFL.
“I'm still young,” he said, grinning.
Not really. But honestly, that's a very good thing for the Arizona Cardinals.
Now in his sixth season, the former No. 1 overall pick is at the top of his game. His performance in Sunday's 41-10 win over the Los Angeles Rams was one of the best of his career. He completed 17 of 21 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns while also running for 59 yards.
He's making great decisions. He's making great throws. He's got a solid offensive line blocking for him. He's got a second-year coach in Jonathan Gannon who believes in him.
Life is pretty good these days.
“Great game," Murray said on Sunday. "Marvelous work out there. Great team effort on offense, defense and special teams. We had a great week of practice. I expect to come out here and play like this when you’ve prepared and you’ve got a great feel for it.”
Murray wasn't the only player who had a big day. Rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. caught his first two NFL touchdown passes and had 130 yards receiving. James Conner ran for 122 yards.
The Cardinals (1-1) are a work in progress, but the win was an important step against an NFC West rival that's given them loads of trouble over the past decade. The Cardinals had lost nine straight at home to the Rams.
For a franchise that endured back-to-back 4-13 seasons in 2022 and 2023, it was a positive sign.
The Cardinals' defense isn't filled with a lot of well-known names, but it cobbled together an effective performance. Arizona put pressure on Matthew Stafford with five sacks after having just 33 last season, which ranked near the bottom of the NFL. They're very good at safety with Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson and have a strong group of linebackers, led by Kyzir White and Mack Wilson.
The Murray-to-Harrison combination looks like it could be dynamite as the two touchdowns showed on Sunday. But there are still some chemistry issues to work out. All of Murray's four incompletions came on Harrison targets. Both players say they're just now beginning to understand how to best play with each other.
“We left a lot of meat on the bone,” Gannon said.
Edge rusher Dennis Gardeck had one of the best games of his career with three sacks, providing the kind of consistent pressure on an opposing quarterback that the team has sorely missed over the past year. The 30-year-old is a fan favorite in the desert, making the team in 2018 as an undrafted free agent after playing in college at Sioux Falls (South Dakota), a Division II school at the time. He worked his way up, beginning as a special teams ace before developing into a starter.
Receiver Greg Dortch had a quiet day with two catches for 11 yards, but that's mostly because Murray has so many options that someone is going to be left out each week. Baker got turned around on one of the Rams' few big gains, losing the ball in the air before recovering to make the tackle.
Gannon said the Cardinals came out of Sunday fairly healthy. Rookie DL Darius Robinson (calf) has to miss at least two more games before he's eligible to come off injured reserve.
31 — The 41-10 final score was the biggest margin of victory for the Cardinals since 2016, when they beat the Rams 44-6.
The Cardinals host another tough opponent in the Detroit Lions on Sunday. It's the second game of three straight at State Farm Stadium.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) celebrates the touchdown by running back James Conner during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) celebrates in the end zone his touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. The Arizona Cardinals won 41-10. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)