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The Cardinals’ offense is clicking with Kyler Murray running the ball. Will that continue in Week 3 against the winless Detroit Lions?

Arizona Republic

Steve Keim had an excellent first quarter last Sunday at State Farm Stadium.

On the third play, the linebacker Keim signed to defend tight ends, De’Vondre Campbell, was velcroed to Washington tight end Logan Thomas 20 yards downfield and knocked away a pass attempt.

On the 12th play, the receiver Keim traded for to help the offense score touchdowns, DeAndre Hopkins, caught his first touchdown pass from Kyler Murray.

On the 23rd play, three plays after Murray had a pass intercepted, the defensive lineman Keim signed to bolster a weak front seven, Jordan Phillips, knocked the ball loose from quarterback Dwayne Hoskins. Chandler Jones recovered for the Cardinals at their 12-yard line.

It’s early, sure, but for a franchise that won eight games the previous two seasons, a 2-0 start is significant. And the impact of newcomers, including four starters on defense, is a sign that maybe Keim has regained the touch that earned him executive of the year awards in 2013-14, his first two years on the job.

Hopkins leads the league in receptions with 22. Linebacker Devon Kennard, lineman Angelo Blackson and Phillips, all free-agent signings, have sacks. Campbell has stopped tight ends from building Pro Bowl resumes against the Cardinals.

“You know how it is, every year you have a certain amount of talent and you can judge if think you will be good,” Keim said, “but you don’t really know when you pick players, or you sign guys in free agency, how they are going to become a team. A lot of that is based on their maturity level and leadership.

“The more and more I was around this team in the limited preseason, you really saw that maturity level with these guys and how they all fit together.”

Rarely does a general manager get the opportunity to rebuild a team twice in the same tenure. For that, Keim can, and does, thank owner Michael Bidwill.

“No doubt,” Keim said. “I’m fortunate Michael believed in me, believed in the plan that was in place.”

In Keim’s first five years on the job, 2013 through 2017,  the Cardinals went 49-30-1. That earned Keim two contract extensions and considerable equity with Bidwill.

Since then, the owner stood has stood by his general manager through an extreme DUI, bad drafts, poor decisions in free agency, four consecutive years out of the playoffs and an 8-23-1 record in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Bidwill maintained faith in Keim, reasoning that the man who built teams that went 34-14 from 2013 through 2015 didn’t all of a sudden forget what good players look and act like, despite considerable evidence to the contrary.

There were signs of progress a year ago. The Cardinals opened the season against Detroit with a new coach, a rookie quarterback in Murray, and a defense that toppled in a light breeze.

It’s a much different team that will play the Lions on Sunday at State Farm Stadium. Kliff Kingsbury and Murray adapted to the NFL. The offense improved steadily last season, and with the addition of Hopkins, there is no doubt the Cardinals can be good enough on that side of the ball to make the playoffs.

It was the defense that needed most of the attention in the off-season. A year ago, there were cries for coordinator Vance Joseph to be fired, but as Keim admitted, he hadn’t given Joseph much to work with.

“You can spin it however you want,” Keim said. “We weren’t good enough. You know the old saying, making chicken salad out of chicken s–t. You got to have guys who can make plays. Now, when a coach has good players, you can hold him accountable. That’s part of my job, to look at this realistically and realize I have to have a lot of skin in the game, too.”

It’s a defense that needed to be overhauled, not detailed. So Keim signed Campbell, Kennard and Phillips in free agency. He drafted linebacker Isaiah Simmons in the first round. He signed cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick after starter Robert Alford suffered a torn pectoral muscle in camp. He added Blackson the week before the first game.

Keim believes the Cardinals’ talent level is rising to that of the teams early in his tenure. He sees a defense that’s had an infusion of talent and depth, and an offense that’s scored 54 points in two games, despite being penalized 15 times for 133 yards.

The Cardinals are 2-0 and don’t believe they have played especially well yet, which beats winning games only by luck or answered prayers. That was the case the past two years.

“When I look across the board, I don’t see any deficiencies,” said defensive tackle Corey Peters, who is in his sixth season with the Cardinals. “On paper, I think we look really good.”

That’s a credit to Keim, who might be in line for another honor. Is there a Comeback NFL Executive of the Year Award?

Reach Kent Somers at [email protected]. Follow him on twitter @kentsomers. Hear Somers every Monday and Friday at 7:30 a.m. on The Drive with Jody Oehler on Fox Sports 910 AM.

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