Short answer
Hail Murray was the last drive of Bills–Cardinals in Week 10 of 2020: Arizona down 30–26, 34 seconds left, ball at its own 25, two timeouts each. You call every snap from that spot, and your calls are graded against Kliff Kingsbury's, which score in the 58th percentile in our engine.
The situation
November 15, 2020, in Glendale, Arizona. Stefon Diggs had just caught a 21-yard touchdown from Josh Allen to put Buffalo ahead 30–26 with 34 seconds left.
Kyler Murray starts at his own 25 with two timeouts; Buffalo has two. Down 4, only a touchdown helps. That's 75 yards in 34 seconds, so you need a couple of chunk plays and then one shot at the end zone from somewhere you can actually reach.
How the real drive went, play by play
Murray hit Andy Isabella over the middle for 14 yards to the 39, and Arizona used a timeout at 0:27. DeAndre Hopkins caught 9 over the middle to the 48, and Arizona used its last timeout at 0:21. Larry Fitzgerald caught 9 on 2nd-and-1 and ran out at the Buffalo 43. Buffalo called timeout at 0:11.
From the 43, with no timeouts, Murray rolled to his left, threw off his back foot toward the end zone, and Hopkins went up over three defenders and caught it for a 43-yard touchdown. Arizona won 32–30.
The calls that decided it
The key choice is the last one. At the Buffalo 43 with 0:11 and no timeouts, you have time for maybe two plays: a sideline throw to get closer and then a shot, or the shot right now. Getting closer makes the throw easier, but if the receiver can't get out of bounds the game is over. Arizona threw at once.
Before that it's timeouts. Arizona used both right after middle-of-the-field completions, which bought plays but left nothing for the end. Another option is to keep one so you can throw in the middle late. Our engine charges real seconds for each snap, and you'll feel every one.
More Legends
- Holmes in the Corner · Super Bowl XLIII, down 3, 2:30 left, own 22
- 28–3 · Super Bowl LI, down 8, 3:30 left, own 9
- The Minneapolis Miracle · NFC Divisional round, down 1, 0:25 left, own 20
- Every Legend and Playoff Run
FAQ
What was the final score of the Hail Murray game?
Arizona beat Buffalo 32–30 on November 15, 2020, in Week 10.
Who caught the Hail Murray?
DeAndre Hopkins, on a 43-yard throw from Kyler Murray with 0:11 left at the snap.
Why is it called Hail Murray?
It was a Hail Mary-style heave by Kyler Murray, who scrambled left and threw off his back foot into a crowd of defenders in the end zone.
Do I need to pay to play this?
This Legend is part of the Legends Pass, a one-time purchase that also unlocks every Playoff Run and removes ads. The daily drive, Practice and Survivor stay free, and 28–3 is a free Legend you can try first.
Sources
- nflverse play-by-play data — the real drive, snap by snap: down, distance, clock, timeouts and play descriptions
- Buffalo at Arizona, Week 10 2020 box score — Pro Football Reference