Ten games. That’s how long it took for the Arizona Cardinals to become an offensive juggernaut that looked as good on a football field as they did on paper.

Six years. That’s how long it took for Kyler Murray to mature, find his footing and become a quarterback capable of winning a Super Bowl in Arizona.

Pinch yourself. It’s all happening now.

The Cardinals recorded their fourth straight win on Sunday with a stunning 31-6 rout of Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets. They enter their bye week as a first-place team and a Cinderella story, sitting alone atop the NFC West. They have won their past two games by 45 points and haven’t allowed a touchdown in their last three games at State Farm Stadium.

They’re starting to look dangerous.

Against the Jets, the Cardinals won all the critical downs and made all the big plays. They scored touchdowns on their first three possessions. Trey McBride hindered another defender. Budda Baker plays with the accelerator all the way down. And Murray produced one of the most brutal performances of his career.

The Cardinals quarterback came out shooting, the centerpiece of an aggressively brilliant game plan that stripped New York’s revamped, overmatched coaching staff. The Jets were clearly expecting the efficient quarterback who handed the ball to James Conner and started the game with a modest eleven touchdown passes and three interceptions. They received an unleashed tiger.

Murray was dynamic and unflappable. He had the zen of a warrior and his vibe was impeccable. He threw for a touchdown and ran twice more. He completed 22 of 24 passes, including 17 in a row, breaking Carson Palmer’s team record. If it weren’t for Lamar Jackson, he might have been in contention for MVP on Sunday. As a consolation prize, he might have been able to play Rodgers straight into retirement.

In the blinding storm of brilliance, there was one series that stood out above all:

Murray absorbed a crushing blindside hit from the Jets’ Quincy Williams. The impact was so great that Murray’s helmet came loose and flew two meters into the air. And yet the damage was nil.

On 3rd and 10, Murray stood firm in a dirty pocket and moved the chains to McBride with a precise strike. As if the near-decapitation had never happened. And then he threw an exquisite touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr., the kind only maestro quarterbacks can execute.

If you still don’t believe in Murray, what else should you see?

Unfortunately, Murray has a complicated history in Arizona. He is mocked, mocked and criticized. He is the subject of endless and tiresome jokes about his small stature and his affinity for video games. In Arizona, he has been a polarizing figure for too long.

On Sunday, Murray evened his record to 9-9 since returning from a serious knee injury, but he’s much more than a .500 quarterback at this point. He grows into a powerful, deadly, smart, mature leader who can beat you in any way he wants. The kind of quarterback who can take a good team to the mountaintop.

Reach Bickley at [email protected]. Listen to Bickley & Marotta on Arizona Sports weekdays from 6am to 10am.

Follow @danbicley