‘He lit it up’: Harrison stars in Cardinals’ win

GLENDALE, Ariz. — By the point the primary quarter of the Arizona Cardinals’ 41-10 blowout win over the Los Angeles Rams was over, rookie vast receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had entered the report books and avenged his dismal displaying in his NFL debut final week.

Harrison completed the primary quarter-hour with 4 catches on 5 targets for 130 yards and two touchdowns, the primary two of his professional profession. He did not have one other catch the remainder of the sport, however when requested after the sport if his first quarter was nearly as good because it will get for a receiver, the 22-year-old smirked.

“Sure,” he mentioned.

Harrison adopted it by saying he was positive there have been areas to enhance whereas including that he must “get the remainder of the sport to go as nicely.”

Harrison had a stretch early within the first quarter the place he made three straight performs for the Cardinals over three drives: his first profession landing on a 23-yard cross from quarterback Kyler Murray behind the tip zone, a 60-yard landing cross from Murray on the one play of that drive and a 15-yard cross from Murray to start out the next collection. Six performs after that final catch, he hauled in a 39-yard play on third-and-5.

Murray’s favourite completion to Harrison was their first connection, which was Harrison’s first profession landing.

“That is large for him. Large for him,” Murray mentioned. “I imply, his first landing, clearly. After final week, to come back out right here once more, get the jitters out final week and put all the things to relaxation, simply come out right here and play laborious, play collectively and get a win. It was good.”

Murray went to Harrison on the Cardinals’ first offensive play however the cross was damaged up by Rams cornerback Tre’Davious White. It got here per week after Harrison had only one catch on three targets for 4 yards.

The plan wasn’t to get Harrison the ball proper from the beginning, coach Jonathan Gannon mentioned. The ball, he added, went the place it “ought to go.” Nonetheless, Murray mentioned he desires to get his receivers concerned shortly, hoping to spark them.

“You wish to get your guys the ball early to allow them to really feel like they’re within the sport, get them going, get their juices flowing,” Murray mentioned. “I really feel like we did an ideal job of that at this time.”

Harrison did not let final weekend’s displaying have an effect on him a lot, Gannon mentioned.

“He is a mature, critical individual, so he would not hearken to any noise and he holds himself to a excessive customary,” Gannon mentioned. “He practiced his ass off this week and he went and performed nicely.

“So, I am completely satisfied for him. It’s good to see him smile. However, yeah, he lit it up.”

Just a few days after saying his debut “wasn’t nice,” Harrison described his efficiency Sunday as “stable.” Nonetheless, Harrison was laborious on himself for being liable for all 4 of Murray’s incompletions in opposition to Los Angeles, a stat he seen whereas trying on the field rating on the sideline Sunday afternoon.

“I am not very completely satisfied about that,” Harrison mentioned. “We positively received to get that mounted, however we’ll proceed to construct on our chemistry and because the season goes on.”

He grew to become the fourth rookie since 2000 to have 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns within the first quarter of a sport, becoming a member of Marquise Brown in 2019, Allen Hurns in 2014 and Torrey Smith in 2011, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. Harrison’s 130 yards within the first quarter had been essentially the most within the first quarter by a Cardinals participant prior to now 30 years, in keeping with ESPN Analysis.

Harrison reached 100 yards and two touchdowns in 1 / 4 faster than his father, Corridor of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison Sr., did. Harrison Sr. did it simply as soon as in his illustrious profession, within the third quarter of Week 9 in 2001 in opposition to the Miami Dolphins.

Harrison Jr.’s 130 yards within the first quarter had been greater than his father had in any sport throughout his rookie season in 1996. Harrison Sr.’s season excessive that 12 months was 106 in Week 15.

And Harrison Jr. is the primary Cardinals receiver with three catches of 20 or extra air yards in a sport since Michael Floyd did it in Week 17 of the 2014 season. In all, Murray threw 5 completions that traveled no less than 20 yards within the air, essentially the most such catches in his profession.

The Cardinals’ offensive assault was record-tying. They tied their most factors in a house opener within the Tremendous Bowl period with their 1985 house opener, which they received 41-27 over the Bengals.

Murray was practically excellent Sunday. He completed 17-of-21 passing for 266 yards and three touchdowns to go along with 5 carries for 59 yards.

“He was lights out,” Gannon mentioned. “He’s a premium participant for a motive. You are taking him in opposition to anyone. That is how I really feel. That is what he did at this time.”

He grew to become the second participant in NFL historical past with no less than 250 passing yards, no less than 50 dashing yards and an ideal 158.3 passer ranking, becoming a member of Ken Anderson who did on Nov. 3, 1974.

Sunday was the primary time since 2021 — a stretch of 24 video games — that Murray threw for no less than 250 and ran for no less than 50.

Murray’s 148 passing yards Sunday had been his most ever within the first quarter. He had by no means exceeded 100 in any sport getting into at this time. Murray can be the seventh quarterback in NFL historical past to report an ideal passer ranking in a staff’s house opener. He is the second Cardinals quarterback to do it, becoming a member of Kurt Warner in 2008.

Murray grew to become the primary Cardinals quarterback with an 80% completion proportion and three passing touchdowns within the first half of a sport since 2000 whereas additionally turning into the third quarterback to take action within the first half of a divisional matchup prior to now three seasons, becoming a member of Patrick Mahomes final season in opposition to the Chargers and Josh Allen final season in opposition to the Dolphins.

“When he is on,” Gannon mentioned of Murray, “he will be robust to beat.”

Working again James Conner contributed 122 yards and a landing on 21 carries, extending his streak of video games with a rating to seven, which tied the longest streak in Cardinals historical past.

“He’s robust to deliver down when he will get going,” Gannon mentioned. “However when the run sport will get going, you guys know that is how we wish to play. When it is balanced and also you’re forward of the chains, we will go.”

Arizona dominated time of possession, 36:54 to 23:06, thanks partly to offer sacks. Exterior linebacker Dennis Gardeck set a profession excessive with three. He thought the final time he had three sacks in a sport was throughout his final season in faculty.

“I like that greater than how we performed, actually,” Murray mentioned of the protection. “Simply that they’d our again. They’d our again once more. It was an entire staff win. Complimentary soccer at its most interesting. All three phases of the sport performed nicely.”

Sunday’s win was the membership’s first over the Rams at house since 2014.