Talk about a tale of two games. After catching just one pass on three targets for 4 yards in his NFL debut against the Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. made good on his promise to help get the offense going in Week 2 with an eye-popping first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams.
With the Cardinals riding an all-time high after their impressive 41-10 drubbing of the Rams in Week 2, let’s look at Harrison Jr.’s remarkable outing.
Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Matches Dad with Productive Day
After a frustrating NFL rebut, Harrison put the rough day behind him and set his eyes on the game ahead, and the Cardinals were rewarded with quite the performance.
The rookie WR would catch four passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, one for 60 yards, to help Arizona get out to a 21-0 lead with over 13 minutes left in the second quarter.
However, all his receptions would come in the first quarter, helping him become the first rookie since his dad, WR Marvin Harrison Sr., to catch four passes and score two touchdowns in the first quarter of a game.
The elder Harrison was drafted in the 1996 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts with the 19th overall pick.
In a Week 16 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, he caught four passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter. Former Colts quarterback and current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was under center for Harrison Sr.’s jaw-dropping performance.
How cool is this: #Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is the first rookie since his dad, Marvin Harrison, in 1996 with the #Colts, to record at least four catches and two TDs in the first quarter of a game. pic.twitter.com/9L3Gb5Lx9M
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 16, 2024
While Harrison Jr. would outgain his dad in yards, the Cardinals rookie did not catch any of his other four targets. It wouldn’t matter as Arizona cruised to victory. His dad was also targeted eight times in his rookie game but would snag six of his eight targets.
While it took a week to get on the same page, the potential play-making that Harrison Jr. can in the Cardinals’ offense will lift a tremendous amount of pressure off QB Kyler Murray’s shoulders.
With Harrison Jr. stepping into the Cards’ WR1 role, Murray now has a surefire WR1, a dependable RB1 in James Conner, and a solid option at TE in Trey McBride to support him.
How far can the Cardinals take this seemingly new offensive juggernaut this season?