After a tough loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, there was some unwarranted concern over Marvin Harrison Jr.’s slow start. The rookie sensation caught just one pass for four yards in a meager NFL debut. (Of course, it didn’t help that Kyler Murray missed Harrison with the game on the line.)
All of those concerns have been predictably quelled now.
With the Arizona Cardinals battling the rival Los Angeles Rams in their home opener on Sunday, Harrison had a golden opportunity to put on a show and sell a new era of pro football in Arizona. He did that and then some.
On his second target of the afternoon, Harrison scored on a ridiculous toe-tap touchdown — with a defender draped all over him — in the back of the end zone. It was a very appropriate first NFL touchdown:
https://twitter.com/AZCardinals/status/1835412472276062573
Later, after the Cardinals’ defense forced a quick three-and-out, Murray found a wide-open Harrison downfield in an ad-libbed sequence. Harrison did the rest of the work, punctuating a bonkers 60-yard touchdown with an incredible extension for the end zone.
That’s right, folks. Harrison essentially scored on back-to-back offensive plays and on two of his first three targets:
Marvin Harrison Jr. we love you pic.twitter.com/GE6a9vVabw
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 15, 2024
Man. Just so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle — that guy above is a ROOKIE.
Harrison’s early performance in this one helped the Cardinals build a monster first-half lead. That’s the kind of an exceptional offensive game-breaker can have on his own and on an opposing defense.
And the scary part is that Harrison’s probably going to get even better.