Marvin Harrison Jr. came into the NFL as one of the most highly decorated wide receiver prospects in recent memory. But his NFL debut did not go as planned. Harrison was held to just one catch for 4 yards on three targets against the Buffalo Bills, and one of those three targets turned into a drop.
Harrison did not wait long to make up for the slow start. By the end of the first quarter of Arizona’s Week 2 game against the division rival Los Angeles Rams, Harrison racked up four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns — each of which came on outrageous plays.
The rookie punctuated Arizona’s first drive of the afternoon with an outrageous, toe-tapping, over-the-shoulder grab in the back of the end zone, hauling in a 23-yard pass from Kyler Murray for his first career score. According to NFL.com’s NextGen Stats, the pass had just a 13.7% completion probability, making it the lowest-probability score of the season to date.
On Arizona’s very next drive, Harrison was at it again. The Cardinals’ first play of the possession saw Murray hit Harrison on a deep crossing route, followed by Harrison taking off down the right sideline and outrunning a pair of Rams and leaping into the end zone just before he was caught from behind.
Harrison later brought in a 15-yard back-shoulder throw from Murray to get the Cards off their own goal line, then picked up a first down on a third-and-5 scramble drill play. The two grabs were part of what eventually became Arizona’s third consecutive touchdown drive to begin the game, staking the Cards to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.
It’s safe to say that Harrison’s slow start is behind him, and that we are indeed looking at a special wide receiver prospect.
