The primary week of the 2024 NFL season had analysts asking a number of questions on the day generally generally known as “Overreaction Monday.” A query maybe on the prime of that record?
The place was Marvin Harrison Jr.?
The heavily-anticipated debut from the rookie vast receiver was a letdown within the minds of many analysts, as Harrison was held to only one catch for 4 yards in Week 1, because the Arizona Cardinals fell to the Buffalo Payments by a closing rating of 34-28. Harrison struggled to get constant separation on his routes, and lots of puzzled if this was only a Week 1 blip or a worrying signal of issues to return.
Maybe these fears are actually eased.
Harrison exploded on Sunday towards the Los Angeles Rams, catching 4 passes for 130 yards and a pair of touchdowns — all of these coming within the first quarter — because the Cardinals blew out the Rams 41-10.
Harrison’s first NFL landing got here as a consequence of a mixture of an ideal play name towards the given protection, a precision cross from Kyler Murray, and unimaginable physique management from the rookie receiver. With the Cardinals going through a 2nd and eight from the Los Angeles 23-yard line, the offense aligns in a 2×2 formation with Harrison on the left, and tight finish Trey McBride within him.
Harrison and McBride run a put up/out mixture, and the Cardinals catch Los Angeles in Quarters protection, an ideal route mixture towards this scheme. With McBride, the within receiver, operating the out route towards this protection, the security can be tasked with breaking on his route, giving the tight finish a leverage benefit to the within. That additionally implies that Harrison will break to the within — towards a cornerback utilizing exterior leverage — and there can be no security assist in the midst of the sector.
Harrison will get a step on the cornerback as Murray places in an ideal throw. However watch the physique management from the WR as he tracks this over his shoulder, high-points the throw, and will get his toes down earlier than crashing out of bounds:
Harrison’s subsequent catch additionally goes for an extended landing, and whereas scheme additionally performs a job, his athleticism is once more showcased. Arizona faces a 1st and 10 on their very own 40-yard line, and Murray aligns below middle. After a run pretend to the left Murray rolls to the appropriate, because the Cardinals are attempting to sneak McBride away from the stream of the play and up the left sideline on a “Leak” idea. Harrison, in the meantime, aligns on the left aspect of the formation and runs a deep crossing route.
Los Angeles is in Cowl 3 on this play, and the cornerback aligned over Harrison begins to stay on his crossing route, earlier than peeling off to select up McBride. Kamren Curl, aligned beneath, peels again to try to stick on Harrison utilizing a “robotic” approach, however the rookie receiver accelerates away from him, hauling in one other good throw from Murray:
From there it’s a footrace to the top zone, one which Harrison wins.
One of many issues raised after Harrison’s Week 1 efficiency was that he seemed gradual on the sector. In accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats Harrison hit 20.03 miles per hour on this play, one of many quickest marks recorded in Week 2.
Harrison’s different two catches once more spotlight his physique management and his really feel for the place. His third catch of the sport comes on this again shoulder throw from Murray, which Harrison can pull in whereas shielding the defender from the soccer:
His fourth, and closing, catch of the sport comes with Arizona going through a third and 5. Harrison aligns on the left, throughout from a press-aligned defender. He works off the jam and will get into his route rapidly, which is a vertical route alongside the sideline. With Los Angeles in Cowl 2, there’s a window for Murray to try to jam in a throw alongside the sideline earlier than the security can break over, however stress forces the quarterback off his spot, and the Cardinals into “scramble drill” mode.
Harrison, seeing Murray break the pocket, bluffs as if he’s going to chop towards the road of scrimmage. The protection rotating over towards him sees that and tries to leap any potential throw, however that’s when Harrison rapidly adjustments route and breaks vertically. Murray spots that, and places the throw on his rookie teammate:
Once more, that is an instance of Harrison’s really feel for the place, and having the ability to work your self open in scramble drill conditions is a important ability for an NFL WR. Doubly so when your quarterback is as athletic as Murray.
The NFL even leaned into the notion of Harrison silencing the doubters on social media:
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Now, was this a flawless recreation from Harrison? Not precisely, and skeptics will nonetheless have moments to level to when reviewing the movie. He was focused on a pair of goal-line fade routes — a tricky route to finish — and he and Murray couldn’t join on both. There was additionally this comeback route early within the recreation the place he didn’t get an excessive amount of separation:
Nonetheless, the throw was a bit decrease than wanted and the cornerback may need gotten away with a little bit of a maintain on this play.
Nonetheless, after what we noticed from Harrison in Week 1 — or maybe, what we didn’t see — his efficiency in Week 2 definitely seems to be extra just like the receiver we anticipated popping out of Ohio State.
