Where is Marvin Harrison Jr.’s head at after 1-catch effort in Week 1?
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Week 1 stat line has plenty of people talking this week. Just how big of a deal is it?
Watch: Marvin Harrison Jr. reacts to Week 1 target share | 36 seconds
TEMPE — Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. ripped off the team’s longest play of the game in Arizona’s season-opening win, but it’s two other stats that are garnering more attention:
– Three targets
– One catch
Of the six pass catchers quarterback Jacoby Brissett connected with on Sunday, Harrison saw the second-fewest targets and had the fewest receptions.
Trey McBride had a day — nine catches (13 targets) for 95 yards and a touchdown. The same goes for Kendrick Bourne in his Cardinals debut — eight catches (eight targets) for 75 yards. Michael Wilson picked up where he left off — five catches (seven targets) for 56 yards.
Harrison, on the other hand, had just 33 yards on the one catch to begin Year 3 in the NFL. His targets are tied for the fourth fewest in his career. His one catch is tied for the lowest single-game total in his career in games finished.
But while there’s been plenty of talk about Harrison’s low target share and light production, the wide receiver isn’t concerned.
“It’ll be different each week,” Harrison said Wednesday. “Going into the week, I’m familiar with (Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh) going against the team up north (Michigan) many a year and just how they played me a lot of the times and if they still have the same respect for me.
“I kind of had a feeling going into the game (that I’m) not going to see many one-high looks and not have a corner press. Then when we did, we threw the go ball. We completed that one. … It’s a part of the game. Everybody’s going to have their weeks, have their days. And at the end of the day, the team won. All you got to do is do your part.”
Given the playmakers the Cardinals offense possesses, Harrison isn’t wrong. It’s a pick-your-poison situation in Arizona.
Sure, you can limit Harrison, but that opens the door for McBride and others to succeed. That was the case with Bourne.
With Harrison getting some extra attention down the field, Bourne feasted underneath as a second security blanket for Brissett.
The quarterback was also getting the rock out at a high rate of speed. Brissett’s average time to throw on Sunday was the third fastest in the league at 2.56 seconds.
Only Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (2.27) and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (2.54) posted a quicker rate than Brissett, according to NFL Pro.
Even with Harrison finding space at times, Brissett was already working through his other progressions or the ball was already out of his hands.
It wasn’t like the Chargers were overly pressuring the veteran, either. Los Angeles had a blitz percentage of 33.3% (10th highest) and an average time to pressure of 2.82 (14th). As a team, L.A. registered just one sack.
Getting the ball out quick was a big part of the plan for the Cardinals offense.
Given Harrison’s inconsistent history, it’s warranted to be concerned with the wideout’s early output. Getting more out of the 2024 No. 4 overall pick is an important piece to the puzzle in Arizona.
It’s also Week 1, where overreaction runs rampant with the excitement of football being back and fantasy football leagues in motion.
Overreacting isn’t something Brissett wants to get into, though getting Harrison more involved isn’t lost on the veteran signal caller.
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“It’s a long season. He did a lot of things. He got a lot of attention in the game. I think that speaks more to him than people may say,” Brissett said. “There’s a reason why he’s double covered and he’s got a safety over the top of him and playing him so heavy at the line of scrimmage. They understand the one time that they don’t you see what happens.
“I think obviously finding different ways to give him the ball, but if he’s attracting that amount of attention, I think Marv understands, ‘Hey, I got to help my brothers out and my teammates out and get them open.’ I thought he did a good job with that.”
Head coach Mike LaFleur shared a similar sentiment on Monday, saying people shouldn’t be putting so much stock in Harrison’s target share.
Cardinals’ Marvin Harrison Jr. in for big day vs. Seahawks?
Getting Harrison more looks should come in handy this week against the Seattle Seahawks.
The wide receiver is more familiar with the defending Super Bowl champions than any other team, having faced Seattle four times.
Arizona hasn’t won during his Cardinals tenure, but Harrison has found success against the Seahawks with 16 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
He has found the end zone in each of the last two games against Seattle, a team that locked down New England Patriots wide receivers in a season-opening win.
Can he make it three straight on Sunday?
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Comments
11 Comments
Sure its week 1, but going back over his career so far, all they have done is use this guy as a decoy for the most part. Top 5 pick and he is a friggin decoy.
What's the big deal? He hasn't done anything yet as a Cardinal. Do a story on MHJ when he finally does something. Until then, it's status quo.
It was 1 catch, but a huge catch and not an easy one to make, so that is a great sign! As they say, there is only 1 ball to go around. McBrides going to get his, and the 3 WRs are probably going to have their big days and not so big days.