Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. made light of the Miami Dolphins’ pass defense in NFL Week 8. With an average of 18.5 yards per catch, Harrison Jr. finished his day of work with six catches for 111 yards receiving.
SNAGGED. HE DID THAT. pic.twitter.com/g8z9FoWn44
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 27, 2024
In order to neutralize the scrambling ability of quarterback Kyler Murray, the Dolphins knew they would need to bring extra blitzes from the secondary. Not only did the Dolphins fail to sack Murray in Week 8, they consequently left their defensive backs 1-on-1 with the Cardinals’ receivers.
Coverage voids gave way for Harrison Jr. to get loose at the second and third levels of the defense. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing sequenced in Harrison on crossing and stem routes, shaking the defense out of man on early downs, and nullifying their zone schemes on down and distance.
CAN’T STOP YELLING pic.twitter.com/iaapJ10jpb
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 27, 2024
Ultimately, with Harrison Jr. playing as a complement to Murray’s primary target, tight-end Trey McBride, the Cardinals offense can almost bank on being able to get a few chunk plays every week. Surely, covering Harrison Jr. 1-on-1 might not be a valid solution for opponents.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
