Can the Cardinals Star Wideout Return to His Usual Form?
A single flower can’t turn a field of weeds into a garden. Marvin Harrison Jr. is figuring this out the hard way. He is one of the most talented wide receivers the Cardinals have ever seen. However, one great player cannot change the fate of an awful team. The Cardinals have been terrible this season, with a 3-6 record. Marvin Harrison Jr. has been struggling this season, too, but some of the struggles have not been his fault. It is hard to prosper on a terrible team.
Lack of Production and Drops
Marvin Harrison Jr. has had a disappointing season, especially considering that he is the top wide receiver in Arizona. He has only been targeted 62 times and has only made 34 catches. He has had many drops this season, some in pivotal moments of the game. The most costly drop that comes to mind was against the Seahawks in Week Five. It was third down with 11 yards to go when Kyler Murray threw the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr, who was running a slant route. The ball then bounced off Harrison's hands, resulting in an interception for the Seahawks. From the outside looking in, it appears that Harrison Jr. has been overthinking the game of football. He also has not been targeted enough to make up for those drops. That is the quarterback’s fault. He only has 525 receiving yards and four touchdowns this season.
Father Criticizes the Team
The lack of results from Marvin Harrison Jr. has caused his dad to become frustrated with the team. Marvin Harrison Sr. believes that the Cardinals’ offense is holding his son back. He said to the media, “It’s very hard for me to watch the Cardinals’ offense, and you can quote me on that.” He continued, saying, “It don’t add up to me. I can’t deal with it. Marvin Harrison Sr. is not just the father of Marvin Harrison Jr. He had a Super Bowl-winning career as a wide receiver on the Colts, with 14,580 receiving yards and 128 touchdowns. He knows what it takes for an offense to win football games, and in his opinion, the Cardinals do not have what it takes.
Injury
The mental part of the game of football is not the only obstacle that Marvin Harrison Jr. has had to face. He has been dealing with an injury behind the scenes. Harrison Jr. has been having problems in his gut that need medical attention. He got surgery on Monday night due to having appendicitis. This will rule him out for the 49ers game on Sunday. He could potentially miss more games than that. This is another unfortunate obstacle that Harrison Jr. must overcome.
It is never easy for great players when they get drafted to terrible teams. Marvin Harrison Jr. has a long career ahead of him and still has time to change and improve. The Cardinals need to build an offense so that Marvin Harrison Jr. is not the only thing the defense is paying attention to. If they resurrected their run game, it would be easier for him to get open. He has tons of potential, and as the Cardinals get better, he should, too.
