The boos rained down like sand in a desert storm.
The Cardinals, looking to move within a half-game of the 49ers for the NFC West lead, appeared a country mile from real contention for most of the evening.
On Thursday night at home in a 23–20 loss to the Seahawks, Arizona was listless offensively until its final two drives, turning a 14-point deficit into a tie game before losing on a 52-yard Jason Myers field goal as regulation ended.
The loudest renouncements of Arizona’s first 55 minutes came on plays featuring second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The Ohio State product was supposed to be a can’t-miss superstar as the No. 4 pick in 2024. Instead, he’s become the embodiment of discontent for Cardinals fans.
With Seattle in town, Harrison’s night began in the first quarter with him slowing down on an in-breaking route, resulting in an easy interception for Seahawks corner Coby Bryant. In the second quarter, Harrison and quarterback Kyler Murray miscommunicated with Murray expecting Harrison to run a quick out, while Harrison ran up the sideline on a deep pattern.
Later in the first half, Harrison ran another deep crossing route on third-and-11 from the Seattle 33-yard line, with Arizona trailing 7–3. Murray delivered a perfect ball but Harrison bobbled it in traffic, got hit and eventually popped the ball into the arm and then the waiting arms of linebacker Ernest Jones IV.
But we also saw the talent which made Harrison a Heisman Trophy finalist and one of the most-hyped receiving prospects in years.
Trailing 20–6 late in the fourth quarter, Harrison ran a sharp corner route and leapt over the top of corner Devon Witherspoon for a beautiful 16-yard touchdown grab in the back-left corner of the end zone, his second of the young season. All told, he caught five passes for 58 yards over the final two quarters, giving himself and the offense something to build on.
Still, the game-changing plays were Harrison’s lowlights.
After struggling in relative anonymity in games barely seen outside of the greater Phoenix area against the Saints, Panthers and 49ers, Harrison’s issues were in the spotlight on a national stage against the Seahawks. Over the first three weeks, Harrison dropped a pair of passes, including an all-timer in San Francisco, while producing just 10 catches for 142 yards. Thursday was a mere continuation.
As a rookie, Harrison posted respectable top-line numbers of 62 catches for 885 yards, albeit on 116 targets. But the underlying figures were more worrisome. Harrison notched 1.65 yards per route run, ranking 59th among receivers with at least 100 routes.
While Murray wasn’t at fault on the throws to Harrison, the 2019 No. 1 pick repeatedly checked down with few weapons, gaining any separation against Mike Macdonald’s defense until the Cardinals’ last two drives. For most of the night, Murray’s only successes came on throws to star tight end Trey McBride, who totaled seven receptions for 52 yards on 11 targets. When not throwing to the Pro Bowler, Murray was an underwhelming 20-of-30 for 148 yards (4.9 yards per attempt) and two interceptions.
After this season, Murray is due $53.2 million, $43.5 million and $46.3 million, respectively, over the final three years of his current contract. The good news for Arizona? He has only $36.8 million in guaranteed money remaining.
If general manager Monti Ossenfort decides to move on before next season, he would save $42.5 million by executing a post–June 1 trade of Murray. And for the acquiring team, Murray would have non-guaranteed cap hits of $22.8 million, $19.5 million and $34 million, turning his contract from a potential albatross into a bargain with upside.
For right now, the Cardinals are 2–2 and trying to get well with a mini-bye before hosting fellow No. 1 pick Cam Ward and the winless Titans. The hope for Ossenfort, coach Jonathan Gannon and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing is that Murray and Harrison use Thursday night’s fourth quarter as a launching pad, while the running game finds its footing without James Conner, who was lost for the year with a foot injury in Week 3.
Nothing is absolute for Harrison, Murray and an Arizona team many believed would be making its first postseason trip since 2021. However, for that to happen, it’ll be because Murray and Harrison lift an offense looking for a leader in the wake of Conner’s absence.
The Cardinals need to survive the storm, and they need their best players to provide shelter from the sand.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cardinals Need More From Kyler Murray, Marvin Harrison Jr. to Contend in NFC West.
