Damon Harrison did not have a good first regular-season game in a Detroit Lions uniform in 2019. After playing just nine snaps during the preseason, Harrison played 27 reps in the opener in Arizona.
The rust showed. The standout nose tackle did not have an impactful play, registering just one tackle and not doing his typically fantastic job of controlling the middle of the line of scrimmage.
Harrison is the first to admit he was not at his best. After the game, Harrison tweeted out he felt he “got dominated” by the Cardinals. He clarified those remarks while still taking ownership of not playing well.
“Because any time we don’t come out with the win and we have the type of defensive performance we had, I feel like it’s on me,” Harrison said. “So I got broad shoulders, I can take the blame.
“I wasn’t my usual productive self. And that’s what I meant by ‘dominated.’ … They didn’t do anything to take me out of my game or physically dominate me.”
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray took note of Harrison’s limited role and effectiveness,
“I know Harrison wasn’t on the field a lot, probably due to him not playing a lot in the preseason, if at all,” Murray said in his press conference. “So the tempo can get to them and I think that’s what helped us out later in the game as we started actually going.”
Harrison gets a shot at redemption against the much more static Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers this Sunday in Ford Field.
