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Kyler Murray isn't pushing for connection with Marvin Harrison Jr

Posted on by Vanessa
Kyler Murray isn't pushing for connection with Marvin Harrison Jr

TEMPE – Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. made the most impressive catch in Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers, but after a two-reception day, questions remain about his role and his connection to quarterback Kyler Murray.

Murray trusted the rookie in the fourth quarter with a difficult fall-away throw on fourth-and-5 that led to the game-winning field goal. Harrison was targeted seven times on Sunday, but his highlight plays coupled with an off-side option route incompletion showed a microcosm of his season so far.

“You have to get more on the same page, get a better percentage than whatever that percentage is,” Harrison said. “Those two plays were definitely big plays. … Obviously the second play was a fourth down, a must-have situation. So I suspect that the ones we socialized with were at least big ones and we made sure they counted. But of course we need to connect better throughout the game.”

Murray took responsibility himself.

“We have to get better, I have to get better and they will come,” Murray said Wednesday. “They will come. I mean, it's no problem over there, a good team. We will continue to do competitive catches and things like that at some point. So I don’t really put any pressure on myself.”

The No. 4 overall pick with sky-high expectations has 17 catches on 35 targets in five games. Harrison is third on the team in catches as the Cardinals have spread the ball around.

“You can’t have just one playmaker,” Harrison said.

Receivers Michael Wilson (18), Harrison (17) and Greg Dortch (16) accounted for 52 catches, while a larger group of running backs and tight ends had 42 catches, led by tight end Trey McBride with 20. Arizona is short before adding Another option is for veteran wide receiver Zay Jones to return to the practice field after his suspension this week.

The Cardinals and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing also have the ninth-highest shooting percentage in the NFL (48.6%), which is even higher than last season.

“When it's hard to defend, you can't just hold on and say, 'We're going to eliminate this guy or that guy,'” Petzing said Tuesday. “When guys are playing at a high level and the ball is going down the field, I think it’s difficult for us to defend.”

Harrison still leads the team with four touchdown catches (tied for fourth in the NFL) and 279 receiving yards, with moments that showed why he was a standout candidate.

“You want everyone to have 100 yards every game. You want everyone to eat up every game, but sometimes the other team takes it away,” Murray said. “Sometimes you just can’t score on days like that. But when you get these opportunities, take advantage of them. I think that’s what happened on Sunday.”

There weren't too many layups for Harrison either. According to Pro Football Focus, Harrison's average depth of target is 15.1 yards, and 23 of his targets have exceeded 10 yards, mostly outside of the posted values.

Harrison was tasked with making plays in the backfield without many opportunities to finish elsewhere. He had one reception all year where he gained more than five yards after the catch, one of his two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2.

In the league, some of the best receivers had incredible first five NFL games: CeeDee Lamb (29 catches, 433 yards), Ja'Marr Chase (23 catches, 456 yards), Puka Nacua (46 catches, 572 yards) and current rookie Malik Nabers (53 catches, 386 yards in four games).

But Harrison isn't far behind others who started and broke out more slowly. Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings caught just 19 passes in his first five games.

The Cardinals, despite notable moments, haven't consistently been the dynamic offense many expected, and Harrison's role in helping the unit take another step forward has remained a major storyline since the start of the season.

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