TEMPE, Ariz. -- Heading into his second career game Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was hopeful.
He didn't think his continuity with quarterback Kyler Murray was in a bad place despite a disappointing Week 1 debut where he was targeted three times, catching one pass for four yards in a 34-28 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The duo did not play together in the preseason, but the rookie knew their relationship would develop "sooner rather than later" with more live reps and become what the Cardinals imagined when they took Harrison No. 4 in April's draft.
As it turned out, a week's worth of reps was enough.
In Week 2, Murray and Harrison showed the football world what their connection could be like. On eight targets, the duo linked on four passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns -- all coming in the first quarter.
They proved in the 41-10 win over the Rams that they are the ideal accompaniment for each other in schedule and off-schedule plays, both of which resulted in Harrison's touchdowns. It's a connection the two have spent months building.
To Murray, their personalities allow them to complement each other.
"I think we see things the same way," Murray said. "Obviously, we got to continue to get better together. There's some mishaps there that I think we both feel like we can be better on, especially myself, but personality, man, and just the love for the game. I think those are two components that really allow us to just kind of be seamless."
From a football standpoint, Harrison believes his size and skill plus Murray's ability to do "everything on the football field" -- whether that's extending plays or stretching the defense with designed runs -- makes them a good pair.
"I think I do a good job of getting myself open when the play breaks down," Harrison said. "Obviously, that's one of his best abilities. Obviously, in the pocket, having everything on time, I feel like I'm a pretty good route runner so that I can get open on time and on schedule and we kind of just do our thing from there."
Murray capped their first drive by hitting Harrison in the back of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown.
It showcased both Murray's accuracy and arm strength, and Harrison's hands and body control after he kept his feet in bounds.
MARVIN HARRISON JR.'S FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWN HAS ARRIVED pic.twitter.com/EFquDWaM8V
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 15, 2024
"Maybe to the untrained eye [it] doesn't look like that spectacular of a touchdown, but receivers in the NFL know that's a hard catch to go up with your hands, get two feet down and hold onto the ball because there's a guy trying to play through your hands," receiver Michael Wilson said. "That's a 10 out of 10 touchdown from a ball-skill standpoint."
Harrison's second touchdown on Sunday was on a play-action bootleg that Murray extended. It was first-and-10 from their own 40 on the first play of the second drive, and the wideout was supposed to run an over route that was intended to be 10 to 12 yards deep at most. But when he saw Murray continue to scramble to the right, Harrison didn't think the Rams would have any defenders deep. He took off across the field from left to right and got behind a Los Angeles safety. Murray saw him and they connected for a 60-yard touchdown.
Marvin Harrison Jr. we love you pic.twitter.com/GE6a9vVabw
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 15, 2024
It was the perfect example of Murray's ability to make plays off schedule and Harrison's ability to adjust on the fly. The quarterback said the rookie understands the nuances of defenses, where to be in zones, how to win off press coverage, which has all helped speed up their connection.
"With Kyler, his ability to extend plays, and I think he allows Marvin just to stay on his track, and I think that speaks volumes of the quarterback that Kyler is," said left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., who played with Harrison at Ohio State. "Marvin's not having to reroute himself and Marvin's able to trust this path and that Kyler's going to run left, right and then get back on path to meet Marv to trust the angle, I think that's just trust."
Murray and Harrison spent considerable time together this offseason, whether it was throwing at local high schools on weekends during OTAs and minicamp or going to Los Angeles for a weeklong training and bonding trip in July or sitting courtside together at the WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix in July.
That time together helped them build a confidence with each other that's translating on the field. But it didn't happen right away.
Harrison was quiet around Murray the first couple times they hung out. He described himself as naturally quiet person and being a rookie around a veteran quarterback, the wide receiver wanted to be seen, especially on the field, and not heard.
That didn't last too long. He eventually grew comfortable with Murray and started talking more.
After Week 1's loss in Buffalo, he and Murray watched the film room together and broke down what each was thinking. The two will have their share of successes and failures, quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork said, as they work through playing together. Sunday was an example. All four of Murray's incompletions were to Harrison, who didn't have a single yard after the first quarter.
"I think you're dealing with two highly intelligent individuals who have known and played the game very well at a high level for a long time," Woolfork said. "And I think that connection is only going to get stronger, and I think that the line of communication is great.
"They love playing with each other and they both want to practice every day and they're always communicating."
Sunday was a glimpse of the fruit Harrison's and Murray's relationship can bear. Wilson didn't shy away from the possibilities. He thinks Harrison has the ability to get 100 yards every game solely based on his talent.
Coach Jonathan Gannon pointed out Monday it's been only two games. There are still areas for both to improve, Gannon continued, and time and reps will fix them.
"I think they have a great relationship," Woolfork said. "Like anything else is, it's building day to day. And I think we are just seeing the beginning of the connection.
"You look at all the great one-two tandems in the NFL, rarely were things done overnight."