The Arizona Cardinals are hoping their 2022 season will be the campaign where they put everything together. With Marquise Brown, who was picked up in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2022 NFL Draft, now joining Arizona's offense, the Cardinals may have one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL. With his debut just a day away, let's take a look at our Marquise Brown Week 1 bold predictions.
Brown turned himself into one of Lamar Jackson's favorite targets during his time with the Ravens, but was surprisingly dealt to the Cardinals this past offseason. Brown will be rejoining his old college quarterback, Kyler Murray, in hopes he can help him lead the Cardinals on a deep playoff run this season. Brown's addition could be the move that puts Arizona over the top this season.
The Cardinals will have the tall task of playing the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 to kick off their season. The Chiefs are one of the best teams in the league, but Brown could help the Cardinals upset Kansas City to kick off their season. With that in mind, let's dive into a pair of bold predictions for Brown's Week 1 debut with his new team.
2. Marquise Brown will have 80+ receiving yards
Brown has made a name for himself early in his career for his speed. Many of his big plays with Baltimore involved him simply outrunning his defender on his routes, allowing Jackson a lot of wiggle room to drop a ball into Brown's hands. What he has struggled with from time to time, though, is being consistent on the shorter plays.
While Brown can take the top off the defense, he sometimes struggles to get open on underneath routes. Oftentimes, he didn't have a ton of help alongside him in the Ravens wide receiver corps, but that's something he will have in Arizona, especially once DeAndre Hopkins returns from his six game suspension to start the season. If Brown can develop that part of his game a little bit more, he could put together a breakout campaign with the Cardinals.
In Week 1, Brown will have a solid matchup on his hands. Kansas City's secondary isn't as good as it used to be, and there are going to be some matchups for Brown to exploit. Brown will probably line up all over the field, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Trent McDuffie (playing his first ever NFL game) and L'Jarius Sneed follow him around the field for most of the deal.
Brown will continue to be the player he's been for most of his career against Kansas City to open the season. He pulls off a few big plays, but struggles consistently get open for Murray. Brown will be able to turn in a strong debut outing with Arizona, though, and racks up over 80 yards receiving. If the Cardinals want any shot of winning, they are going to need Brown to produce, and he makes his mark in his first game with his new team.
1. Marquise Brown hauls in two touchdowns throughout the game
Brown has always had a nose for the end zone throughout his career (he's scored at least six touchdowns in each of his first three seasons), and that has served him quite well. That will continue in his debut with the Cardinals, where his two scores will help his new team go toe-to-toe with the AFC West powerhouse they find themselves going up against.
Brown's first catch with his new team will be a big one, as he beats Sneed off the line and frees himself up for a 41 yard bomb from Murray, which is the Cardinals first touchdown of the game. The Chiefs will react by adding safety help over the top against Brown, which slows him down throughout the remainder of the first half.
Brown will have a couple more catches in the second half, but none will be bigger than his five yard reception in the back of the endzone midway through the fourth quarter. The play breaks down in front of Murray, and he's forced to scramble to extend the play. Brown manages to free himself in the back of the end zone, and Murray manages to hit him on a cross-body throw while running to his left.
Brown's contributions will be a huge help in the Cardinals first game of the season, and it's clear that he and Murray are on the same page early in their first NFL campaign together. This should help Brown put together the most productive season of his career, even with Hopkins' eventual return. After fading out of the 2021 season, the Cardinals prove they mean business early in the 2022 season, thanks in part to Brown's big performance.
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