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The Arizona Cardinals stumbled to a 4-13 record last season, but hope is on the horizon after the team drafted Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick in yhe 2024 NFL Draft. The son of the former Indianapolis Colts legend was only one of the most highly touted college prospects of all time, and he could be a generational talent at the wide receiver position.
If Harrison can become Kyler Murray’s running mate the same way that his dad was for Peyton Manning, something special could be brewing in Arizona. This new era of Cardinals football kicks off in Buffalo at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the Cardinals traveling up north to take on the mighty Buffalo Bills in Week 1. Can Arizona actually shock the football world and pull off the upset? Let’s find out, and stick around for some Week 1 bold predictions about the Cardinals’ new star duo.
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Marvin Harrison Jr. has a monster day with 200+ receiving yards and 3+ touchdowns
Marvin Harrison Jr. is going to be one of the best wide receivers in the league from the first moment he steps onto an NFL field. At 6-foot-4, Harrison possesses blazing speed and is able to beat defenses in any number of ways. He can bully defenders at the catch point, burn them deep, or use his superb route-running skills and footwork to create separation. He is excellent at breaking tackles and making defenders miss in the open field.
Harrison is going to be Kyler Murray's go-to target from day one, and fans can expect him to make a major impact immediately. Murray should look to the star rookie every time the team is near the red zone, and with a couple big plays from midfield Harrison could put up a monster stat line. Don't forget, the first time that Harrison was featured prominently in Ohio State's offense, all he did was score three touchdowns.
Kyler Murray throws for 300+ yards and rushes for 100+
Kyler Murray is a talented quarterback, and his production will be turbocharged by the presence of Marvin Harrison Jr. on the outside. All Murray has to do is find his star receiver and get him the ball. If Murray does this, the rookie superstar wideout will be more than happy to do the rest.
If the first prediction comes true, this one almost certainly will as well. Murray could easily record 200 passing yards just by getting the ball to the former Ohio State star, which would mean that he would only need to find another 100 yards in order to reach 300. The team doesn’t have many other star-level pass catchers, but somebody could make noise due to the attention that Harrison commands.
However, Murray could also shine elsewhere. He’s a legitimate dual-threat quarterback who could easily rack up 100 yards on the ground. Murray has blazing speed and excellent strength. He’s not afraid to mix it up with would-be tacklers and is willing to put his body on the line.
All it takes is hitting a couple of open lanes for big yardage, and Murray could easily eclipse 100 yards on the ground along with 300 through the air.
Cardinals’ defense forces Josh Allen into three turnovers
Josh Allen is a talented quarterback, and he is certainly in the upper echelon of signal callers. However, that isn’t to say his game is anywhere close to flawless. One thing Allen struggles with is ball security, both through the air and on the ground.
He’s prone to forcing the issue in the aerial attack, which often leads to ill-advised passes and turnovers. He also frequently tries to fight for the extra yard on the ground when he tucks the ball and runs, but this can sometimes lead to defenders getting a solid punch at the ball and knocking it loose.
If the Cardinals play aggressively on defense, they can take advantage of Allen’s penchant for taking risks and use it against him. A scenario like this could play out: Allen could throw an interception early and then give away a fumble before halftime. In this scenario, the Bills would likely be down, and Allen would take extra chances to bring his team back.
If Arizona can force the Bills‘ offense into multiple turnovers, the Cardinals have a great shot at winning this game.
Cardinals beat Bills by 2+ touchdowns
If the first two scenarios happen, there’s a strong chance that the third will as well. This would be a major upset, as the Bills are widely considered to be one of the best teams in football, and the Cardinals are expected to be one of the worst again after a terrible performance last year.
Arizona is going to need everybody to play at their best if they want to have a chance of upsetting Buffalo at all, much less beating them by two touchdowns. It’s not impossible that this happens, though, and the Cardinals could find themselves the surprising owners of a 1-0 record when Week 1 wraps up.
