The Arizona Cardinals face a challenging situation as they lose their star wide receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr., who recently underwent surgery for appendicitis on Monday night. Coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed on Wednesday that Harrison will be sidelined, raising uncertainty about whether he will miss just this week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. When asked about Harrison’s availability, Gannon stated, “We’ll see.”
Harrison has been a key asset for the Cardinals this season, leading the team with 34 receptions for 525 yards and four touchdowns. His recent performance included a career-high seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 27-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago. Despite the loss to the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday, he managed to add another touchdown to his impressive tally.
The Cardinals’ receiving corps will take another hit as Zay Jones is out for the remainder of the season due to an Achilles tear suffered against Seattle, while Simi Fehoko is also dealing with a wrist injury. This leaves quarterback Jacoby Brissett with only three healthy wide receivers—Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and Xavier Weaver—when they take on the 49ers. The Cardinals are currently underdogs, with odds placing them three points behind San Francisco, according to FanDuel.
Despite these setbacks, Arizona’s offense has shown improvement since Gannon opted to start Brissett over Kyler Murray. Brissett has recorded over 250 yards and two touchdowns in each of his four starts, averaging 4.2 points more per game than the offense did with Murray. However, the team faces a tough reality as they have lost six of their last seven games after beginning the season with a promising 2-0 record. As they move forward, the Cardinals will need to rally as a team and adapt to these changes if they hope to turn their season around.