Kyler Murray knew it was National Tight Ends Day. No, it didn’t influence his desire to get Trey McBride the ball.
What did influence Murray was how good McBride has become, far from the overwhelmed rookie of 2022 just trying to emulate Zach Ertz. He had 124 yards on nine catches, and while Marvin Harrison was awesome too – the two became the first Cardinals duo to each have 100 yards receiving since Christian Kirk and A.J. Green did it in Week 3 of 2021 – McBride is the guy Kyler trusts the most.
“Trey is a beast,” Murray said. “I can’t say enough about Trey. He can be the best in the league.”
He looked it against the Dolphins. McBride was the guy the Cardinals dialed up to start the second half, and he Olympic-hurdled a defender. Later he had a beautiful toe-tapping catch on the Miami sideline, and plenty of bulling over tacklers.
“I knew that it was National Tight Ends Day – a huge holiday in this world,” McBride said.
So for all of you who celebrate NTED as a Cardinals fan, McBride made sure it was a good day.
And the Cardinals needed all of it.
Marvin Harrison Jr. had a 25-yard catch on his first target of the game, which had surpassed his yardage total for the previous two games combined. Then he took off. He had six catches, he had 111 yards, he was making catches many receivers couldn’t, and the man was clearly happy afterward.
My favorite part? He got a big smile when asked if that was what he had envisioned. “Yeah,” he said and that’s all he needed to after he had been asked last week what he had envisioned for himself this season and he said “I don’t know.”
— The review of Harrison’s catch-not-a-catch-a-catch again? Gannon said all credit goes to Kenny Bell, who was the one to make the call the Gannon should drop the red flag. Gannon is now 3-for-3 lifetime on challenges.
— The Cardinals overcame a start in which they gave up a game-opening TD drive to the Dolphins despite forcing two fumbles. They couldn’t get to either – Dante Stills stripped Tua of the ball on a sack, Victor Dimukeje forced one right by the goal line – and fortunately, it didn’t end up costing the game.
— Kyler had his first two passes batted down. After that, he was practically pristine, especially with the way he moved around to gain yards and avoid sacks. He was 26-for-34 after that start.
— Chad Ryland not only got the game-winning field goal, but he drilled a career-long 57-yard field goal right down the middle like it was nothing (and might’ve been good from 68).
— I loved that Aaron Brewer of the Cardinals and Aaron Brewer of the Dolphins swapped jerseys. Apparently, Aaron Brewer of the Cardinals, there doesn’t have to be just one.
Aaron Brewer and Aaron Brewer
Mark Brown/Mark Brown Aaron Brewer and Aaron Brewer
— The Cardinals did not allow a sack for a third straight game, a remarkable number, although Kyler was in the middle of it. He alone escaped multiple sacks, including two plays at the end of the first half in which he looked like he was sure to go down before flipping incompletions.
Still, that’s the longest streak the Cardinals have gone without a sack since Weeks 12-14 of 1975. That was when the Cardinals had their all-pro laden offensive line. It’s an impressive stat, regardless of how the Cardinals reached it.
— Harrison has five touchdown catches in his first eight games. The last Cardinals rookie to have five touchdowns catches in his first eight games was the unforgettable Fran Polsfoot in 1950.
— Greg Dortch had two underrated great plays. One was a catch-and-run on a first down in the second half to keep a TD drive alive. Earlier, he had a fantastic bat back of a punt so it didn’t go in the end zone. It was downed at the Miami 5. It’s all the little things.
— Speaking of punting, Blake Gillikin, another great day.
— Budda Baker was all over the field in the first half. He’s a leader. He’s a player.
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