Legendary wideout has dominated Arizona Cardinals next foe
By Jim Koch
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has been a consistent thorn in the side of the Philadelphia Eagles franchise
The current NFL campaign has not been a memorable one for an Arizona Cardinals legend. Larry Fitzgerald, the club’s 11-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, is having the least-productive season of his 17-year career. The future Hall of Famer has also been relegated to number-two wideout status, thanks to the Cards offseason acquisition of superstar DeAndre Hopkins.
If there’s any possibility of Fitzgerald “getting off the schneid” before the year is over, it will happen this weekend. The Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona’s upcoming opponent, have not fared well against the outstanding pass-catcher over the years. In nine head-to-head matchups with Philly, Fitzgerald has racked up 56 receptions, 896 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns going up against the team’s former NFC Eastern division rival.
Fitzgerald’s most memorable performance against the Eagles occurred in January of 2009. With the franchise’s first appearance in a Super Bowl hanging in the balance, the 6’3, 218 pounder hauled in nine passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship game. All three of Fitzgerald’s scores came in the first half, helping the Cardinals ultimately prevail by a score of 32-25.
In 2011, Fitzgerald caught seven balls for 146 yards and two touchdowns during a 21-17 Cards triumph in South Philly. A year later, the former third-overall draft pick registered nine catches for 114 yards and a score as Arizona recorded a 27-6 blowout over the Eagles in Glendale. In 2014, Fitzgerald tallied seven receptions for 160 yards and a score as Big Red posted a 24-20 win over Philadelphia.
The overall numbers are way down for Fitzgerald this season. In the 11 contests that he has suited up for, the 37-year old has totaled 45 catches for just 346 yards, and has not yet found the end zone. Fitzgerald’s ugly 7.69 yards per reception is by far the lowest he has averaged since he entered the league back in 2004.
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A breakout game for the aging Fitzgerald is long overdue. The greatest player in Cardinals history has had his way with Philadelphia in the past. With a little help from Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray, perhaps this coming Sunday will be no different.