Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals was one to forget, as Arizona was shellacked by a final score of 37–14. While we’re sure fans are pleased to see the team’s draft position improving, there is one more moral victory that should be appreciated more than people talk about.
We’ve seen wide receiver Michael Wilson put up 100-yard efforts in the past; in fact, he’s done it on three separate occasions. In the four games, he’s been listed as the No. 1 wide receiver in the absence of Marvin Harrison Jr., Wilson has 499 receiving yards. To think this is over the course of only four games is pretty mind-boggling.
However, when Wilson plays alongside Harrison, he’s struggled to replicate that production as the team’s No. 2 option. In the 11 games leading up to the matchup against Cincinnati, he’s had 319 yards. Having 180 fewer yards as the team’s No. 2 despite playing alongside a receiver that demands attention is strange to us.
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Fortunately for Wilson, his breakout game with Harrison in the lineup came this weekend. The 25-year-old hauled in five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.
The touchdown came in the second quarter, and Wilson demonstrated elite footwork and balance to maneuver his way into the endzone, as he walked the tightrope down the sideline before lunging for the pylon.
Wilson has appeared in every game this season, and so far, he has tallied up 907 receiving yards on 73 catches. In his third year out of Stanford, he is making a case for a contract extension this offseason. While the Cardinals have him under team control for one more season, it would be nice to lock the young wideout up for the long term before he plays himself out of the Cardinals' price range.
Wilson’s performance on Sunday was one of the few bright spots, and it could help him land a big-money contract this offseason.