Fitzgerald Has Strong Showing in Rookie Debut

[azdad1978]

Rookie wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald didn’t have the kind of debut that Pro Bowl receiver Anquan Boldin had in Detroit a year ago, but he still looked impressive in his first regular season outing.

On the Cardinals first play of the game, running back Emmitt Smith flicked the ball back to quarterback Josh McCown who threw the ball up down the field to Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald outjumped Rams safety Aeneas Williams and Jerametrius Butler to come down with the 37-yard catch.

“You love to get that first catch out of the way,” said Head Coach Dennis Green. “It was a trick play and he made a great catch and I think he’ll make a lot of plays like that for us. He had a good solid start.”

Fitzgerald, who has not seen any game action since the Cards first preseason game in Minnesota when he sprained his ankle twice, led the receivers in yardage with 4 catches for 70 yards, including a 3rd down conversion on the Cardinals only touchdown drive. Fitzgerald displayed veteran skill on that catch, breaking back towards McCown to get open and then dragging both feet in along the sideline.

“He makes your job easier as a quarterback,” said McCown of his rookie receiver. “He’s a tremendous talent and I’m glad he’s on our team. We will continue to work and get better and develop a relationship with him but for a young guy out, I thought he played exceptionally well and we’ve got to find a way to get him the ball in the endzone.”

With Boldin recovering from knee surgery, Fitzgerald will need to become a go-to-guy for the Cards offense to be successful, something Smith says the first-round draft choice is capable of.

“Larry made big plays when we needed them, we just didn’t make enough,” observed Smith. “Larry did great, coming into a game like this without having a lot of preseason work and battling an ankle injury, and on turf, that is not the easiest thing to go through. He battled through it, he made plays, and I’m sure if he had more opportunities to get some big plays, I’m sure he would have.”

Green claimed Fitzgerald was the best player coming out of college this off-season and made good on that by selecting the former Pittsburgh standout with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

It was a bold statement made by Green and one Fitzgerald hopes to prove accordingly.

“I just want to win,” summed up Fitzgerald. “Coach Green brought me here to help with the winning and I’m trying to do it anyway I can. If it is to pick up a teammate (along the sidelines), catch a ball, make a block, I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

http://www.azcardinals.com/news/news_details.html?iid=2198

 

[JD Robertson]

He had 2 nice grabs after the opening catch. The one on the sideline was awesome. He kept both feet in and was completely stretched out to catch the ball. The other was about a 3rd and 4or5 and he went about 1-2 yards past the marker and just reached out with his hands and pulled the ball in right before getting hit by the defender. He made a very tough catch look easy.

Not only did he make those catches, he was fired up as well. On the long run by Emmit on the td drive he was jumping up and down and slapping the oline for a good effort. Then on the Darling pick that was called back he was on the field trying to get the defensive guys fired up again.

The kid was having a blast and I hope his enthusiasim rubs off on the other guys.

JD

 

[seesred]

We will have two super star recievers and a very good third and fourth. FRitx is a star in the making. IMO when Q comes back it will be very hard to defend us. That is why I say that after 6 games if we can be at 3-3 or 2-4 at the worst we have a chance to be in this thing!

GBR
40

 

[DeAnna]

He had 2 nice grabs after the opening catch. The one on the sideline was awesome. He kept both feet in and was completely stretched out to catch the ball. JD

You know who he reminded me of - Cris Carter. Looked exactly like him on that catch. Apparently he was learning something while being the ball boy at the MetroDome!

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

I loved his enthusiasm too. He was cheering, running up and down the sideline, smacking guys helmets. Really gettign into the game and cheering them on!

Oh and it doesnt hurt that he has tremendous hands.

 

[CardsRep03]

No kidding!

 

[SECTION 11]

Can't really say that I hope Ty Law's hammy heals up all the way before Sunday.
Fitz's hands are unbelievable and he just owns the jump balls. If we can drive just to the 20 with any consistency, we should be able to score some points against just about anybody.

 

[BuckeyeCardinal]

You know who he reminded me of - Cris Carter. Looked exactly like him on that catch. Apparently he was learning something while being the ball boy at the MetroDome!

Same thing guys said on a Rams forum.

That leap in the air tween 2 defenders and comin down with the ball was vintage Carter.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

I cant even imagine how cool it will be to see Anquan Boldin and Fitzed paired together on Sunday

 

[JD Robertson]

Originally posted by DeAnna
You know who he reminded me of - Cris Carter. Looked exactly like him on that catch. Apparently he was learning something while being the ball boy at the MetroDome!

I was thinking the same thing. You could have put a Vikes uni with N0. 80 on it and you would have thought he was back. Unbelievable catch.

Fitz, Q, and BJ will be a dynamic trio. This trio, once Q renegotiates, will have several if not many years to terrorize db's.

JD

 

[Fitzfan1]

That was a nice game for Fitz but I have to say it could have been much better had McCown been more accurate on a couple of throws. That interception going into the endzone was well underthrown and Fitz was open and behind the defenders. McCown will need to gain confidence in Fitz and when he does he will be able to throw the ball up a little more and just allow Fitz to go up and get it as he does so well. Also, if you remember the play going up the sideline on a deep route, where Fitz was double covered, had McCown lofted the ball a little better (as opposed to more of a line drive) I think Fitz had a real shot to beat both defenders for that ball. I was never a huge fan of Rod Rutherford at Pitt, but the one thing he did well was put the ball up and allow Fitz to grab it at the pinnacle of his leap (usually a foot above the defenders). His timing on leaps is amazing and his concentration is even better.

Be prepared for much better performances than you saw yesterday. The one new thing that I saw out of Fitz that I liked and never really saw before was the raw emotion. Pitt could have used him to be a more vocal leader last year and fire up his teammates. I just hope he doesn't go overboard and he maintains his classiness as he always has in the past.

 

[MadCardDisease]

That was a nice game for Fitz but I have to say it could have been much better had McCown been more accurate on a couple of throws. That interception going into the endzone was well underthrown and Fitz was open and behind the defenders. McCown will need to gain confidence in Fitz and when he does he will be able to throw the ball up a little more and just allow Fitz to go up and get it as he does so well.

I was going to bring this up also. I called that play where McCown threw the INT that got called back. If McCown puts some more air under that ball it would have been a TD.

Can't really be down on McCown for this. He hasn't really had much practice with Fitz and it will take a few weeks for them to get on the same page.

 

[WisconsinCard]

I was going to bring this up also. I called that play where McCown threw the INT that got called back. If McCown puts some more air under that ball it would have been a TD.

Can't really be down on McCown for this. He hasn't really had much practice with Fitz and it will take a few weeks for them to get on the same page.

I watched that replay about 4 times if you look there was another defender about 8 yards behind Fitz. I think he tried to drop it between the 2 . Any more air and the back guy would have been there and either broke it up or crush Fitz.