words // Brandon Richard
When you’re selecting a Player of the Week, you’re looking for the guy that not only put up big numbers, but put the team on his back and guided them to a win. Realistically, it’s looking like we could give Aaron Rodgers the nod every week, but we’re going to go in a different direction this time around. Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is having another “quiet” season. Not because he isn’t putting up numbers, but because his team stinks and they still haven’t found a solution at quarterback. Still, Fitzgerald is a Top 10 receiver in terms of yardage and still has arguably the best hands in the NFL. That was on display this past weekend when the Cardinals took on the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Larry was remarkable, catching seven balls for 146 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a 37-yard catch to the Eagles’ one-yard line late in the game to set Arizona up for the game-winning TD. All of Fitzgerald’s catches resulted in a touchdown or first down. He averaged 20.9 yards per catch and had three catches of more than 25 yards. He had a 10-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7 and a seven-yard TD in the fourth quarter to bring the Cardinals even at 14-14. The 37-yard catch that set the Cardinals up for a 1-yard touchdown pass proved to be the difference as Arizona won 21-17.
Fitzgerald’s two touchdowns give him 70 for his career, passing Roy Green for the most total TDs in team history. He also became the third-youngest player in NFL history (28 years, 74 days) to reach 70 TD receptions, trailing only Randy Moss and Jerry Rice.
Where do you think Fitzgerald would rank all-time if he were playing with a better quarterback long-term?
Fitzgerald celebrates a touchdown catch wearing the Nike Alpha Speed.
images via ESPN
