larry fitzgerald is unreal

When I heard Larry Fitzgerald's name mentioned earlier this season by plenty of talking heads as probably the best receiver in the NFL, I didn't take it too seriously. Not that I'd seen him play a lot, I just hadn't heard very much about him since he was drafted and I didn't figure he could come to quietly dominate the game so quickly. I mean, it wasn't that long ago that the guy was just coming out of college, right? I'm sure he's good, and he puts up numbers, but...that good that fast?

Yup. Those of you who watched the Cardinals game yesterday already know that. For those who didn't see the game, think Randy Moss on his good days. Fitzgerald is that good. He reminds me of Moss during his playoff run with the Vikings,* when Cunningham could just loft a ball in his direction and Moss would come down with it almost every time. That's the last time I've been that consistently awed by a receiver over the span of a few games. Doesn't matter how much traffic is around him, how off-target the ball is, how much he has to reach or correct for it, or whatever else. If Warner throws it anywhere near him, it's his. The best a defense can hope for is that he doesn't keep going after the catch. Heck, at this point I'm convinced the guy could telekinetically bring a ball into his hands from 20 feet over his head if he wanted to.

Unreal, I say. And a lot of fun to watch. He's just one of the reasons I'll be rooting for the Cardinals in this year's stupid bowl.

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* For the record, nobody will ever convince me there has ever been a better receiving duo in football than Moss and Carter with the '98 Vikes. Carter was past his prime but still one of the best, and Moss was as good that year as he's ever been since. It's a terrible shame that team choked in the playoffs.