The ball came down on Sunday, and on Wednesday, Michael Wilson was still lamenting that he didn't make the catch.
The Cardinals' top wide receiver still got 26 yards out of the play, after Broncos defensive back Riley Moss had grabbed him as he executed a double move. Wilson, replaying the moment, still was frustrated, calling the flag a "phantom PI call" (he did acknowledge it might've been defensive holding) and wishing he would've ultimately brought the ball in.
Instead of 26 yards, it would've been closer to 50, which would have made his 4-reception, 55-yard game look a lot different.
"Those opportunities are hard to come by in NFL games," Wilson said. "The right play has to be called, the right coverage has to show up, the protection must hold up, and then the quarterback must deliver the ball in the right spot.
"It all has to line up," he added. "You want to make all those plays. It also looks good for the stats."
Wilson isn't about the stats, although it doesn't mean he doesn't want them. They are tangible proof what he is doing is working as Cardinals WR1, a couple of months after signing a big three-year contract extension.
"He's doing a lot of good things," coach Mike LaFleur said. "He obviously hasn't had the stats … (but) all he can do is control what he can control — win his one-on-one matchups when the ball's thrown to him, catch it, and then obviously try to stay grounded and make as much 'YAC' (yards after the catch) as he can."
For the season, Wilson has 37 catches for only 375 yards. He already has 66 targets, eighth-most in the NFL, and his pace would give him 90 receptions. But he'd also fall well short of 1,000 yards in 17 games, something the Cardinals hope will improve as the season wears on.
LaFleur noted Wilson has drawn penalties – four pass interference calls thus far – but against the Lions three games ago he only had two yards after the catch and against the Broncos, it was minus-one. That wouldn't matter if some of the deep shots come to fruition, but with so many of Wilson's receptions coming in shorter quarters, YAC is where explosives will come.
Wilson is comfortable at WR1, but then again, he said he'd be comfortable in any role. But he also hasn't been thrilled with his overall play most of this season, because of the near-misses. The stats aren't what he's looking at. It's the tape.
Against the Broncos, the tape was good. The process is working.
"That was a 100-yard game on tape, 100 yards of open space on tape," Wilson said. "If I keep playing that way, over a 17-game season, and you play fast, play physical and you play convicted, that's what I believe in."
LaFleur sees the same.
"The cool part about Mike, he doesn't force anything," LaFleur said. "He just tries to be the best he can be every day on the practice field. I still think there is so much more out there for him. He knows that too."
The Stanford brain of Wilson knows he had success last season, and that meant his work worked. But it also knows defenses see him differently now. He had a 1,000-yard season, which he didn't have before. He's WR1, which he wasn't before.
That means switching some things up in games, not allowing the defensive backs – who study him much harder than once upon a time – to key on any one thing.
It also mean making some of those tougher receptions, passes he nabbed a season ago and the ones the Cardinals need their top wideout to own.
"My bag is deep as a receiver," Wilson said. "It's about knowing what to use at what time."
"I'm only 26, I've only had one 1,000-yard season, I haven't figured it out," he added. "I'm constantly self-aware. I need to improve and I will improve."
