Arizona Cardinals’ Michael Wilson frustrated by missed catch vs. Broncos
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson said he remained frustrated Oct. 28, 2026, about a play on Oct. 25, 2026, against the Denver Broncos when he did not secure a pass that would have been close to a 50-yard gain. He finished that game with four receptions for 55 yards, but replay and Wilson believe the contested catch should have gone differently. Wilson called the penalty on the play a “phantom PI call,” acknowledged it might have been defensive holding and said he wished he had brought the ball in.
Wilson is the Cardinals’ top receiver and said he remains confident in his process despite the near miss and some statistical shortfalls. He has 37 catches for 375 yards this season and has been targeted 66 times, which ranks eighth-most in the NFL and projects to about 90 receptions over a full season. He signed a three-year contract extension a couple of months earlier, and the Cardinals hope his yardage will increase as the season progresses.
Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur said “He is doing a lot of good things” and emphasized that Wilson can control winning one-on-one matchups, catching the ball and creating yards after the catch (YAC). LaFleur noted Wilson has drawn four pass interference calls this season and highlighted that Wilson had limited YAC in recent games, including two yards after the catch against the Detroit Lions and minus-one against the Denver Broncos. LaFleur added that Wilson does not force plays and that there remains untapped potential to be realized.
Wilson said he studies the tape and believed the Broncos game was strong on film even if the box score did not reflect it. “That was a 100-yard game on tape, 100 yards of open space on tape,” he said, adding, “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.” The 26-year-old noted he has had one 1,000-yard season and said he remains self-aware about what he must improve. He added, “My bag is deep as a receiver,” and said it is about knowing what to use at what time.
NFL Sports Blog Take
Wilson’s 66 targets show opponents are focusing on him, yet his 375 yards underline limited explosive production when deep shots do not connect and yards after the catch are minimal. The verified facts include four pass interference calls drawn and short YAC outputs in key games, which helps explain lower yardage despite a projected pace of about 90 receptions. Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur’s praise and Wilson’s emphasis on process align, but turning contested catches into completions and creating more YAC are the clearest paths to bigger statistical outputs. The next steps are execution on contested targets and better yards after the catch rather than volume alone.