As he came to the end of his rookie season, wide receiver Michael Wilson had a priority above all others -- to get through a season healthy. That had been an issue for him, missing a ton of games in college and then missing another four games as a rookie.
He is acutely aware he is about to achieve that goal. Barring something unforeseen in practice (and no, I don't believe in jinxes so please don't go there), Wilson will be 17-for-17 on Sunday when he takes the field against the 49ers.
It means a lot. Yet his focus has already shifted.
"That was on the forefront of my mind this whole year: 'I gotta stay healthy, I gotta find a routine that works for me,'" Wilson said. "I switched some things up that I did the last couple of years. I'm really proud of that.
"But, now that I'm playing 17 games, I'm like, 'I wish some of my numbers were better now.'"
In 13 games as a rookie, Wilson had 38 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns. With a game left in this season, Wilson has seen his catch total jump to 47, but his yards are at 548, along with four touchdowns.
"Truthfully I'm disappointed in the numbers I had this year," Wilson said. "Because where we sit now ... having been in the system for a year, an entire offseason, was healthy, there is really no excuse. I don't feel great -- speaking for myself -- when I look at the numbers. Ultimately that's what you are judged on and there is a lot of what goes into success for a receiver, because a lot is perceived success, and stats sometimes don't reflect how well or how bad you are playing. But I'm definitely going to use this as motivation."
Bigger picture, the Cardinals are going to want to process what can be better in the passing game and, more specifically, how to more consistently use the wide receivers. But that starts with availability, and Wilson was able to achieve that in his second season.
"I'm proud that I, at least for now, can kind of dent that injury-prone thing," Wilson said. "I didn't miss a practice, a workout. I was healthy the entire year."
