This was no ordinary football match. This was a day to make history. A glorious day of new beginnings and second impressions.

The Cardinals turned the tables and a few pages on Sunday, beating the Rams 41-10 at State Farm Stadium. For perspective, they hadn’t beaten the Rams in Glendale since 2014, when their opponent was still playing football in St. Louis.

Rejoice. This is no longer a story of a hammer and a nail.

“When you play hard, when you play for each other, good things happen,” Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray said.

Marvin Harrison Jr. shook off his shaky debut in Buffalo with a transcendent first quarter. Arizona’s prized rookie emerged with four catches, 130 yards and two touchdowns in the first 15 minutes. His first career touchdown was a masterpiece in the end zone. His second was a deep throw on a perfectly designed play that allowed Harrison to cross the field and finish with an ambitious leap into the end zone.

The force-feeding of Harrison Jr. had major consequences. Giddy fans couldn’t help but wonder if they were watching a milestone in the making, the breakthrough game of their next Hall of Fame wide receiver.

And finally, Murray. His Houdini act in the first quarter was breathtaking, worth the price of admission. His lightning-fast touchdown pass to Elijah Higgins was reminiscent of his 2021 MVP bid. His overall performance was a powerful rebuttal to those who think Murray isn’t the answer in Arizona.

“He was great today,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said. “He’s a premium player for a reason. You’re going to put him up against anybody. That’s how I feel.”

There’s no arguing that. The Cardinals had a 199-13 yardage advantage in the first quarter. Their 28-point lead early in the third quarter was their largest since Week 6 of the 2020 season. All their stars were aligned, and all their stars were contributors.

The Rams were in trouble. They were clearly compromised by injuries. Their weakened offensive line was no match for the Cardinals, particularly Dennis Gardeck (three sacks). But there will be no asterisks or caveats placed on this outcome, one of the most dominant home games in recent memory.

Cardinals sideline reporter Paul Calvisi came up with a great phrase to describe the 2024 season: “September is the new August.” Translation: For teams that bubble wrap their players during the preseason, Week 1 is like a dress rehearsal and can’t be trusted.

Their encore was much more promising, with so many wins in a 60-minute match.

The Cardinals needed to prove they could beat the Rams. Gannon needed his first win against an NFC West opponent. The team needed to reverse recent history and start winning the majority of their home games, and regain home-field advantage at State Farm Stadium.

And before Murray can regain his status as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, he’ll have to rise in his own division, where he was 5-17 entering Sunday’s game. He responded with a perfect quarterback rating (158.3) along with 11.8 yards per rushing attempt.

With Rams star Aaron Donald enjoying retirement, Murray suddenly appears to be the best quarterback in the NFC West.

Missions accomplished. All of them.

Reach Bickley at [email protected]. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6-10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

Follow @danbickley