DETROIT (Ticker) -- Joey Harrington already is making an impression on his new coach.
Harrington passed for four touchdowns to help make Steve Mariucci a winner in his debut as Detroit coach as the Lions posted a 42-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, who received a huge afternoon from rookie wide receiver Anquan Boldin.
Mariucci was coaching his first game for the Lions after being fired last season by San Francisco. He was taking over one of the NFL's worst teams, a club that went 5-27 the last two seasons.
"I told the team this is round one in a 16-round title fight," Mariucci said. "It feels good but now lets keep our sleeves rolled up and keep working. It's just the beginning but it's what I was looking forward to seven months ago."
Harrington - the Lions' first-round pick last season - made his new boss look good. He completed 17-of-30 passes for 195 yards, with two of his touchdowns going to first-round pick Charles Rogers.
"I can't say enough about the offensive line," Harrington said. "I felt pressure maybe twice all day. When you go through a game and barely get touched, it's amazing."
"I was impressed with Joey's efficiency and decision making," Mariucci said. "He had no sacks and no interceptions. He spread the ball out to a lot of receivers and I don't remember forcing him the ball into coverage."
While Rogers was selected second overall, it was Boldin - the Cardinals' second-round pick - that had the best game among the rookies. Boldin had a monster day with 10 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown.
Boldin's receiving yardage was a rookie record, breaking the mark set by Washington's Hugh Taylor, who had 212 against Philadelphia on September 28, 1947.
second most in Cardinals history, behind only Sonny Randall's 256 yards in 1962.
"I'm disappointed with the performance because it was in a loss," Boldin said. "Today was just my day. Next week might be someone else's day."
"Anqaun is a very special player," Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis said. "But because it didn't come in a team win, it doesn't mean much to him."
Emmitt Smith, the NFL's all-time leading rusher who joined the Cardinals after 13 seasons in Dallas, carried 13 times for 64 yards.
"It did feel strange," Smith said. "But it's worse now because when you lose it's like that for 52 other guys in the locker room."
After Jeff Blake found Boldin with a seven-yard TD pass in the first quarter, the duo hooked up for a much bigger play three plays into the second half.
Blake hit Boldin coming across the middle and the Florida State product cut down the left sideline and raced 71 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cardinals a 21-14 lead.
Blake, who came over from Baltimore as a free agent, had a big game in his debut for his new team as he completed 28-of-46 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
The Lions made their own big play in the third quarter, when Eddie Drummond returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown, tying the contest at 21-21 with 8:21 left in the period.
"It makes me feel good to know I can change the momentum of a game," Drummond said. "Some of the guys were hassling me, `When are you finally going to break one, you've come close so many times.'"
A miscue by Boldin helped lead to the go-ahead score. He muffed a punt and Donte' Curry recovered for the Lions at the Falcons 35.
Two plays after Boldin's miscue, Harrington found fullback Cory Schlesinger with an eight-yard TD pass to give the Lions a 28-21 lead with 3:12 left in the third quarter.
Arizona pulled within 28-24 with under a minute left in the third quarter on a 38-yard field goal by Bill Gramatica.
But on the Cardinals' ensuing possession of the fourth quarter, Blake fumbled and defensive end James Hall recovered at the Arizona 36.
Arizona had three turnovers and committed 12 penalties for 80 yards.
"We had self-inflicted wounds, espcially penalties and turnovers," McGinnis said. "They were the difference. They won the football game and we had a hand in letting them do it."
Six plays later, Harrington tossed a five-yard TD pass to Bill Schroeder to make it 35-24 with 11:43 remaining.
Two plays after Harrington's TD, cornerback Dre' Bly sealed the win when he brought back an interception 48 yards for a touchdown.
"Some things we did this game, we didn't do all preseason - turnovers and penalties," Blake said. "And I'm responsible for two of those turnovers."
Blake got the Cardinals off to a rousing start, tossing a seven-yard touchdown pass to Boldin 5:48 into the contest. It was the Cardinals' first touchdown on an opening drive in 96 games.
Harrington answered on the Lions' second possession, when he found Rogers in the back of the end zone for a four-yard touchdown pass.
Early in the second quarter, Harrington found Rogers, who made a diving catch across the middle, for a 13-yard TD and a 14-7 lead.
Rogers, who received double coverage at times, finished with four catches for 38 yards.
Blake hooked up with tight end Freddie Jones for a 12-yard touchdown with 5:35 left in the half, tying the contest at 14-14.
