Factoid
History suggests Terrell Owens won’t make much of an impact with the Bengals. He’s simply too old – he’ll be 37 in December.
Since the NFL went to the 16-game season in 1978, only three receivers who were 36 or older on opening day have gone over 1,000 receiving yards. Jerry Rice did it twice, and Jimmy Smith did it for the Jaguars.
In Rice’s case, he caught 92 passes for 1,211 yards and 7 TDs for the Raiders in 2002; he was 39 at the start of that season. The previous year, Rice caught 83 balls for 1,139 yards and 9 TDs, also for the Raiders. In Smith’s case, he caught 70 passes for 1,023 yards and 6 TDs for Jacksonville in 2005.
You simply don’t see many advanced receivers playing at a high level. Very few receivers who’ve been 34 or 35 years old on opening day have gone over 1,000 receiving yards.
35-YEAR-OLDS WHO'VE GONE OVER 1,000 YARDS (1978-present)
No Yds Avg TD Year
57 1072 18.8 8 1991 James Lofton (Buff.)
52 1014 19.5 2 1996 Henry Ellard (Wash.)
82 1157 14.1 9 1998 Jerry Rice (S.F.)
91 1165 12.8 9 2001 Tim Brown (Oak.)
74 1172 15.8 6 2004 Jimmy Smith (Jac.)
85 1105 13.0 6 2005 Rod Smith (Den.)
57 1014 17.8 6 2007 Joey Galloway (T.B.)
73 1028 14.1 7 2009 Derrick Mason (Balt.)
34-YEAR-OLDS WHO'VE GONE OVER 1,000 YARDS (1978-present)
No Yds Avg TD Year
70 1244 17.8 4 1981 Frank Lewis (Buff.)
90 1109 12.3 4 1991 Drew Hill (Hou.)
56 1005 17.9 5 1995 Henry Ellard (Wash.)
86 1316 15.3 6 1997 Irving Fryar (Phil.)
96 1274 13.3 9 2000 Cris Carter (Minn.)
76 1128 14.8 11 2000 Tim Brown (Oak.)
79 1144 14.5 7 2004 Rod Smith (Den.)
62 1057 17.0 7 2006 Joey Galloway (T.B.)
95 1366 14.4 12 2006 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
94 1147 12.2 6 2007 Bobby Engram (Sea.)
69 1052 15.2 10 2008 Terrell Owens (Dall.)
80 1037 13.0 5 2008 Derrick Mason (Balt.)
70 1061 15.2 6 2009 Donald Driver (G.B.)
—Ian Allan
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Posted by Eugene Hitt | Jul. 30 at 12:47 AM
T.J. Housh never was an "explosive" player and TO seems to have at least as much athletic ability as T.J. ever had. Regardless of age, doesn't he seem to have that kind of ceiling in that offense? ever since T.J. bolted for Seatle, they've been lacking that kind of player. (Now if they can only get him to go over the middle.....)
Posted by IAN ALLAN | Jul. 30 at 01:56 AM
They're different kinds of players. Houshmandzadeh is a possession receiver. He works the underneath stuff. Usually averages about 11 yards per catch. Owens is a downfield receiver. The Bengals want to use him on longer pass patterns.
Posted by KEVIN WEAKLAND | Jul. 30 at 01:38 PM
I think TO has lost a step but we will see
Posted by Matthew Kenerly | Jul. 31 at 12:33 AM
You could do worse for a bye week wide receiver, though. He won't get to 1000 yards, but I don't see how he couldn't at least match him numbers from last year in Buffalo.
Posted by John Evans | Aug. 01 at 12:05 PM
T.O. is a physical freak. That is something that is being overlooked. Age applies to most...but not to guys like Rice, TO, and Moss. The Index has also been avoiding Thomas Jones over the last few years for the same reason...but the guy keeps turnout out huge numbers.