Ian Allan
I would like help with a passing game mystery I can’t explain. Please weigh in with your opinions.
We know that NFL teams last year passed for more yards and more touchdowns than ever before. There was a record amount of passing production.
So why weren’t the wide receivers better?
In the last 20 years, wide receivers have caught 13 or more touchdowns 38 times. It happened only once last year.
Similarly, in the last 20 years, 44 receivers have gone over 1,400 receiving yards, but it happened only once last season.
With passing production at an all-time high, why didn’t we see a couple of guys up at 17-18 TD catches? Or two or three guys with 1,500 or 1,600 receiving yards?
I will not poison the well by offering my own opinions. I am, however, interested in hearing yours.
BEST RECEIVERS OF THE LAST 20 YEARS
Using the scoring system of 6 points for touchdowns and 1 point for every 10 receiving yards.
Yds TD Points Year
1848 17 292.8 1995 Jerry Rice (S.F.)
1493 23 287.3 2007 Randy Moss (N.E.)
1632 17 265.2 2003 Randy Moss (Minn.)
1781 13 258.1 1995 Isaac Bruce (St.L.)
1686 14 252.6 1995 Herman Moore (Det.)
1503 16 246.3 1993 Jerry Rice (S.F.)
1524 15 242.4 2001 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1499 15 241.9 1994 Jerry Rice (S.F.)
1696 12 241.6 2003 Torry Holt (St.L.)
1663 12 240.3 1999 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1722 11 240.2 2002 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1371 17 239.1 1995 Cris Carter (Minn.)
1313 17 237.3 1998 Randy Moss (Minn.)
1412 16 237.2 2001 Terrell Owens (S.F.)
1405 16 236.5 2004 Muhsin Muhammad (Car.)
1437 15 235.7 2000 Randy Moss (Minn.)
1563 13 234.3 2005 Steve Smith (Car.)
1424 14 228.4 1998 Antonio Freeman (G.B.)
1497 13 227.7 1995 Robert Brooks (G.B.)
1355 15 225.5 2007 Terrell Owens (Dall.)
1234 17 225.4 1995 Carl Pickens (Cin.)
1413 14 225.3 2000 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1451 13 225.1 2000 Terrell Owens (S.F.)
1289 16 224.9 2007 Braylon Edwards (Clev.)
1461 13 224.1 1992 Sterling Sharpe (G.B.)
1603 10 220.3 1995 Michael Irvin (Dall.)
1119 18 219.9 1994 Sterling Sharpe (G.B.)
1413 12 218.3 1999 Randy Moss (Minn.)
1431 12 215.1 2008 Larry Fitzgerald (Ariz.)
1602 9 214.2 2000 Rod Smith (Den.)
1242 15 214.2 1993 Andre Rison (Atl.)
1300 14 214.0 2002 Terrell Owens (S.F.)
1569 9 212.9 2009 Andre Johnson (Hou.)
1510 10 211.0 2007 Reggie Wayne (Ind.)
1329 12 210.9 2002 Hines Ward (Pitt.)
1448 11 210.8 2010 Brandon Lloyd (Den.)
1382 12 210.2 2004 Javon Walker (G.B.)
1366 12 208.6 2006 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1584 8 208.4 1997 Rob Moore (Ariz.)
1201 14 208.1 1996 Michael Jackson (Balt.)
1399 11 207.9 2004 Joe Horn (N.O.)
1598 8 207.8 2001 David Boston (Ariz.)
1331 12 207.1 2008 Calvin Johnson (Det.)
1264 13 206.4 2009 Randy Moss (N.E.)
1162 15 206.2 2010 Dwayne Bowe (K.C.)
1575 8 205.5 2008 Andre Johnson (Hou.)
1488 9 204.8 1995 Brett Perriman (Det.)
1206 14 204.6 1991 Jerry Rice (S.F.)
1342 11 204.2 1994 Terance Mathis (Atl.)
1200 14 204.0 2004 Terrell Owens (Phil.)
1389 10 202.9 2010 Roddy White (Atl.)
1483 9 202.3 2005 Santana Moss (Wash)
1343 11 202.3 2001 Rod Smith (Den.)
1241 13 202.1 1999 Cris Carter (Minn.)
1097 15 201.7 1998 Terrell Owens (S.F.)
1636 6 201.6 1999 Jimmy Smith (Jac.)
1113 15 201.3 2004 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1471 9 201.1 2000 Isaac Bruce (St.L.)
1171 14 201.1 1996 Tony Martin (S.D.)
1409 10 200.9 2005 Larry Fitzgerald (Ariz.)
1409 10 200.9 2007 Larry Fitzgerald (Ariz.)
1523 8 200.3 1991 Michael Irvin (Dall.)
1635 6 199.5 2000 Torry Holt (St.L.)
1391 10 199.1 2000 Derrick Alexander (K.C.)
1265 12 198.5 2010 Greg Jennings (G.B.)
1320 11 198.0 2009 Miles Austin (Dall.)
1180 13 198.0 2006 Terrell Owens (Dall.)
1432 9 197.2 2005 Chad Johnson (Cin.)
1372 10 197.2 2004 Torry Holt (St.L.)
1243 12 196.3 1997 Antonio Freeman (G.B.)
1355 10 195.5 2003 Chad Johnson (Cin.)
1247 11 194.7 2004 Drew Bennett (Tenn.)
1342 10 194.2 1995 Tim Brown (Oak.)
1400 9 194.0 1999 Marcus Robinson (Chi.)
1340 10 194.0 1991 Gary Clark (Wash.)
1274 11 193.4 1993 Sterling Sharpe (G.B.)
1210 12 193.0 2004 Reggie Wayne (Ind.)
1440 8 192.0 2007 Chad Johnson (Cin.)
1180 12 192.0 1996 Carl Pickens (Cin.)
1079 14 191.9 1995 Anthony Miller (Den.)
1069 13 190.9 1997 Cris Carter (Minn.)
1368 9 190.8 1998 Eric Moulds (Buff.)
1165 12 190.5 1999 Isaac Bruce (St.L.)
1180 12 190.0 1997 Rod Smith (Den.)
1287 10 188.7 2002 Eric Moulds (Buff.)
1287 10 188.7 2005 Joey Galloway (T.B.)
1167 12 188.7 2009 DeSean Jackson (Phil.)
1317 9 187.7 2000 Ed McCaffrey (Den.)
1272 10 187.2 2003 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1092 13 187.2 2009 Larry Fitzgerald (Ariz.)
1331 9 187.1 2005 Torry Holt (St.L.)
1310 9 187.0 2006 Reggie Wayne (Ind.)
1146 12 186.6 2005 Marvin Harrison (Ind.)
1264 10 186.4 2009 Reggie Wayne (Ind.)
1143 12 186.3 2007 T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Cin.)
1202 11 186.2 2007 Marques Colston (N.O.)
1201 11 186.1 1992 Jerry Rice (S.F.)
1120 12 186.0 2010 Calvin Johnson (Det.)
1377 8 185.7 2003 Anquan Boldin (Ariz.)
1257 10 185.7 2010 Mike Wallace (Pitt.)
- Comments [5]
Readers' Comments
Add a Comment
Already a registered user? Please sign in to add comments.
To add comments, you must become a registered user of our site. To register, please click here.
Posted by ANDY RICHARDSON | Jul. 01 at 07:08 AM
Without looking at any numbers, I will vote for there being more receivers on the field in today's offenses than there were even 5 or 10 years ago. More teams use 3-WR or 2-TE sets as their base offense (the disappearance of the fullback), so there are fewer passes going to the No. 1 WRs and more going to No. 3 or 4 wideouts or 2nd tight ends.
Posted by MICHAEL MAROHN | Jul. 01 at 07:33 AM
Agreed with the above...Taking it a step further, the overall specialization in the NFL probably has something to do with this. Slot receivers, red-zone targets, deep threats, underneath guys, third down backs, blocking and receiving tight ends....all roles that most teams have for specific individuals. Years ago, the top passing teams had one guy who did much of that by themselves, true number 1 options. That, combined with the overall shift from Qbs that totally lock on to their top guy to the Brees-like "spread it around-don't force it" philosophy that most Qbs have now...
Posted by ERIC SCOLNICK | Jul. 01 at 09:38 AM
Last year had 2 of what would have been star receivers injured (Andre Johnson and Hakeem Nicks). Also, another top receiver (Randy Moss) was traded and was released durning the year. Another two top recievers (Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson) had very weak QB throwing to them most of the year. With these five top WR out of the picture it is not surpising 2010 had a lack of tier 1 WR's.
Posted by Duane Stay | Jul. 01 at 10:33 PM
I agree with all of the above.... That pretty much says it.
Posted by DAVID DIGREGORIO | Jul. 03 at 04:29 AM
They spread the ball around due to more multiple WR sets and use the TE more.