The Packers had the high-scoring wide receiver duo last year, with both Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams catching at least 12 touchdowns. That’s unusual; the league went to the 16-game schedule back in 1978, and on only 18 other occasions have teams had two wide receivers catching double-digit touchdowns.
Such success is also hard to duplicate. Of previous 18 instances, only three times have said receivers come back and both caught double-digit touchdowns again. (I”ve got those guys in bold.) With only one team did the two receivers catch even more combined touchdowns in the following season.
Packers have been here before. In 2014, Nelson and Randall Cobb each caught 12-plus touchdowns. The following year, Nelson tore his ACL in a preseason game at Pittsburgh and Cobb sputtered his way through a lackluster season, catching 79 passes for 829 yards and 7 TDs.
HIGH-SCORING WIDE RECEIVER TANDEMS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Rec-Yds-TD | Next Year |
1984 | Daryl Turner, Sea. | 35-715-10 | 34-670-13 |
1984 | Steve Largent, Sea. | 74-1164-12 | 79-1287-6 |
1984 | John Stallworth, Pitt. | 80-1395-11 | 75-937-5 |
1984 | Louis Lipps, Pitt. | 45-860-11 | 59-1134-15 |
1986 | Mark Clayton, Mia. | 60-1150-10 | 46-776-7 |
1986 | Mark Duper, Mia. | 67-1313-11 | 33-597-8 |
1989 | John Taylor, S.F. | 60-1077-10 | 49-748-7 |
1989 | Jerry Rice, S.F. | 82-1483-17 | 100-1502-13 |
1991 | Michael Haynes, Atl. | 50-1122-11 | 48-808-10 |
1991 | Andre Rison, Atl. | 81-976-12 | 93-1121-11 |
1992 | Michael Haynes, Atl. | 48-808-10 | 72-778-4 |
1992 | Andre Rison, Atl. | 93-1121-11 | 86-1242-15 |
1998 | Cris Carter, Minn. | 78-1011-12 | 90-1241-13 |
1998 | Randy Moss, Minn. | 68-1313-17 | 80-1413-12 |
1999 | Randy Moss, Minn. | 80-1413-12 | 77-1437-15 |
1999 | Cris Carter, Minn. | 90-1241-13 | 96-1274-9 |
2004 | Nate Burleson, Minn. | 68-1006-10 | 25-282-2 |
2004 | Randy Moss, Minn. | 49-767-13 | 62-1136-8 |
2004 | Brandon Stokley, Ind. | 68-1077-10 | 34-489-2 |
2004 | Reggie Wayne, Ind. | 77-1210-12 | 70-1023-6 |
2004 | Marvin Harrison, Ind. | 86-1113-15 | 82-1146-12 |
2008 | Anquan Boldin, Ariz. | 89-1038-11 | 84-1024-5 |
2008 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 96-1431-12 | 97-1092-13 |
2012 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 94-1434-10 | 92-1430-14 |
2012 | Eric Decker, Den. | 85-1064-13 | 87-1288-11 |
2013 | Wes Welker, Den. | 73-778-10 | 49-464-2 |
2013 | Eric Decker, Den. | 87-1288-11 | 74-962-5 |
2013 | Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 92-1430-14 | 111-1619-11 |
2013 | Marvin Jones, Cin. | 51-712-10 | 0-0-0 |
2013 | A.J. Green, Cin. | 98-1426-11 | 69-1041-6 |
2014 | Randall Cobb, G.B. | 91-1287-12 | 79-829-7 |
2014 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 98-1519-13 | 0-0-0 |
2015 | Eric Decker, NYJ | 80-1027-12 | 9-194-2 |
2015 | Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 109-1502-14 | 59-788-3 |
2015 | Allen Hurns, Jac. | 64-1031-10 | 35-477-3 |
2015 | Allen Robinson, Jac. | 80-1400-14 | 73-883-6 |
2016 | Davante Adams, G.B. | 75-997-12 | ?-?-? |
2016 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 97-1257-14 | ?-?-? |
—Ian Allan