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More impressive: 2,000 rushing yards or 2,000 receiving yards?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by MisterCreosote, Dec 27, 2012.

  1. dreunc1542

    dreunc1542 Active Member

    LTL, this article answers your questions about Johnson and garbage yards. Scroll down to "Sifting Through the Garbage for Megatron" and you'll see that he doesn't have quite as many garbage yards as you'd expect: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8777197/bill-barnwell-fall-giants-rest-week-16-news.
     
  2. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    That is interesting, dre. So not as many as I thought, but still a lot.

    I still go with 2,000 rushing yards as the more impressive feat. In addition to having more impact on the game, there's also an unbelievable physical toll that comes from it.
     
  3. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    I would also say that, as with Marino in 1984, Lord knows how many yards Jerry Rice would have had under these rules and the way they're enforced. I'm guessing at least 2,300.
     
  4. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Love the "what if?" game!!
     
  5. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    The major rule changes to to open up the passing game were already in place in the mid-80s. I think the changes that passed in 1978 were much more drastic than anything that has come since.

    There was even at least one change I can think of that helps the defense, the elimination of the "push out" rule. Officials no longer have the latitude to call it a catch when a receiver is knocked out of bounds, but they think he would have landed in without the push by the defender. (Excellent rule change, by the way. Takes away a very difficult judgement call.)

    The enforcement is another matter, especially those in place to protect the receivers from injury. It's becoming damn near impossible to hit a receiver and jar the ball loose without drawing a penalty.
     
  6. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    There were major changes put in place in the mid-2000s after the Patriots handcuffed the Colts' receivers in a playoff game. Not as significant as 1978, but a big deal and a huge part of the growth in the passing game. Between that and the safety enforcements, it's a totally different game for a receiver.
     
  7. nmmetsfan

    nmmetsfan Active Member

    My argument for the receiving mark being more impressive:

    A good running back is going to get the ball 20-25 times/game. It's going to be part of the game plan. It might be part of the game plan to get a good receiver 10 touches, but there are so many other factors on each individual passing play. The coverage, the quarterback (I'll leave out protection because successful line play is necessary for either mark). A defense can play man and rotate a safety over and most times that eliminates the receiver from even getting considered.

    Also, even the most dominant receivers are usually going to top out at 110-120 catches in a great season. With 120 receptions, a receiver has to avg. 16.7 yards per catch to get to 2,000. Johnson's averaging 16.2, which is eighth best in the league. But it's rare for receivers with lots of catches to average more than 16 yards per completion. This year, of the receivers averaging 16 yards per catch, only Johnson and Vincent Jackson (69) have more than 60 catches. In fact, the only receiver since 2002 to average more than 16 yards per catch with at least 90 receptions in a season was Johnson last year. I'm not saying this will never happen again, but I don't think it will become common. There's a reason it's never happened before.
     
  8. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    I always thought that should be the Coach Hoodie Rule in the tradition of the Mel Blount Rule from 1978. I still think the changes that year had a bigger impact, but I can see your point.
     
  9. dreunc1542

    dreunc1542 Active Member

    Also, for all the talk about the rules making it easier now, 3 of the top 7 best seasons for receiving yardage happened in 1995 so it's not like it was THAT much harder back then. Passing, in general, is definitely easier now, but one receiver being that dominant in a season doesn't seem to be that much easier. Johnson's dominance this year - in terms of a comparison to those behind him - is similar to Peterson's.
     
  10. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    As I said earlier, I think Johnson had a much better year in 2011 -- he was the only real target last year too, they were winning and playing close games, and he had 16 touchdowns (he has five this year). I think all of that suggests that this year teams have gone with a ton of soft zone, dont'-let-him-bust-one, don't-let-him-beat-you-in-the-red-zone coverage.
     
  11. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    A real slasher.
     
  12. nmmetsfan

    nmmetsfan Active Member

    Imagine how many rushing yards he'd had if he could have found gloves that fit.
     
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