Tag: receiving yards

Missing Marvelous Marvin Mims: Where has the playmaker gone?

After a sizzling start to the season in week 1 against Tulane, Marvin Mims hasn’t had the opportunities, nor has he been as productive since.

The Sooners have a multitude of problems. Many have been well documented from the quarterback play, offensive line, lack of a running game, lack of vertical passing game, or just lack of explosive plays in general. The vertical passing game has taken a major backseat and in the process so has receiver Marvin Mims. Mims was a big-play machine in 2020 as he announced himself to college football as a true freshman.

Where has that Marvin Mims gone?

His freshman campaign saw him post team-highs of 37 receptions, 610 receiving yards, and nine touchdown receptions. To sum that up, it was the best freshman season for a wide receiver in Oklahoma history.  He started the year off strong with a five-catch performance against Tulane. He totaled 117 yards with 60 coming on massive catch and run. He’s had no more than two catches in any game since.

It’s quite obvious that the offense’s issues as a whole have trickled down to individual skill players who have showcased their abilities before. Mims and running back Kennedy Brooks come to mind. However, Mims alongside Michael Woods, are truly the most proven offensive commodities this team has. Mims has been in this offense for two years now so he has the leg up on Woods in that regard.

The Sooners have repeatedly said they are on the cusp of breaking thru. Head coach Lincoln Riley has reiterated it time and time again. Will that breakthrough include getting Mims, the verified electric playmaker the ball more?

With a major trip to Manhattan to take on the Kansas State Wildcats, who have had their number recently, Oklahoma is searching for answers. Getting the ball in the hands of a guy as electric as Mims could be a way to jump-start the offense. Screens, quick passes, moving Mims inside and outside are just a few things they can do to free him up and immediately get the ball in his hands and let him do the rest.

There was little hoopla about his move to the inside to accommodate Jadon Haselwood and Michael Woods manning the outside receiver slots but it’s hard not to wonder if Mims’ lack of production isn’t attributed at least in part due to the move. He flourished outside last season but the offensive line also gave Rattler more time to throw. Oklahoma also didn’t see nearly as much Cover 4 as they do now.

Nonetheless, he’s a dynamic playmaker who needs the ball in his hands. In an attempt to jumpstart the engine to this sports car of an offense, it may be time for the one player who has shown the ability to produce electricity to be force-fed the ball.

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Sooners wide receiver Michael Woods making himself right at home

Michael Woods was the latest Sooners receiver to lead the team this season after his breakout performance against West Virginia.

Amid a chaotic and lackluster offensive campaign, the Oklahoma Sooners have found some guys who can play and will be major assets if they get better offensive line and quarterback play.

One of those guys is Arkansas transfer, Michael Woods.

Woods transferred after the Arkansas spring game and was a Sooner the next weekend. He spent all summer working with the offense and has made his name felt all season.

The Sooners game against West Virginia is where he shined the brightest. Woods finished with eight receptions for 86 yards averaging 10.8 yards per catch. It became apparent throughout the night that Spencer Rattler’s trust in him went up as the game inched closer and closer to its end. Woods made timely catches on third downs and helped keep the chains moving all night.

For his efforts, Woods became the fourth receiver to lead the Sooners in receiving this season’s four games. Previously, Marvin Mims, Mario Williams, Jadon Haselwood each took a turn as the leading pass catcher. This time, Woods took the lead.

Woods almost operates solely outside and is better for it as it allows guys like Mario Williams, Marvin Mims, and Drake Stoops to maneuver in the slot. Woods’ ability to make contested catches is going to continue to allow him to see the field.

Another aspect of Michael’s game is his ability to fight for yards after the catch. His longest reception came after the catch and his ability to make things happen with the ball in his hands.

Woods finished with 619 yards his last year in Arkansas. Parker Thune of 247 Sports posted an amazing stat about Woods last season in Arkansas and how he would’ve fit into Oklahoma last season.

“Woods’ 619 yards last season represented roughly 26 percent of Arkansas’ offensive output via the pass. That same share of the production in Oklahoma’s 2020 offense would have amounted to 893 yards.”

With that being said, due to the uncertainty of the Sooners offense right now, who knows if Woods will reach that level of production. However, it’s becoming apparent that Woods is a bonafide receiver, and the Sooners are lucky to have him.

With the current state of the Oklahoma offense, they will need his sure hands on these short and intermediate routes until they can unlock the vertical passing game. Woods offers the Sooners veteran leadership and another dependable asset that shows the wide receiver room is not nearly as deficient of playmakers as it may have been last year.

Their biggest obstacle is finding ways to consistently get a passing game going to allow Rattler to spread the wealth and generate more explosive plays, which is what the offense lacks more than anything.

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Chiefs’ Travis Kelce becomes fastest tight end to 8,000 receiving yards

#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has passed #Bucs TE Rob Gronkowski as the quickest at their position to 8,000 career receiving yards.

With over 43 receiving yards against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has claimed a piece of NFL history.

Kelce has become the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach 8,000 receiving yards, doing so in just 113 games. He had a chance to get it done last week against the Cleveland Browns, but he gets it done in prime-time on “Sunday Night Football” instead. Kelce surpasses Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Rob Gronkowski, who reached 8,000 receiving yards in 120 career games with his previous team, the New England Patriots.

It shouldn’t come as a big surprise to see Kelce break this pace record. Last year, he became the only tight end in NFL history to notch five consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He also set the NFL’s record for most receiving yards in a single season last year, a record he’d previously claimed for a brief time in 2018. When you put up numbers like that, you’re bound to grab a few more pieces of NFL history while you’re at it.

If Kelce crosses the 100-yard mark in Baltimore tonight, he can also tie a franchise record. He’ll tie tight end Tony Gonzalez for the most such games in franchise history, with 26 100-yard receiving games. That’s only six games away from setting the NFL record for 100-yard receiving games by a tight end, which is also held by Gonzalez (31).

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DK Metcalf sets Seahawks record for single-season receiving yards

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf has set a franchise record for single-season receiving yards, breaking Steve Largent’s of 35 years.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf needed just six receiving yards in the Week 17 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers to break Steve Largent’s long-standing record for single-season receiving yards at 1,287, which was set in 1985.

Metcalf easily beat the record that stood for 35 years in the first half of the game Sunday afternoon with a four-yard catch to set the new record.

“Just to break a record that’s been standing for so long it’s just a blessing just to be in this position and an amazing opportunity I have in front of me,” Metcalf said.

Metcalf, only in his sophomore season, is having an impressive year, to say the least. For his efforts, he received a Pro Bowl nod, joining Brian Blades as only the second Seahawk to earn the honor in his first two seasons.

At the half, the Seahawks lead the 49ers 6-3 and Metcalf has two catches for nine yards on five targets so far.

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Chiefs TE Travis Kelce leads NFL in receiving yards, on record-breaking pace

Travis Kelce is pacing to do things that have never been done in the history of the NFL.

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce woke up on Monday morning as the NFL’s receiving leader through Week 14.

It’s a significant achievement for the eighth-year pro because that’s never happened for a player at the tight end position before. With three games left to go, Kelce is pacing to make some more significant NFL history. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke about his performance up to this point of the season after the game against the Dolphins.

“He’s done a nice job,” Reid said. “Like any game, there are things that he can do better, but I mean let’s not slight him, he’s done great and he’s loving every minute of it. He and the quarterback have a good relationship. They’re working it together, they have a lot of trust in each other.”

That trust has helped Kelce achieve 1,250 receiving yards, which leads the rest of the league by 70 yards. He needs just 128 yards to beat the single-season receiving record by a tight end, set by George Kittle back in 2018 (1,377). Kelce previously held that record for a few hours before Kittle surpassed him.

Right now, Kelce’s on pace to exceed 1,500 receiving yards on the year. If he keeps his current pace through the next three weeks, he could become the first tight end to ever to lead the NFL in receiving yards. That’d be a historic achievement and add to a campaign shaping up to be worthy of Offensive Player of the Year honors. If he were to win that award, he’d also make history as no tight end has ever won the award.

Chiefs CEO and Chairman Clark Hunt also had a chance to speak about the season that Kelce’s having after Week 14. While he’s elated for the success on the field, the thing that continues to impress him most is Kelce’s growth off the field. It’s one of the reasons he was chosen to be the Chiefs’ nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

“First of all, congratulations to the year that he’s having, his success on the field,” Hunt said following the game. “Over a thousand yards again— on pace to break a bunch of records, getting that nod from Madden as a 99, tremendous accomplishment by him and he’s such an important part of the offense and the success that we have had, really, for all five years that we have won the division. But probably what I’m most impressed by has been his growth off the field. He’s a leader in the locker room, but he’s also a leader in the community, committed to making a difference in communities in Kansas City and Ohio for underprivileged families, underprivileged children; and I’m just so proud of everything that he’s accomplished in that regard and everything that he’s doing. He’s a very deserving nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.”

Shifting back to Kelce’s record-breaking statistical year, he’ll also come close to breaking the NFL record for receptions by a tight end. He currently has 90 receptions on the year and needs just 24 more to exceed the record set by Eagles TE Zach Ertz in 2019. He’s averaging around 6.5 receptions per game this season, but he’s averaged eight or more receptions per game since Week 8.

To add a little more context to Kelce’s year, the next closest player in terms of receiving yards and receptions at the tight end position is Raiders TE Darren Waller. He has six fewer receptions on the season, but only 817 yards on the year.

Kelce is truly proving to be one-of-one in the NFL at the tight end position. He’s on his way to having the best season the position has ever seen, but he doesn’t want any of the glory yet. Just like the rest of the team, he knows that job isn’t done.

“[I’m] trying to take advantage of the opportunity that I have here in Kansas City every single day both on and off the field,” Kelce said. “That’s my goal.”

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Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill, TE Travis Kelce lead NFL in receiving yards

Hill ranks first and Kelce ranks second in receiving yards for the 2020 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs have long had the most dominant passing attack in the NFL, headlined by WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce. Following Week 12’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both players are being recognized as they’ve ascended the NFL’s receiving yards leaderboard to rank No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

After an incredible display of skill in Tampa, recording 269 receiving yards and three touchdowns, Hill became the NFL’s leader in receiving yards. He became the first receiver to reach 1,000 yards or more this season with 1,021 yards on the year. Ahead of the game, Hill ranked 14th in the NFL with 752 yards. Hill also leads the NFL in receiving touchdowns with 13 on the year, two more than the next closest players.

Kelce, who needs just 28 yards to notch his fifth-straight 1,000-yard receiving season, is just behind Hill in the NFL’s receiving yards rankings. Kelce’s 972 receiving yards barely edges out Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins for the No. 2 spot. That’s pretty impressive for a tight end and something rarely seen. The next closest player at his position is Darren Waller at No. 37.

The Chiefs very well could have two 1,000-yard receivers faster than any other team in the NFL by Week 13. The Panthers, who have two 900-yard receivers in DJ Moore and Robby Anderson, are set to have a bye week in Week 13. The only other team with two players in the top 20 in terms of receiving yards are the Seattle Seahawks with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and they’ll need some monster performances to catch up.

It’s incredibly rare to see two receivers having this type of success on the same team in a single season. The only tandem that comes to mind is Randy Moss and Cris Carter back with the Minnesota Vikings in 1999. They finished the year as the No. 3 and No. 8 in the NFL in receiving yards. There are only five games left to go and if Hill and Kelce continue to have this type of success, they could be on their way to making some NFL history.

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Chris Carson scores 2 touchdowns in 1st quarter of Seahawks opener

Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson scores two touchdowns in the first quarter of the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Seattle Seahawks are in Atlanta to take on the Falcons on the road for their Week 1, regular-season opener.  Midway through the second quarter, the Seahawks have a 14-9 lead, courtesy of running back Chris Carson, who scored two touchdowns for Seattle in just the first quarter of play.

The first score came on a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Russell Wilson to cap off a 77-yard TD drive that ate 6:23 off the clock and put Seattle ahead 7-3.

The second score was much quicker, a three-play drive for 60 yards that culminated in a 19-yard pass to Carson and the touchdown.

In the middle of the second quarter, Carson is now a perfect 4-4 receiving for 37 yards and the two touchdowns.

Here’s a look at both of his scoring plays:

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Elliott feels ‘in-tune’ for 2020, says ‘sky’s the limit’ for Cowboys offense

The star running back kept the details of the offense mostly under wraps, but looks to be more involved in the passing game this season.

Ezekiel Elliott tried really hard to stick to the party line laid out by his head coach. He made every effort to follow Mike McCarthy’s example and not divulge any insider information about what the 2020 Cowboys offense will look like when it’s unveiled Sunday night at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

After a preseason with no exhibition games, confidential training camp sessions, and a televised scrimmage that revealed nothing but standing around on the sidelines, no one outside the locker room really knows what to expect from Dak Prescott and Company.

But it didn’t stop the media from asking the running back for a preview during a Wednesday conference call.

“I don’t think that any changes that we’ve made are that big from what we were doing. Just like, little different playcalls,” Elliott said. “I think I’m ready. I’m pretty comfortable in the offense. It’s very similar to what we ran last year, so it’s not really anything that’s crazy-new or crazy-alarming, so it’s pretty much the same system I’ve been in the past four years.”

That may not be quite what Cowboys Nation wants to hear, given that Dallas reached the postseason in just two of those four years and have a disappointing 1-2 record in those playoff games to show for it.

So Elliott was asked instead to confirm the rumors that he’ll be more involved in the passing game under McCarthy.

“Yeah, I think I will be.”

That was it. That was the whole answer.

The no-nonsense McCarthy would have loved it.

The reporters assembled remotely waited for more, and then burst out in laughter when they realized it wasn’t coming. At least not willingly.

They pushed Elliott to elaborate.

“Just running routes from the backfield, running routes from slot, running from out wide,” Elliott said before flashing his signature grin. “That’s about how much I can give you.”

Elliott no doubt has the skills to hurt defenses as a receiver. But last season, he barely cracked the top 10 leaguewide when it came to pass receptions by a running back. And most of those catches came on garden-variety swings and screen dump-offs. His best season catching the ball came in 2018, when he had 77 grabs for 567 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2020, Elliott looks to surpass those stats by running more actual routes, but he’s still eyeing the big prize, too: a third league rushing title to go with the ones he earned in 2016 and 2018.

“Based off the whole mentality of the football team and that O-line we’ve got in front of us and all the weapons outside,” Elliott explained, “I think with my ability, I expect myself to be up there in the running for that rushing title.”

There are plenty of playmakers in Dallas looking for touches, as Elliott alluded to. One of them is in the same backfield. Tony Pollard impressed last season in his rookie campaign, despite totaling just 455 yards on the ground. While the Memphis product’s primary purpose may be to spell Elliott from time to time, fans were tantalized last season with the thought of seeing the pair on the field together.

The idea never truly took off under Jason Garrett’s watch. It just might in Kellen Moore’s first collaborative season with McCarthy.

“You saw a little bit of it last year,” Elliott admitted when asked about a scheme featuring both backs. “I would say just a bigger package, a bigger menu. Just more plays, like when you saw me and Tony together in there last year.”

Pollard came close to being the starter in Week 1 of 2019, after Elliott held out of training camp in a contract dispute. Zeke says his solo time in Cabo may have let him start last year fresher, but he feels more ready for action this time around.

“I definitely just feel in-tune. Like, I’ve been playing football for the past three weeks. Coming off the holdout, I jumped right into practice, the first day in pads, and then literally, three or four days later, we’re playing on Sunday. So just having those three weeks, it went by fast, but just having that and actually being in pads and seeing the run fits.”

It will all come together on Sunday night when Elliott, Pollard, Prescott, and the highly-anticipated receiving corps of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb finally take the field and unleash what looks to be- on paper, anyway- a legitimate offensive juggernaut.

“I think the sky’s the limit,” Elliott said plainly.

But the 25-year-old rusher was also quick to temper initial expectations about that potentially-explosive Dallas offense, one that’s still trying to jell as a unit after the abbreviated camp.

“The first game, you know it’s not going to be your best game,” Elliott admitted. “You know it’s going to be a little sloppy, especially this year with no preseason and kind of a late start to the training camp. It’s going to be messy. You know those first couple weeks, it’s not going to be perfect, but you’ve got to fight for a win.”

Just as McCarthy had told the team.

Elliott ended up sticking to the script after all.

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Seahawks Tyler Locket projected to tally 1100 receiving yards in 2020

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Locket is projected to tally 1100 receiving yards in 2020 by the fantasy football site, The Huddle.

[jwplayer BIWir7Od-ThvAeFxT]

The 2020 NFL regular season is just a week away and fans around the country are busy shoring up their fantasy football squads. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett should not be overlooked.

Lockett is projected to tally 85 receptions for 1100 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020 by the fantasy site, The Huddle. He is currently ranked the No. 15 wide receiver league-wide.

“Lockett finally hit the 1,000-yard mark when he caught a career-best 82 passes for 1,057 yards and eight TDs,” The Hudde notes. “He accounted for 57-965-10 in 2019 making him a Top-13 WR for the last two years. He’s a safe bet to continue to be the #1 WR in SEA. Lockett is the preferred target for Russell Wilson and not only produced four 100-yard games last year; he ended with 9-136-1 in the playoff loss to the Packers.”

Dominate your fantasy football league with TheHuddle.com. Custom rankings! Sleepers! New customers, take 20% this year’s subscription. Order now!

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Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf cracks NFL Network’s Top 100 at No. 81

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf cracks NFL Network’s Top 100 at No. 81, marking the second Seahawk to make the 2020 list so far.

It didn’t take Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf long to crack the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players” list, coming in at No. 81 to start his second season.

Metcalf is the second Seahawk to be named to the “Top 100 Players of 2020” list so far, with running back Chris Carson making his debut at No. 96.

In 16 regular-season games played his rookie year, Metcalf logged 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns, firmly cementing himself in the No. 2 spot behind veteran Tyler Lockett. Expectations are even higher for Metcalf entering his sophomore season.

Here’s a look at Metcalf’s NFL Network video from Sunday night.

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