tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5475357521701869265.post3403099454041893669..comments2023-04-29T06:23:15.959-04:00Comments on Defensive Indifference: Rambling about receiversJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09834181305584355651noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5475357521701869265.post-69946163636473777842008-12-26T18:15:00.000-05:002008-12-26T18:15:00.000-05:00CDub: All the categories you mention are stats whe...CDub: All the categories you mention are stats where, in an ideal world, I'd like for my receiver to have a total of zero. It's the same reason, I want my team to never convert a third down (or my receiver to catch a third-down pass, ever): I'd rather they got their first-down yardage on first or second down.<BR/><BR/>YAC: I'd rather he's never touched and outruns everyone to the end zone.<BR/><BR/>Catches in coverage: To avoid having to make those kinds of catches, get more open.<BR/><BR/>Diving catches: To avoid having to make those catches, be properly positioned (yeah, the QB will have bad throws or throws along the sideline that you have to look good making).<BR/><BR/>Sure, realistically, none of that will ever happen...your receivers will have to make the "tough" catches. But giving them credit for something that, in effect, they could have completely avoided if they were better, seems wrong to me. Giving guys credit for highlight-reel catches is like saying Barry Sanders is better than Emmitt Smith (which he may or may not be -- I'm not making a judgment here, but Smith does hold the rushing record) because he had so many "OMG, can you believe he did that?" plays.Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09834181305584355651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5475357521701869265.post-92193380971535975922008-12-26T13:31:00.000-05:002008-12-26T13:31:00.000-05:00Since I was a kid, I never understood why commenta...Since I was a kid, I never understood why commentators talked about the reception total so much. I thought, aren't the yards you gain more important than how many catches you actually have? I'm much more interested in looking at the league leaders in receiving yards than the league leaders in receptions to determine quality.Pacifist Vikinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16630996018868040440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5475357521701869265.post-53763240743145346822008-12-25T22:34:00.000-05:002008-12-25T22:34:00.000-05:00This is an extremely difficult area to analyze, as...This is an extremely difficult area to analyze, as I'm sure you're aware. But if I had to pick stats, they may be some kind of whacky ones, but important. Examples:<BR/><BR/>Yards after CONTACT: guys who can get more yards after a defender has engaged them. Moss is decent at this, Cris Carter was awesome with his stiff arm, and TO is pretty good at running over some defenders.<BR/><BR/>Another one would be number of catches with heavy coverage. This is hard to analyze, but guys who can make a grab with a defender in their face or taking their legs out mid air. This is a highly underrated characteristic. The greats make the tough catches, end of story.<BR/><BR/>Diving catches. Jerry Rice and Marvin Harrison are the best I've ever seen in mid air falling to the ground and making those catches. Cris Carter did it a lot falling out of bounds but getting those feet in. He could always catch it where only he could reach and no defender could prevent.<BR/><BR/>That's just what I look for in receivers when I watch football. Basically who is going to make the catch even if the throw is off or if he's covered. <BR/><BR/>Randy Moss can be covered by 2 guys in the endzone and they still throw him the jump ball. That's the best receiver in the league in my opinion.Cdubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09619457385109936630noreply@blogger.com