How significant is Calvin Johnson breaking the reception yards record?

[k13]

He absolutely raped that Seattle corner who called himself "optimus prime" what a freaking joke Calvin's got tight end size and Randy Moss speed. He's already a legend.

What are you talking about?

Seattle shut him down. He did nothing. Same with Chicago. Dude was dropping passes all over the place.

[k13]

No, because if they did Steve Young would have had a competent #2 to check down to, or he could hand it off to Ricky Watters.

They had no competent #2 that year, Elivis Gerbac started a bunch of the games.
No Ricky Watters, Derek Loville was playing RB, who? I know. 3.3 ypc.

In a way it was a fluke record for Rice too since they usually had balanced teams.

[k13]

Charley Hennigan's season was more impressive than Rice's or Calvin you could say anyway.

[slacker00]

They had no competent #2 that year, Elivis Gerbac started a bunch of the games.
No Ricky Watters, Derek Loville was playing RB, who? I know. 3.3 ypc.

In a way it was a fluke record for Rice too since they usually had balanced teams.

Wow, I looked it up, you are right. I'm even more impressed with Rice's achievment that year, he really had to carry the team on his shoulders with a broken down John Taylor who played his last game and a rookie JJ Stokes splitting time at #2WR. Ricky Waters was playing for Philly and the replacement, Loville, was a journeyman RB. The clincher is that Rice was doing it with two different QBs that year.

The real test of "significance" for this record will be how long it stands. If someone breaks it next year, nobody will remember it.

[Kermit]

Say what you will, but when you are known to be the #1 weapon on your team and are going to be seeing the ball quite frequently, then the opposition should be well prepared to shut you down.

[flocko76]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8777197/bill-barnwell-fall-giants-rest-week-16-news

scroll down to where he breaks down Johnson's record and his "garbage time stats."

[boxgames]

Megatron is the best! A machine!!

[zacharyj53]

Inflated numbers-debatable

I'm gonna be the first person to fire back and say the numbers are not as inflated:
Offensive line had pass protect long enough
this year, as opposed to last, a lot more YAC's, drag patterns, crossing patterns, took a serious beating out there, this year
Still produced even though the other receiving options weren't as strong. Burleson went down, T.Young, J.Best, Pettigrew missed a little, ryan Broyles went down-Calvin took on a lot of double teams because of the lack of depth

this is why I will not dismiss this so quickly as an inflated record

So when we have QBs throwing over 4k with ease, you don't think the #s are inflated?

[slacker00]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/...t-week-16-news

scroll down to where he breaks down Johnson's record and his "garbage time stats."

I suppose you can make "garbage time" mean anything you like, and eventually, you'll probably come to some sort of split that tells the story you want to tell.

After reading the article, that sums up my take too. It's really about how long this record stands, time will tell.

[R.P. McMurphy]

Obviously passing and receiving records are a little "tainted" these days due to the leagues new marketing, safe, pussy approach. It does make sense to a degree from a business and safety standpoint. However they do go a little overboard with the whole thing at the same time. Bottom line tho despite all the b.s. and red tape involved Calvin is a special and very unique player who could have done this 20 years ago with the right QB tossing him the ball.

[R.P. McMurphy]

Jerry Rice will probably always be remembered as the greatest ever and one of the hardest working players ever in the business. Lets not forget tho he had Joe Montana, Steve Young (hof's) and Rich Gannon who was nothing short of the aforementioned when playing in Oakland. Just imagine how bad Larry Fitz has too feel? If he had a 15/17 year run with QB'S like that it would be crazy. Hell even Tim Brown for that matter. He had Gannon towards the end, a couple good years with Hostetler, and 1 with Jeff George. When T.B. retired he was 2nd behind all Rice records with a career spent with mostly bad/decent QB's with a few rare exceptions in a handful of the years he played.

[darrell74]

So when we have QBs throwing over 4k with ease, you don't think the #s are inflated?

Nope

[R.P. McMurphy]

#'s are obviously inflated. Sorry but if you do not see it the you are too young and cannot remember how the game used to be played. Or not smart enough to factor in the advantage's these rules give to the offense.

[darrell74]

teams defend against the pass more

[GunShard]

Running records during the passing era are very important. Passing records like Dan Marino are significant during the balanced era. Otherwise you are comparing apples to oranges. Hitting a bunch of home runs during the steroid era like Louis Gonzalez 57 are not significant just a footnote that something is just not right.

I agree.

[frostno98]

The most talented receivers ever are Moss and Calvin. I put Rice in the same category as Marvin Harrison.

[VegasInsider]

Calvin is a freak of nature. He runs very precise routes.

[Smoke]

Megatron is greatest WR of all time