2016 NFL Stats Recap

 

I keep a database of every 'great' offensive season in NFL history using the following criteria:

RB's ---- 1,300 Yds Rushing & 1,800 Yds from scrimmage

                                 WR's --- 1,200 Yds Receiving

QB's ---- 4,000/30....4,000 Yds with at least 30 TD passes.

 

          On the surface it looks a bit like last year for the RB’s – once again, only two new 1,300 yd seasons. But last year the #3 total was just 1,106 (Todd Gurley – what a fall he & the Rams had in 2016!), while this year we had five 1,200+ totals. And the WR numbers – just six 1,200+ seasons - fell back to Earth big-time after averaging 12.7 1,200 yd guys/yr from 2013-15, including five 1,600+ years. And the leading WR yardage total was the lowest since 2010 when out of nowhere Brandon Lloyd (DEN) led the league with 1,448 yds. That was also the last year we had single digit 1,200 yd WRs. There were five 4,000/30 QB seasons, including Drew Brees’ 5th 5,000+ yard season, and 7th yardage title.

        

And now, to break down the runners, receivers, and passers...

 

RUNNING BACKS – 1,300 Rush Yds / 1,800 Scrimmage Yds

 

1,300 Yds

Ezekiel Elliot –--- 1,631….5.1….15 TDs

Jordan Howard – 1,313….5.2…...6 TDs

 

1,800 Yds

David Johnson – 2,118 (1,239 – 879), 20 TDs

Ezekiel Elliot –--- 1,994 (1,631 – 363), 16 TDs

Le’Veon Bell –---- 1,884 (1,268 – 616), 9 TDs

 

      Zeke became the first rookie to lead the league in rushing since Edgerrin James in 1999 (1,553 yds), while also joining the 1,600/5.0 Club, becoming the 19th member. Only 4 people have two 1,600/5.0 a carry seasons – OJ Simpson, Barry Sanders, Ladainian Tomlinson, and Tiki Barber… Tiki the surprise, doing it his final two seasons in the league at age 30 & 31! Zeke didn’t even play in the final game, or could have ended up 2nd on the all-time rookie rush list, as he needed just 44 yards to surpass George Rodgers’ 1,674 in 1981.

      Jordan Howard is also a rookie, making it the first time since 1972 that a veteran RB hasn’t hit 1,300 yards! (excluding the 9-game strike year of 1982). This surprising stat is a bit deceiving though, as 5 guys entered Week 17 with at least 1,213 yards, but for various reasons, they all fell short, including Pittsburgh not playing L. Bell just 32 yards shy. As a fan and a stats guy, I hate that. Also, 2016 was just the third time ever 2 rookies cleared 1,300 in the same season (1983 – Eric Dickerson, Curt Warner...2000 – Jamal Lewis & Mike Anderson).

      2nd year sensation David Johnson posted the 40th highest scrimmage yards total ever, while also joining the 20 TD Club as well (16 rush, 4 rec), becoming the 22nd player in league history to hit paydirt at least 20 times in a season. Zeke becomes the 9th rookie in league history to post 1,800+ scrimmage yards, and first since Clinton Portis in 2002. This is Bell’s 2nd 1,800+ season, and he missed 4 games! His 157 scrimmage yds/gm projects to 2,512 for a full 16 games, which would edge out Chris Johnson’s NFL record 2,509 in 2009.

      Finally, both DeAngelo Williams (#48 – 8,096) and LeSean McCoy (#38 – 8,954…1,267 in 2016) broke into the Top 50 all time this season, giving us 6 active Top 50 rushers. Frank Gore moved into #8 overall (13,065 yds) with his 9th career 1,000 yard season, but only once clearing 1,300 (2006 – 1,695 yds).

 

Rookie Rushing Titles w/ 1,300+ Yds

Earl Campbell --------- 1978…..1,450 Yds

George Rodgers ------ 1981…..1,674 Yds

Eric Dickerson --------- 1983…..1,808 Yds

Edgerrin James ------- 1999…..1,553 Yds

Ezekiel Elliott ---------- 2016…...1,631 Yds

 

Rookie 1,800+ Scrimmage Yds

Otis Anderson --------- 1979…….1,913 Total

Billy Sims --------------- 1980…….1,924 Total

George Rodgers ------ 1981…….1,800 Total

Eric Dickerson --------- 1983…….2,212 Total

Marshall Faulk --------- 1994…….1,804 Total

Terrell Davis ------------ 1995…….1,848 Total

Edgerrin James -------- 1999…….2,139 Total

Clinton Portis ----------- 2002…….1,872 Total

Ezekiel Elliott ----------- 2016…….1,994 Total

 

Final Note: I owned both Zeke & Howard in my fantasy league, but lost in the finals, suffering a late-season Melvin Gordon injury…but loved finishing with the top 2 yardage totals in the league on my squad.

 

WIDE RECEIVERS – 1,200 Yds

 

1) TY Hilton  --------------------  91 recs –-- 1,448 yds   

2) Julio Jones ------------------  83 recs ---- 1,409 yds  

3) Odell Beckham Jr ---------- 101 recs -- 1,367 yds

4) Mike Evans ------------------  96 recs ---- 1,321 yds

5) Antonio Brown -------------- 106 recs -- 1,284 yds

6) Jordy Nelson ----------------- 97 recs ---- 1,257 yds

 

       Very subdued considering the multiple monster seasons compiled from 2011-15…and very similar to 2010 when just 6 guys surpassed 1,200 and the same exact total – 1,448 yds – led the league. This is Hilton’s 2nd 1,200+ season (1,345 in 2014), and the 2nd time in the last 3 years that a miny-mite has led the league in rec yards, A. Brown doing it with 1,698 in 2014. They are both listed at 5’10” and a shade over 180lbs. Julio posted his 3rd straight season over 1,400 yards despite missing two games, averaging a hefty 1,624 yds over that span! Odell has opened his career with 3 straight 1,300 yd seasons and 35 TDs, a strong and steady opening act, though we are still waiting for a monster 1,600+ out of him, which he seems eminently capable of.

       A. Brown caught 100+ balls for the 4th straight season, and now has 4 straight 1,200+ seasons, totaling 6,315 yds over that span – almost 1,600/season. Jordy cleared the 1,200 mark for the 4th time in his career, and lies just over 2,000 career yards away from the Top 50. Incidentally, Brown did not lead the league with 106 recs, as old man Larry Fitzgerald had 107 in his 13th season…but averaged under 10/rec, failing to join the 1,200 Club for a 6th time. Mike Evans posted his 2nd straight 1,200 yarder, the 3rd year pro emerging as Jameis Winston’s top target in Tampa.

        Steve Smith (14,731 yds - #7) and Fitzgerald (14,389 yds - #9) both moved into the Top 10 on the all-time yardage list, but no new names broke into the Top 50. As far as receptions go, Fitzgerald moved into the #3 all-time slot (1,125 recs), Jason Witten #7 (1,089), and Anquan Boldin #9 (1,076). Smith ends his career at #12 with 1,031 recs.

        Below are the 8 players to post 4 straight 1,200+ yd receiving seasons:

 

4 Straight 1,200+ Yd Seasons

Jerry Rice --------------- 1988-96…...9 straight

Michael Irvin ------------ 1991-95…...5 straight

Randy Moss ------------ 1998-03…...6 straight

Marvin Harrison -------- 1999-03…..5 straight

Torry Holt ---------------- 2000-05…..6 straight

Chad Johnson ---------- 2003-07…..5 straight

Demaryius Thomas --- 2012-15…..4 straight

Antonio Brown ---------- 2013-16…..4 straight

 

QUARTERBACKS - 4,000 Yards & 30 TDs

 

1) Drew Brees  ------------ 5,208 / 37…now 3rd all-time in yds (66,111), less than 6,000 away from #1. 

2) Matt Ryan --------------- 4,944 / 38…his 2nd; 69.9 Comp % and just 7 Interceptions!

3) Aaron Rodgers -------- 4,428 / 40…his 5th; 40 TDs career 2nd best, but 1st time he’s led league.

4) Philip Rivers ----------- 4,386 / 33…5th time, but a career-worst 21 picks!

5) Andrew Luck ---------- 4,240 / 31…2nd time.

 

***Tom Brady --- In only 12 games, he posted 3,554 & 28 TDs with only 2 interceptions, projecting to 4,738 yds & 37 TDs over 16 games. 28 TDs with just 2 picks is the best single-season ratio in history.

             

       Brees’ 5th 5,000 yard campaign was just the 9th in league history, giving you an idea of how much he dominates the most prolific yardage seasons. No one else has more than one, the others being P. Manning, Brady, Matt Stafford, and Dan Marino, whose 5,084 yds in 1984 stood alone until 2008. It was Brees’ 9th 4,000/30 season (9th in a row!) as he is now tied with Manning for the most in league history. Rodgers’ 40 TDs was just the 12th 40+ TD season in league history, all but 3 of them coming after the turn of the century. All totaled there are now 71 such 4,000/30 seasons in NFL history by 27 different QBs.

       Amazingly, there are now 4 active QBs on the Top 10 all-time yardage list, as behind Brees at #3 is Brady #4, Eli Manning #8, and Big Ben #10. Two more active QBs lie inside the Top 15 – Rivers (#12) and Carson Palmer (#14).

 

4 or More 4,000/30 Seasons

Peyton Manning ------------- 9

Drew Brees ------------------- 9

Aaron Rodgers --------------- 5

Tom Brady -------------------- 5

Philip Rivers ------------------ 5

Brett Favre -------------------- 4

Dan Marino ------------------- 4…after Marino’s 4th and final 4,000/30 season in 1994, he owned half of all the 4,000/30 seasons ever accomplished, the others being Brian Sipe (1980), Lynn Dickey (1983), and Dan Fouts twice (1980-81).

 

NFL AWARDS - Week 11, 2014

 

 

The Dan Marino Award --- Aaron Rodgers, GB....22-36, 341 yds, 3 TDs, 0 Int; 3 att, 32 yds rush --- First it was back-to-back Marinos for Big Ben, now back-to-back for Mr. Rodgers. In Week 1 Rodgers threw one pick. Then in Week 8, after tweaking his hamstring against the Saints he threw two more. He then had a bye, hammy healed nicely (32 yards rushing including a 16-yarder Sunday), and hasn't thrown a pick since. He should have had a 4th TD Sunday, but in a shocking development, Cobb actually dropped a perfectly thrown ball in the end zone - a much easier catch than the TD he caught to close the first half in Week 10, a one-handed circus job. At this pace, Rodgers projects to just under 4,400 yards and 45 TDs against 5 interceptions. 

 

The Ryan Leaf Award --- Eli Manning, NYG....22- 45, 280 yds, 1 TD, 5 Int; --- Much like 6 TDs made the Marino selection quite easy weeks 8 through 10, five INTs makes the Leaf a piece of cake this week. One of my favorite mortal lock bets ever was the under on his TD total his rookie year - 16 was the number, 6 was his actual total. I hated his demeanor on draft day after being taken by the Chargers - he had a pouty face like an 8 yr old who couldn't have dessert - so betting against him was quite enjoyable. And this whiny attitude was just after ex-ASU linebacker and Arizona Cardinal safety Pat Tillman had died in the God-forsaken hills of Afghanistan. Quick aside - I stood right next to Tillman on the sidelines of the UCLA/ASU game in 1996 (got a ballboy gig there in '95 & '96) - unbelievably intense and intimidating. He had long hair flowing out of his helmet, and was breathing loudly through his nose, staring straight ahead at field - pure intensity in his eyes. Then when he'd go out to play, this undersized LB (maybe 200-205lbs) was in on almost every tackle - unreal instincts. Anyway, back to Eli, he actually only had 2 interceptions in his prior 7 games before tanking against the depleted 49er defense. After his 2nd Super Bowl win a few years ago, people were talking about whether or not he was a Hall-of-Famer...those discussions have died down considerably since.

 

 

The Walter Payton Award --- TIE:  Jonas Gray, NE.....38 att, 199 yds, 4 TD; 0 rec......and.....Le'Veon Bell, PIT.....33 att, 204 yds, 1 TD; 2 rec, 18 yds, 0 TD --- How random is Gray's almost 200 yards Sunday? This total represents more than half his career total, now at 330 yds. He's a rookie this year whose senior year was 2011 at Notre Dame, where he had just 1,100 career yards rushing, 791 of them his final season. He tore his ACL in his 11th game that senior year, went undrafted, was on Miami's PUP list and practice squad in 2012, Baltimore's practice squad last year, and New England's this year until being called up a month ago. Amazing story. 

      As for Bell, he won the Payton early in the year when he kicked off the season with two 100-yard efforts in his first 3 games, but hasn't had another until Monday night. He has kept very active in the passing game though, as his 2 catches Mon night was just the second time all year he's been held under 4. He is currently on pace for just over 2,000 yards from scrimmage - 1,381 rushing and 704 receiving - and 83 receptions.

 

The Curtis Enis Award --- Trent Richardson, IND....7 att, 0 yds, 0 TD; 1 rec, 21 yds --- The very definition of '3 yards and a cloud of dust', T-Rich has been a disastrous bust as the 3rd overall selection of the 2012 Draft. He's averaging 3.4 yds/carry this year, and 3.3 for his career. Ahmad Bradshaw broke his fibula Sunday, so once again Trent will be a featured RB carrying the load for Indy. He showed decent speed and elusiveness at Alabama, especially his junior year (1,679 yds), but has subpar vision at the pro level, constantly missing lanes and holes, and showing very average speed combined with below average elusiveness. Luck has a heck of a chance to break Manning's one year old passing yardage record, because Indy won't be gaining too much on the ground in their final 6 games (Luck currently projects to 5,421 yards, just 56 shy of Peyton's 5,477).  

 

 

The Jerry Rice Award --- Mike Evans, TB....7 rec, 209 yds, 2 TDs --- Evans is one of numerous impressive, productive rookie WRs this year. Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin, Brandin Cooks, Allen Robinson, Jordan Matthews, John Brown, Odell Beckham Jr, Martavis Bryant, Allen Hurns and even Jarvis Landry on Miami lately - a phenomenal Class of 2014!! At 6'5", 231 lbs, Evans is built like his teammate Vincent Jackson. He's 10th in the league with 794 yards, and has 7 scores. He was the 7th player taken in the draft last spring, the 2nd WR behind Watkins.

 

The Charles Rogers Award --- Pierre Garcon, WAS...1 rec, 6 yds, 0 TDs --- Garcon led the NFL last year with 113 receptions. This year he has just 43 after 10 games. DeSean's arrival and shaky QB play have killed his productivity. He has just one 100-yard game, and has been under 40 yards 6 times already. Built like a RB (6'0", 216 lbs) with big strong thighs and great open-field running skills, he's a treat to watch when he is catching the ball. But those highlights have been few and far between in 2014. He is 28 now and in his 7th season out of that football factory, Mount Union. Or maybe not such a football factory, as he wasn't taken until the 205th pick in 2008. 

 

Super Bowl 48 Recap

Wilson true MVP, Seahawks defense among best ever.

 

      While true that Seattle's defense was the dominant force in the game, because the MVP can only go to one player, Russell Wilson had to be the MVP. His clutch 3rd down conversions in the 1st quarter, 4 out of 6 to keep two FG scoring drives alive, were what made the romp possible. He kept Peyton, desperate for a rhythm, off the field, while tiring out the Denver D and resting the best D in the league, frothing at the mouth to get back in the game and wreak havoc upon one of the best offenses the NFL has ever seen. This makes the Seattle D one of the best defenses of all time, up there with the 1985 Bears and mid to late 1970's Steelers...and more recently those Ravens teams. Almost every time Peyton completed a pass, 2 or 3 Seahawks were there to make sure no additional yardage was picked up. Denver had just 27 yards rushing on 14 attempts. Peyton completed a Super Bowl record 34 passes, but for just 280 yds, a meager 8.2 yds per completion.

 

Back to Wilson, after the first quarter, he continued to play mistake-free ball and throw accurate lasers, eventually finishing with 18/25 completions for 206 yds, 2 TD, 0 picks...but no Seahawk had big offensive numbers - the leading rusher was WR Percy Harvin with 45 yds in 2 rushes as Lynch was held to just 39 yds on 15 carries. No receiver had 70 yds.

 

Below is what I wrote about Russell when he won the Marino Award Week 13 this season, a Mon night win over the Saints...

 

The Dan Marino Award -  Russell Wilson, SEA...22-30 310 yds, 3 TD, 0 Int.  8 att, 47 yds.        My favorite QB in the league, and I fell in love watching him in Aug 2012 rookie pre-season games. Unbelievably accurate passer, tight spiral, strong arm...nifty, shifty, classic running style - little flash, but quick enough to pick up solid yardage and always smartly seeking the safest route, sacraficing a few extra yards but expertly avoiding heavy hits. His head and attitude set him apart as well - sharp, composed, confident, heavily goal-oriented, and a top notch work ethic. Hopefully a Super Bowl champion come early February.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

2013 NFL Stats Recap – Rushing, Receiving, Passing

A statistical recap of the best rushing, receiving, and passing seasons of the 2013 NFL season, and where they stand among the great seasons of all time.

 

RUSHING – 1,300 Yard Club

Only two RBs crossed the 1,300-yard barrier, the lowest total since 1990 when only Barry did it…barely at 1,304. The titlist was LeSean McCoy, his first rushing title and 2nd 1,300-yard season. His total of 1,607 yards at 5.1/carry gave him access to two other rather exclusive Clubs. He became the 36th player to gain at least 1,600 yards (100 yds/gm), and only the 22nd to do it averaging 5 yds/carry. It was the 52nd overall 1,600 yard season. The other 1,300 yard rusher was Matt Forte with 1,339 yards, his first 1,300-yard season, 2nd with at least 1,200, and 4th 1,000-yarder. He becomes the 79th player to gain 1,300 yards.

                            1,300 CLUB

Running Back

Rush

Yds

Avg

TD

LeSean McCoy, PHI

314

1607

5.1

9

Matt Forte, CHI

289

1339

4.6

9

 

Circumstances prevented Adrian Peterson (1,266 yds, 14 gms only), and Jamal Charles (1,287, sat out last gm) from achieving their 5th and 3rd 1,300-yard seasons, respectively. 3 others had 1,200+ yards (Alfred Morris 1,275; Marshawn Lynch 1,257; and Ryan Matthews 1,255). Both Lynch and Morris have one 1,300 year (2012), this is Matthews’ best season by a mile.

 

                                  1,200 CLUB

Year

Player

Att

Yards

Avg.

TDs

2013

Jamal Charles, KC

259

1287

5.0

12

2013

Alfred Morris, WAS

276

1275

4.6

7

2013

Adrian Peterson, MIN

279

1266

4.5

10

2013

Marshawn Lynch, SEA

301

1257

4.2

12

2013

Ryan Matthews, SD

285

1255

4.4

6

 

RECEIVING – 1,200 Yard Club

Records were set! As small a year as it was for rushing, it was HUGE for WRs. An NFL record 7 players gained at least 1,400 yards, led by Josh Gordon’s phenomenal 1,646 (10th best all-time) in only 14 games – 117.6/gm, 6th best in NFL history, and 3rd best since 1970. Antonio Brown (1,499 yds) and Calvin Johnson (1,492 yds in only 14 games) each had seasons inside the top 40 yardage totals all-time. Demaryius Thomas, AJ Green, Alshon Jeffery, and Andre Johnson rounded out the other 4 players to cross the 1,400 threshold. For Johnson, this was his 4th season of over 1,400 yards, the prior 3 of which were over 1,500. But for the 11th straight year (his entire career), Andre failed to reach double-digit TDs.

 

Eight more players had over 1,200 yards, 15 in all, breaking the former record of 14 set in 2000. Included in those 15 was Brandon Marshall (1,295 yds), who reached 1,200+ for the 5th time. There were 24 total 1,000 yard receiving seasons. TE Jimmy Graham (1,215 yds – 2nd 1,200+ yr) had 16 TD recs, 2nd only to Gronk’s 17 in 2011 for TEs.

 

                                    1,200 CLUB

Wide Reciever

Rec

Yds

Avg

TD

Josh Gordon, CLE

87

1646

18.9

9

Antonio Brown, PIT

110

1499

13.6

8

Calvin Johnson, DET

84

1492

17.8

12

Dem Thomas, DEN

94

1430

15.2

14

A.J. Green, CIN

98

1426

14.6

11

Alshon Jeffery, CHI

89

1421

16.0

7

Andre Johnson, HOU

109

1407

12.9

5

Pierre Garcon, WAS 

113

1346

11.9

5

DeSean Jackson, PHI

82

1332

16.2

9

Jordy Nelson, GB

85

1314

15.5

8

Brandon Marshall, CHI

100

1295

13.0

12

Eric Decker

87

1288

14.8

11

Dez Bryant, DAL

93

1233

13.3

13

Vincent Jackson, TB

78

1224

15.7

7

Jimmy Graham, NO

86

1215

14.1

16

 

PASSING – 4,000/30 Club

4 QBs made the 4,000/30 Club – 4,000 yds + 30 TDs, led of course by Peyton Manning who set new NFL records in each category – 5,477 yds, 55 TDs. I don’t think that TD record will be touched for a long time, at least as long as Marino’s record stood (48 TDs set in 1984, Manning broke with 49 in 2004). A QB would have to average 3.5 TDs/gm and play all 16 games. This was Manning’s 8th 4,000/30 season, by far the most. The man in 2nd place notched his 6th such season this year with 5,162 yards and 39 TDs – Drew Brees. Brees’ 4,000/30 seasons have all come in succession – from 2008 thru 2013… four of those seasons 5,000+ yards. Philip Rivers totaled 4,478 yards and 32 TDs, becoming just the 7th player in NFL history to rack up at least three 4,000/30 seasons – 2008 & ’10 his others. Andy Dalton was the 4th and final 4,000/30 Club member of 2013, and as a newbie to the Club, just the 23rd overall member.

 

              4,000/30 CLUB

Player

 

Yds

TDs

Peyton Manning, DEN 

 

5,477

55

Drew Brees, NO

 

5,162

39

Philip Rivers, SD

 

4,478

32

Andy Dalton, CIN

 

4,296

33