NFL.COM 2013 WR Ranks

[iamhubby1]

Smith didnt finish in the top 10 in....

Yards

TDs

Rec

YAC

He is getting old. He isn't the same player. He isn't top 5 caliber late in his career. Reality not an insult. His play not stats tell the story....he isn't the same explosive guy that can take a screen 80 yards making the entire play....he doesn't have the deep speed to blow guys out of the water.

He is 34. Life

So you are saying. Because LAST year was not a good statistical year for Smitty, he is over the hill? Even after being given stats that show over the last 2 years he has been top 5 in most categories.

You do realize Smitty had a knee injury last year? Not being 100% just may have made him look mortal. It was a mirage.

Smitty may not be the fastest guy anymore. But he is still plenty fast. You do not have to take the top off the D to be considered elite. Please quit using speed alone as your bench mark.

Being 34 does not mean Smitty is done. Unless you feel the need to downplay last year, it is a poor argument.

[CRA]

So you are saying. Because LAST year was not a good statistical year for Smitty, he is over the hill? Even after being given stats that show over the last 2 years he has been top 5 in most categories.

You do realize Smitty had a knee injury last year? Not being 100% just may have made him look mortal. It was a mirage.

Smitty may not be the fastest guy anymore. But he is still plenty fast. You do not have to take the top off the D to be considered elite. Please quit using speed alone as your bench mark.

Being 34 does not mean Smitty is done. Unless you feel the need to downplay last year, it is a poor argument.

Ugh, no one said he is done. When does claiming 34 yr old WR is no longer top 5 caliber mean he is done.

It isn't a mirage. He isn't the same guy at 34 as he was 24. Again, that is just life.

Over the last 2 yrs he has been top 5 in most categories? LOL. Just bc you say it doesn't make it true

[L-TownCat]

I would like to know what your logic/criteria is to be a "top 5 caliber" WR.

I'm just going to go on a generic assumption and say that just because you do not finish at the top of the receiving ranks does not mean you are not "top 5 caliber." Just because you are not "top 5 caliber" does not mean that you cannot be top 5 the following season.

There were only 11 WRs ahead of #89 on the receiving yards list last season and of those players, I would only consider Calvin Johnson as the player who has been "top 5 caliber" consistently the past few years.

Of the #1 receivers ahead of him, only Calvin Johnson (3,645 at 16.8 ypc) and Brandon Marshall (barely 2,722, 13.9 ypc) are ahead of Steve Smith (2,568 at 16.85 ypc) in terms of total receiving yards in the past 2 seasons. Steve has had a better YPC than both players to include Johnson's past 2 record seasons.

Please explain how the above does not indicate that he has not been playing at a #1 caliber WR the last few seasons and please explain why he cannot be that again if he wasn't.

I can only imagine how much you wrote him off with pickles throwing him the ball.

P.S. - Wes Welker has been purposely omitted from above because I do not consider him as a #1 WR.

As a career smitty fan I just want to say thank you. This is exactly what real fans understand about 89. He's just that good. Keep doubting him and he will make you pay. 23, 29, 18, 34. Any idea what those numbers have in common?

They are just numbers. 89 knows this and he will prove it again this year and next year and the year after that. Until he is merciful enough to retire he will remain one of the best.

[iamhubby1]

He wasn't a top 5 caliber WR last year. Those days are over

This is what gets me. You make a valid point, on the face of it anyway. Then feel the need to drive it home with a half azz proclamation. Using an, I think, or imo, or, it is my belief, may give folks a better idea of your intentions. Are you speaking as a truth that needs to be accepted, or as an idea that can be debunked"

He wasn't even top 10, oh no, call the coroner. Because this guys career is dead. Nowhere for him to go but to the slot, where the slow and aging go to wind down their careers.

Having a down year does not portent a doomed future. My Zod man, Smitty was still one of the best WR in the league last year, on a bum knee I might add. But because he was not even picked top 10, his career is basically over?

You talk in generalities with absolute certainty. You are never wrong because you never actually go out on that limb. If Smitty has a bad year, yeah right, you can say you were right. If however, he has a normal, or even top 5 type year, you can always say one year does not prove he isn't getting older.

I know you meant the days of Smitty being top 5 are over. But the way you word things sounds like you are coming from a place of knowledge. We all know that is not the case. You may not believe this but, you do not know what the future holds.

tl/dr version. Smitty is healthy and ready to go. Deal wit it.

[FootballMaestro]

Ugh, no one said he is done. When does claiming 34 yr old WR is no longer top 5 caliber mean he is done.

It isn't a mirage. He isn't the same guy at 34 as he was 24. Again, that is just life.

Over the last 2 yrs he has been top 5 in most categories? LOL. Just bc you say it doesn't make it true

 

Good Points. 

 

If Smitty was 6'3"  tall, he could keep up his level a longer/easier as he advances in age. 

 

However, at 5'9", Smitty has to work so hard just to get separation (or jump over the defender), and he no longer has break away speed to run for TD's. Smith is also too small to be a legit red zone threat as well. This is essentially what we mean, when we say 'Smitty shouldn't be a #1 receiver any more, and/or should be placed in the slot'. 

 

Now of course, Cam and the Panthers OC/Offense have something to do with this as well. Cause if the Panther 'O' had better designed plays, then Smith would get open more for bigger gains and TD's. And despite Smitty's small stature, Cam's got to hit him in tight Quarters in the end zone, as he did during his rookie season. Let the DB knock it out the air or Smith's hands. But don't miss him when he's open Cam (could also be botched up timing patterns as well).  

 

Hopefully, big plays and TD, will be better for Smith (and the Panther offense on a whole) in 2013?

[h0llywood]

Smith didnt finish in the top 10 in....

Yards

TDs

Rec

YAC

He is getting old. He isn't the same player. He isn't top 5 caliber late in his career. Reality not an insult. His play not stats tell the story....he isn't the same explosive guy that can take a screen 80 yards making the entire play....he doesn't have the deep speed to blow guys out of the water.

He is 34. Life

 

Neither did Larry Fitzgerald but he is ranked #2 on this list. Are you saying he is not a top 5 WR anymore?

 

How about Andre Johnson, he will be 32 this coming season. Is he not a top 5 WR anymore? 

 

Like I previously stated, despite not being a leader in yards, tds, rec or YAC, Steve was able to be #3 in total receiving yards of the players ahead of him. How does that not make him a top caliber WR?

 

Total # of receptions is not as meaningful as YAC. Wes Welker and Brandon Marshall can have their 120 receptions but it isn't as effective if you were only averaging 10 YPC as opposed to 16 YPC. 

 

At his age and size and to be able to put up the YAC that he does it nothing short of amazing. That tells me that he is that same explosive guy. Just because he isn't out there taking an 80 yard screen doesn't mean he cannot go out there and make a block 80 yards down field (i.e. Cam Newton and Brandon Lafell's touchdowns). He is as dangerous without the ball as he is with it.

[CRA]

Brandon LaFell, like Smith, also has a 16 ypc average over the last 2 years. If that is your only argument for him being top 5 caliber presently you are ignoring what our offense is.

To spin the fact a 34 yr old Smith isn't the threat the 25 yr old Smith was....is silly. It isn't an insult.

Megatron

2012

Yards - 1st

TDs - T41st

Rec - 1st

2011

Yards - 1st

TDs - 2nd (1st among WRs)

Rec -4th

Megatron has finished in the top 5 of a every category except one the last 2 seasons....Smitty never cracked the top 10 in one of them. Megatron so at a different stage of his career....and Smith ain't in that discussion in terms of the present. Smitty isn't a top 5 caliber WR CURRENTLY.

[iamhubby1]

Ugh, no one said he is done. When does claiming 34 yr old WR is no longer top 5 caliber mean he is done.

It isn't a mirage. He isn't the same guy at 34 as he was 24. Again, that is just life.

Over the last 2 yrs he has been top 5 in most categories? LOL. Just bc you say it doesn't make it true

You have implied his speed is gone, he routes have been altered, and he is no longer the WR he used to be. So yeah, you have implied he is done.

Obviously Smitty is not the same cat he was 10 years ago. But your, that is just life, statement downplays his abilities. He is still an elite WR. That is just truth.

I didn't say Smitty was top 5 in anything. If you bothered to read others posts, you would have noticed I used hOllywoods post of. "Of the #1 receivers ahead of him, only Calvin Johnson (3,645 at 16.8 ypc) and Brandon Marshall (barely 2,722, 13.9 ypc) are ahead of Steve Smith (2,568 at 16.85 ypc) in terms of total receiving yards in the past 2 seasons. Steve has had a better YPC than both players to include Johnson's past 2 record seasons."

That was in reply to your assertion that last year was the first year in Smitty's decline. You say a players career is basically over. Get shown stats that disprove it. Then still say you are right. Ah yeah. The interwebz.

[h0llywood]

Of course Calvin Johnson will be on top, he had 67 more targets and 49 more receptions than Steve.

 

Over the course of a season if given the same amount targets, Steve would have the same amount of yards as Johnson. Steve had 1 less TD than Calvin on 49 less receptions.

 

in 2012, Detroit was #1 in passing plays with 66.29 % of plays in the air.

Carolina was #25 with only 53.24 % in the air.

 

In 2011, Detroit was #1 with 67% of their plays in the air

Carolina was #23 with 55% plays in the air.

 

It is all about play calling and Steve is not at fault for not being on a pass happy team. His talent is there.

 

Steve is one of 2 players to ever lead the league in receiving on a team that ran more than it passed. 

 

Steve is still top 5 WR. Deal with it.

[h0llywood]

Brandon LaFell, like Smith, also has a 16 ypc average over the last 2 years. If that is your only argument for him being top 5 caliber presently you are ignoring what our offense is.

 

 

BTW i've presented a plethora of statistics that were ignored.

 

As to the YAC for Brandon Lafell, that's a silly argument. Why don't we bring in Armanti Edwards in the argument.

 

If I shot and made my only free throw, does that make me great for shooting 1.000 for the season?

[iamhubby1]

Brandon LaFell, like Smith, also has a 16 ypc average over the last 2 years. If that is your only argument for him being top 5 caliber presently you are ignoring what our offense is.

To spin the fact a 34 yr old Smith isn't the threat the 25 yr old Smith was....is silly. It isn't an insult.

Megatron

2012

Yards - 1st

TDs - T41st

Rec - 1st

2011

Yards - 1st

TDs - 2nd (1st among WRs)

Rec -4th

Megatron has finished in the top 5 of a every category except one the last 2 seasons....Smitty never cracked the top 10 in one of them. Megatron so at a different stage of his career....and Smith ain't in that discussion in terms of the present. Smitty isn't a top 5 caliber WR CURRENTLY.

Do you actually read others posts? It was shown Smitty, over the last 2 years, is third in yards, and comparable in ypcatch, to the 2 WRs ahead of him. Not last year. The last 2 years.

Does that sound like top 5 talent? Does to most reasonable folks. With a bum knee last year to boot. Go ahead, dismiss this too.

Go ahead, dismiss Smitty. We all know you are going to be right. Eventually.

[CRA]

Past 2 seasons....this is the worrisome part about his game for all those still wanting to live in 2005. He is turning into a possession WR IMO. He was never a TD guy and now he is becoming human after the catch.

Last 2 years....

6.6 average YAC per reception

Vs.

4.8 average YAC per reception

One of those is LaFell....one is Smitty. To make it easy Smith is the 4.8 guy

[CRA]

Do you actually read others posts? It was shown Smitty, over the last 2 years, is third in yards, and comparable in ypcatch, to the 2 WRs ahead of him. Not last year. The last 2 years.Does that sound like top 5 talent? Does to most reasonable folks. With a bum knee last year to boot. Go ahead, dismiss this too.Go ahead, dismiss Smitty. We all know you are going to be right. Eventually.

I posted actual facts/stats....Smitty hasn't cracked the top 10 in yards, TDs, rec, YAC, in either of the last 2 seasons.....so no, that no longer sounds like top 5 caliber.

And no, the fact just claimed about combined yards isn't accurate over the last 2 years...he may be top 10 if you want to rank collective yards over two years but he isn't 3rd. If you are going to get snarky....at least use real facts

[h0llywood]

YAC is as useless as a football bat.

 

Jerry Rice 2.2 career YAC.