The Monday Mommy: Can the Broncos Pull Off a Receiver Triple Crown?
“Having all three of a quarterback’s receivers reach 1,000 yards in the air in a single season is extremely difficult, as the past has proven. Many teams have come close, however only four teams have actually made it happen.”
Read More….
Only four teams in NFL history have been able to achieve it. Will the 2013 Denver Broncos be added to this remarkable short list?
Having all three of a quarterback’s receivers reach 1,000 yards in the air in a single season is extremely difficult, as the past has proven. Many teams have come close, however only four teams have actually made it happen. As it stands right now the franchises that accomplished this amazing feat are:
1. 1989 Washington Redskins: QB- Mark Rypien/Doug Williams, WRs- Gary Clark (1229), Art Monk (1186) and Ricky Sanders (1138).
2. 1995 Atlanta Falcons: QB- Jeff George, WRs- Eric Metcalf (1189), Bert Emanuel (1039) and Terence Mathis (1039).
3. 2004 Indianapolis Colts: QB- Peyton Manning, WRs- Reggie Wayne (1210), Marvin Harrison (1113) and Brandon Stokley (1077).
4. 2008 Arizona Cardinals: QB- Kurt Warner, WRs- Larry Fitzgerald (1434), Anquan Boldin (1038) and Steve Breaston (1003).
While a few other football teams have done it with a tight end in the mix, only these four above were able to gain over 1,000 yards by throwing the rock to only wide receivers.
Can Peyton Manning do it again but this time in the Mile High City? Will he secure a record that will be crazy difficult to ever accomplish again as a guy that threw over 1,000 yards to three different receivers in a season on two totally different teams? Bronco fans sure hope so.
Last season, both Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker had receiving yards over the 1,000 mark with 1434 and 1064, respectively. Being that it was only their first year as an offensive unit, it seems that barring injury, these two talented wideouts can certainly repeat those numbers again in 2013 after another off season to work on their chemistry with Manning.
The X factor is this equation: The addition of Wes Welker during free agency. Last season with New England, Welker ended the regular season with 1,354 receiving yards. In fact, in the past six seasons with the Patriots, Welker has only had one that did not result in over 1,000 yards caught in the air.
On paper, things look very promising for Peyton Manning and his trio of receivers. It seems that if they continue to put the work in and stay the course, cementing a spot as the fifth team to spawn three 1,000 yards receivers in one season is inevitable.
So what does the past say about Denver’s chances to make it to the big game? Surely a team that has three wideouts reach the 1,000 yard receiving mark in a season should be destined for the Super Bowl, right?
Not so much. Of all four teams that previously accomplished this feat, only one of them actually reached the Super Bowl that very same season.
The 1989 Washington Redskins didn’t even make the post season. They ended the regular season with a 10-6 record, however finished in 3rd place in the NFC East and were shut out of the playoffs.
Atlanta, in 1995 fared a bit better. The Falcons’ record in the regular season was 9-7 with a second place finish in the NFC West. They faced the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs that year and fell short, losing 20-37.
In 2004, while Peyton Manning was still wearing a blue and white uniform, the Colts breezed through the regular season, finishing out with a 12-4 record. They ironically defeated the Broncos in the Wild Card game but were ultimately defeated by New England in the divisional game 49-24. Let’s hope Manning can turn that karma around in 2013.
For the Arizona Cardinals, 2008 was a true Cinderella season. They were not supposed to perform as well as they did that year and shocked the NFL world. The Cardinals entered the playoffs with the second-worst regular season record at 9-7 and stormed their way to the Super Bowl. Sadly, they lost to Pittsburgh in that big game, ending their dream season just a tad short.
What will become of the 2013 Denver Broncos? Expectations are as high as possible for the squad as they begin their offseason training camps. With the Peyton Manning run offense in its second season, these guys should now be working together as one cohesive unit. Wes Welker certainly has enough league experience to be able to step in and be highly productive on the football field without missing a step.
Bronco fans are collectively hoping that this season will meet and perhaps exceed the high prospective surrounding this 2013 squad. When all is said and done there will hopefully be a fifth team in the record books with a trio of 1,000 yard receivers and a Lombardi trophy in the Mile High City.
That shouldn’t be too much to ask, is it?
