Best WR in franchise history - Analysis

[Whatever]

(06-20-2022, 10:29 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: See this is why I hate when people try to compare skill positions across eras.

1 - The rules are so vastly different. It is so much easier to play WR in today's NFL. CBs have to keep their hands off you, no head hunting LBers trying to take you out. Everything in the modern NFL is built to increase scoring which increases viewers, which increases revenue. I understand it completely but to say any player in today's NFL is the goat because of numbers is misguided.

2 - QB, QB, QB!!!! Carl Pickens put up really good numbers with really bad teams, and really bad coaches and a coaching carousel. Chase and Higgins will statistcially be at the top of most things for Bengals WRs before it is all said and done (unless Higgins takes a big contract elsewhere). Is it really that Chase is just soooooo much better than Chad Johnson or Pickens or Green or Curtis? Or is it Chase and Higgins are catching balls from the guy who will go down as the best QB the team has ever had, with a good defense on the other side. Certainly a better situation then other WR's have had with the exception of a few years with Anderson in the early 80's and a few with Boomer in the late 80's.

A guy needs to be compared to his peers only in his own era. In that environment of the same rules, same coaches, same variables, the stats are viable and prove a trend.

When mutliple variables are changed (era, coaches, QBs) can't compare stats and expect for the results to be correct.

It's very tough to compare between eras, particularly when we don't have all the statistical tools that we have today for legends like Curtis.

Fair or not, Chase and Tee will always be linked to one of the all time great Bengal teams, which will elevate their status in the GoaT Bengal WR discussion.  It's too early to crown either guy.  IMO, Chase has the ability to eclipse all the others, but he has to prove it over time.  Burrow certainly helps, but there are just too many ridiculous plays to discount Chase's abilities.  I also hate to say it, but Chase has been a guy that in big games and big moments, his star has shined brightest while many of our all time great WR's have had a tendency to wilt under the bright lights.