05-27-2017, 04:30 PM
(05-26-2017, 01:31 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: 2007: Calvin was a rookie, 3rd on the team in yards
2008: Orlovsky/Culpepper/Kitna were all QB
2009: Stafford was a terrible rookie and Culpepper/Stanton started 6 games
2010: Pettigrew 722 yards, Burleson 625 yards
2011: Pettigrew 777 yards, Burleson 757 yards, Young 607 yards
2012: 2 TE 500+ yards each
2013: 2 RB 500+ yards each
2014: Golden Tate 1,077 yards
2015: Golden Tate 813 yards, Riddick 697 yards, Ebron 537 yards
There was a couple years at the start where he had just terrible QBing and he was just able to put up stats because they could chuck the ball to him. '12-'13 was pretty rough too, but overall I don't think there was a huge absence of talent around Calvin. I think the problem was Calvin was so good that there was just less reason to throw to anyone else. Like how in 2013 Calvin had 156 targets and the #2 yardage guy had 69 targets.
Calvin's career ended early because he's a huge dude who played like a TE and took a lot of shots, and also probably got tired of losing all the time on the Lions.
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Not to mention it's awfully early to be saying Mixon/Ross/Malone will even be good NFL players, let alone extending AJ's career, which I still don't think that's how that works.
Good stuff TLL.
I agree Calvin's size is the biggest reason why he left the game and keeping himself from being a cripple at an early age.
AJ Green has a knack for avoiding hits similar to what i saw in Ross in college.
I still remember that hit Ndukwe put on Calvin in college.
Plus, of course it is awfully early to say this about these guys but some, including me, cannot help but be excited about these guys..
And Cody Core and Tyler Boyd going into their 2nd season under Urban.
(05-26-2017, 06:37 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: It is a valid point, but I think I read AJ as someone that wants to set records and leave the game on top. That might sound like an impossibility as long as Rice played the game, but I could see AJ and Julio continuing their battle for many more years.
AJ will go as long as he can no question. He takes care of himself. He might not be as smooth as Jerry Rice or have as good of
hands but he is no doubt just as talented. He could still surprise a lot of people and play for a very long time. He might not have
as good of records cause Dalton now has so many options but he will always be recognized as one of the greats IMHO.
AJ Green is himself, no one is like him and he is a true professional with class.
