Despite some recent creativity in the run option playbook, the National Football League still revolves around the quarterback and the receiver. Entering Week 8 of the 2018 season, there’s just one team that has less total pass yards than the top rushing teams: the Buffalo Bills.
The passing leader (Atlanta Falcons) has more than double the yards as the rushing leader (Los Angeles Rams). Throwing and receiving in the NFL can be explosive; dramatic gains will happen quick and without warning. If a team wants to win in the NFL, its passing game needs to be hazardous to the defense.
Which brings us to a discussion about the most dangerous quarterback and receiver combinations in the league currently. Yes, it keeps fluctuating from week to week, but this list of playmakers gives us a good basis for what will be flying through the air for the rest of the 2018 season.
Without further annoyance, here’s the most dangerous throwing-catching partnerships in NFL right now, starting with with the utmost ridiculous:
Jared Goff, Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods — Los Angeles Rams
Must be convenient for Goff (2,130 passing yards alongside a healthy 69.7 completion percentage) to be able to target whoever he wants, whenever he wants. Cooks, Kupp and Woods have each amassed 438 receiving yards or more, and have combined for 10 touchdowns while catching 72-percent of passes thrown their way. The Rams are probably the best team in football; this is appealing evidence.
Does anyone remember this?
That was just the start of it, folks. Goff and company are sick, and it can’t be stopped; it can only be contained. Every opponent of the Rams put a thick, red circle around that week on the schedule. Don’t have Woods open? Kupp is free. Cooks is covered? Woods is in the clear. Kupp doesn’t have access? Cooks is bare in the middle of the field. And on top of all that, Todd Gurley II is there, too.
Why they might not be dangerous: If some freak virus rolled through Los Angeles and Goff, Cooks, Kupp and Woods couldn’t play.
Drew Brees and Michael Thomas — New Orleans Saints
The veteran Saints’ quarterback has led the NFL in pass completion percentage four times in the past nine seasons, which includes setting the all-time record (72.0) in 2017. Soon to hit age 40, Brees might be the finest quarterback in the game, and his present percentage is an insane 77.3! He continues to have great arm strength and he recently did this:
Helping Brees’ cause in 2018 is resident snake, Michael Thomas, who has been targeted 58 times for 588 yards and four touchdowns; he has only five incomplete passes. Thomas is responsible for about one-third of Brees’ passing yards (1,870). The Ohio State graduate grabs around 100 passes per year, and each play averages 12 yards. If Brees needs a gain, he’s going to be looking for Thomas, who has speedy concentration.
Why they might not be dangerous: Brees is going to fizzle out at some point, and he has other options besides Thomas (Alvin Kamara, Benjamin Watson, Ted Ginn Jr., Tre’Quan Smith, Josh Hill and Cameron Meredith).
Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce — Kansas City Chiefs
Plenty of NFL fans are talking about the Chiefs; saying the offense is exciting might be an understatement. Mahomes is maturing very well for such a young quarterback (Texas Tech alum), Hill is probably the fastest player in the league, and Kelce is a beastly tight end with footwork. If Kelce, Hill and Mahomes are not having a good day, Kansas City doesn’t have good odds of winning.
Hill (635) and Kelce (563) have combined for 54-percent of Mahomes’ passing yards (2,223). Kelce and Hill are hot commodity and provide defenses with frustration. They’ll leave you in the dust, especially when Mahomes leads them to open grass:
Why they might not be dangerous: Since Kelce and Hill are targeted so much, some passes from Mahomes tend to fall incomplete. They catch more than half of Mahomes’ passes, but not by much.
Kirk Cousins, Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs — Minnesota Vikings
Despite Cousins’ butterfingers (most fumbles by any player since 2015) and strained QBR rating this season (66.7), he has two very valuable weapons: Thielen and Diggs. Thielen currently leads the league in reception yards (822) and catches with 67, which is 10 more than Zach Ertz in second place. Diggs is dynamic in the slot, or just all over the field; he likes to run and twirl. Name a better wide receiver duo in the NFL right now and I will take you out to dinner.
If the Vikings were not in the NFC North, the team would have improved divisional status. But as long as Cousins, Diggs and Thielen continue to do their thing, they’ll be OK.
Why they might not be dangerous: Cousins could throw his arm out if Minnesota doesn’t get a satisfactory rush game.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Before Fitzpatrick was unjustly pulled by coach Dirk Koetter in the Bucs’ fourth game against the Bears, the 14-year veteran was smoking hot. Evans and Jackson took turns carrying the torch, and Fitzpatrick’s 10.51 yards per attempt and yards per game (339) still leads the NFL even though he hasn’t been under center lately. Jameis Winston isn’t too impressive; please put Fitzpatrick back as number one.
Wonder what Jackson and Evans thought about it? Doubt they were pleased; the chemistry was ignited. With 23 grabs, Jackson is averaging an astounding 22.9 yard per reception. Evans has been a force for a while now; he goes all out for the catch.
Why they might not be dangerous: Oh, right, Fitzpatrick isn’t the starting quarterback anymore. So dumb.
Ben Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown — Pittsburgh Steelers
Black and yellow, a daunting task for opposing fellow. Big Ben is a top 10 quarterback of all-time, and he was leading the league in passing yards (2,033), but the Steelers just had a bye week. As far as Roethlisberger’s best mark? It’s kind of a toss up. Brown has six touchdowns, but 83 less yards than Smith-Schuster (561), an emerging star. There’s no doubt Smith-Schuster has learned some lessons from Brown, who might be the most tantalizing receiver of the last decade.
Roethlisberger is an escapist, which gives him time to explore the field and make a play. Brown and Smith-Schuster will light it up, it’s only a matter of when, where and how many yards. They’re able to get open because the Steelers have much more to offer, like James Connor for example.
Why they might not be dangerous: Roethlisberger is in his 15th season, and he’s injury prone, especially when a 300-pound defensive lineman flattens him to the turf. We’ve seen it happen.
Matthew Stafford, Golden Tate and Kenny Golladay — Detroit Lions
Stafford and Tate are both 30 years old, and they’ve done an honorable job raising young prodigy Golladay, who has a long, bright future. Tate and Golladay have relatively the same amount of catches, yards (467 and 465) and yards per game (77.8 and 77.5). They also have the same total of touchdowns (3) and 20-plus-yard receptions (8). Two peas in a pod, right?
Tate is known for doing enigmatic stuff like this:
Career trajectory on Stafford is good. He whips the football into tight spaces, trying to put it in a spot where only the receiver can get it, which is comparable to a baseball pitcher painting the corner with a fastball. Wait, Stafford used to play baseball!
Why they might not be dangerous: Stafford gets a little chaotic at times, which can cause interceptions and sacks.
Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins — Houston Texans
Long arms with hands that snatch, Hopkins makes difficult catches look easy. He’ll distort his body mid-jump to make a play; Watson doesn’t have to be super accurate. Watson’s ability to scramble buys more time for Hopkins to get free, and the receiver will give you about 15 yards per connection. It must be hell to guard Hopkins, just ask Jalen Ramsey:
Why they might not be dangerous: Too many interceptions thrown by Watson, who also could afford to get his completion percentage up (63.1).
Andy Dalton and A.J. Green — Cincinnati Bengals
Green and Dalton (both 30 years old) have been a working force since they entered the NFL with the Bengals in 2011. Over that extension of time together, they have accounted for almost 600 receptions, more than 8,500 yards and about 60 touchdowns. In 2018, they’re still ranked within the top 10 of their positions.
In a chance to prove itself at Kansas City on Sunday night in Week 7, Cincinnati pooped the bed. Up until then, Green and Dalton could have been argued to be the best quarterback receiver duo in the league, and I guess you could still debate that (seeing that they’re on this list). Atrocious 45-to-10 loss notwithstanding, 117 of Dalton’s 148 passing yards against the Chiefs went to Green, who is a prime target. He’s tall and agile.
Why they might not be dangerous: Whether or not it is because Dalton and the Bengals haven’t won a playoff game, I can’t fully trust the quarterback. Sometimes, his vision is questionable.
Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams — Green Bay Packers
As a head-scratching statistic, Adams hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season (three yards off in 2016) since coming into the league in 2014. But with 557 yards in six games this season as Rodgers’ favorite throw destination, Adams should be able to get over the hump. Adams also has six touchdowns, which is lovely.
Rodgers is not within the top 10 of passing touchdowns in 2018, and his completion percentage is low (61.4). However, he’s thrown just one interception, amassed 2,000 yards and his rating is a dandy 100. Further, he just happens to be one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, able to make throws from any angle at any time.
Why they might not be dangerous: Jimmy Graham or Geronimo Allison start to take over, or Rodgers aggravates his bummed left knee.
Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and James White — New England Patriots
Brady continues to be the Brady we all know: top 10 in most all quarterback stats. Gronkowski has had only flashes of his former unruly self, but he’s still a hazard. White (technically a running back), has five more catches than rushes; he might be the most dangerous receiver cranking out from the backfield.
No quarterback sees the field finer than Brady. Sometimes, he completes a pass to his fourth or fifth option. He made a career out of it. That’s why he’s the Greatest of All Time. He probably makes his receivers seem greater than actuality.
Why they might not be dangerous: Brady has plenty of other choices: Chris Hogan, Josh Gordon, Julian Edleman, Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson. Overall, the Patriots’ offense is dangerous until otherwise proven not.
Matt Ryan and Julio Jones — Atlanta Falcons
You may wonder why the current NFL leader in passing yards (Ryan with 2,335) and the man with the second most receiving yards (Jones with 812) fall this far down on the list. After all, the Falcons are last in the NFC South and Jones doesn’t have a touchdown. Jones continues to carry the curse.
But, obviously, Ryan and Jones frequently deliver the goods. For example, a recent game against the Bucs:
Why they might not be dangerous: Jones and Ryan don’t score points together. The Falcons have to figure out how to get Jones success in the end zone.
Carson Wentz and Zach Ertz — Philadelphia Eagles
Quietly, Ertz is the boss tight end; he has the most yards (618) and receptions (57). Basically, Wentz uses Ertz like a wide receiver, targeting him way more than his two main wideouts: Nelson Agholor and Alshon Jeffery. Wentz’s stats are satisfactory right now, but he makes good choices and doesn’t throw interceptions.
Ertz is on track to have the finest season of any tight end in Eagles’ history. In 1988, Keith Jackson finished with 81 receptions for 869 yards, but if Wentz keeps finding Ertz, he might get to 100 catches and 1,000 yards. To put this in perspective: Tony Gonzalez had 1,000 yards four times, and 100 catches once; Greg Olsen had 1,000 yards three times, and 100 catches never.
Why they might not be dangerous: Maybe defenses catch on and start treating Ertz like Gronkowski — doubling him up, beating him into the turf, and rendering him almost useless.
Honorable Mention (could be dangerous)
Philip Rivers, Keenan Allen and Tyrell Williams — Los Angeles Chargers
Andrew Luck, Eric Ebron and T.Y. Hilton — Indianapolis Colts
Joe Flacco and John Brown — Baltimore Ravens
Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. — New York Giants
Derek Carr and Jared Cook — Oakland Raiders
Mitch Trubisky, Taylor Gabriel and Tarik Cohen — Chicago Bears
Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett — Seattle Seahawks
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