Fitz vs. Q vs. Rice vs. Holt vs. Moss

[cgolden]

I posted a comparison of the first five seasons of Fitz and Q in comparison to three other guys (Jerry Rice, Torry Holt and Randy Moss) who got off to very fast starts in their NFL career. My goal was to try and compare their young careers to some of the great receivers of all time to get an idea of what is to come. Basically I started with the 'all-time' leaders in receptions and narrowed the sample group down to guys that had at least three 1,000 yard seasons in their first five years in the league. I'm sure there were other receivers that had done this but, as I said, I started with guys who were already in the top 10 in receptions, all-time. The results were pretty surprising, but I'll spare you all the details and post just the final lines of comparison:

Player Games GS Rec Yards Avg TDs
Boldin 68 66 413 5,458 13.2 29
Fitzgerald 76 76 426 5,975 14.0 46
Holt 80 70 423 6,784 16.0 35
Moss 80 75 414 6,743 16.3 60
Rice 76 63 346 6,364 18.4 66

http://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2009/5/27/889796/arizona-cardinals-news-larry

Worth while comparison? Anyone think Fitzy has any chance of catching Moss before his career is over (and remember Fitz is two years younger at the end of their fifth season)?

 

[lauraw]

Wow! Thank you for putting that down on paper!

 

[IAWarnerFan]

I hope I don't get slamed a bit for saying this, but out of that list and I'll add a name I'd go with:

1a. Jerry Rice
1b. Larry Fitzgerald
3. Randy Moss
4. Anquan Boldin
5. Isaac Bruce 61 312 4,663 14.94 29
6. Torry Holt

JMO
EDIT: 61 games played.

 

[sr7706]

Dont forget, Q was the fastest in history to 300, 400, and 500 receptions.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Dont forget, Q was the fastest in history to 300, 400, and 500 receptions.

Until Fitz eclipsed him...

 

[cardsfanmd]

I hope I don't get slamed a bit for saying this, but out of that list and I'll add a name I'd go with:

1a. Jerry Rice
1b. Larry Fitzgerald
3. Randy Moss
4. Anquan Boldin
5. Isaac Bruce 51 312 4,663 14.94 29
6. Torry Holt

JMO

If those #'s are true then Bruce was better than I thought but even more injury-prone. That says he played in 30 less games over 5 years that Holt and Moss.

 

[cgolden]

I hope I don't get slamed a bit for saying this, but out of that list and I'll add a name I'd go with:

1a. Jerry Rice
1b. Larry Fitzgerald
3. Randy Moss
4. Anquan Boldin
5. Isaac Bruce 51 312 4,663 14.94 29
6. Torry Holt

JMO

I considered him but he only had two 1,000+ seasons out of his first five (and his rookie season wasn't very good at all (21 for 272)) and if I included him I would have had to open the flood gates to other gates to other guys like Marvin Harrison, TO, Keyshawn Johnson etc, etc, etc.

 

[Shane]

Until Fitz eclipsed him...

That would be great if that actually happened. But it didn't.

 

[Shane]

Q is also the NFL all time leader in YPG FYI.

 

[82CardsGrad]

That would be great if that actually happened. But it didn't.

I'm pretty certain Fitz holds the mark for the fastest to 400. And I believe he's on target to become the fastest to 500 too...

 

[IAWarnerFan]

If those #'s are true then Bruce was better than I thought but even more injury-prone. That says he played in 30 less games over 5 years that Holt and Moss.

Well I just did it because out of those Rams teams I always thought Bruce was better than Holt.
Right he did miss quite a few games in that time frame. He played 12,16,16,12, and 5. That's 61.

 

[Shane]

I'm pretty certain Fitz holds the mark for the fastest to 400. And I believe he's on target to become the fastest to 500 too...

You are 100% wrong. Just FYI.

 

[82CardsGrad]

You are 100% wrong. Just FYI.

Really? This seems to suggest otherwise:

Larry Fitzgerald: learning from the best

January 21, 2009 by halftimeshow

Were you watching the NFC playoffs wondering why Larry Fitzgerald (#11 of the Cardinals) is so damn good? Where do I start, how about the beginning. This guy spent 3 years in high school as ball boy for the Vikings during the Chris Carter Randy Moss administration.

Want to be an NFL receiver? How about you go spend your most important learning years watching 2 of the greatest receivers in the history of the sport PRACTICING. He did this while he attended a private high school in the twin cities where he said it was great going to school with a bunch of guys who weren’t influenced by drugs or alcohol.

Is this guy a role model or what? After watching the ESPN Sportscenter expose on Larry (interviewed by Chris Carter), he became one of my favorite players in the NFL. His work ethic and desire are amazing and he’s modest to boot. This last part is the best considering he just became the fastest player ever to 400 receptions. Faster than Jerry Rice and Randy Moss.
He said he enjoyed watching the intensity and leadership Carter showed in practice. and he was devastated when the heavily favored 15-1 Vikes lost to the Falcons in the ‘99 NFC Championship game. Well he didn’t let that happen. Instead the new single-post-season receiving yards record holder will be taking his game to the Superbowl against the best defense in the league, and my guess is it won’t slow him down.

 

[Shane]

Really? This seems to suggest otherwise:

Larry Fitzgerald: learning from the best

January 21, 2009 by halftimeshow

Were you watching the NFC playoffs wondering why Larry Fitzgerald (#11 of the Cardinals) is so damn good? Where do I start, how about the beginning. This guy spent 3 years in high school as ball boy for the Vikings during the Chris Carter Randy Moss administration.

Want to be an NFL receiver? How about you go spend your most important learning years watching 2 of the greatest receivers in the history of the sport PRACTICING. He did this while he attended a private high school in the twin cities where he said it was great going to school with a bunch of guys who weren’t influenced by drugs or alcohol.

Is this guy a role model or what? After watching the ESPN Sportscenter expose on Larry (interviewed by Chris Carter), he became one of my favorite players in the NFL. His work ethic and desire are amazing and he’s modest to boot. This last part is the best considering he just became the fastest player ever to 400 receptions. Faster than Jerry Rice and Randy Moss.
He said he enjoyed watching the intensity and leadership Carter showed in practice. and he was devastated when the heavily favored 15-1 Vikes lost to the Falcons in the ‘99 NFC Championship game. Well he didn’t let that happen. Instead the new single-post-season receiving yards record holder will be taking his game to the Superbowl against the best defense in the league, and my guess is it won’t slow him down.

Well the article is wrong and you are wrong and it would only take you about 10 minutes to look it up. But since you wont here is the stats all for you.

After 4 season and 60 games Fitz had 330 recpetions. After four season and 56 games Q had 342 receptions.

Then in their fifth season they both eclipsed 400 recpetions. Fitz did it in week 12 there was a bye week so he did it in his 11th game that year putting him at 71 games to reach 400 receptions.

Q reached it in week 16 of his 5th season but he was injured that year and missed some games so it was his 11th game of his 5th season. Q reached 400 receptions in his 67th game thus making him the fastest WR in NFL history to 400 receptions. He is in the record book with that title as well NOT FITZ. The article is wrong like many articles that misrepresent or misreport the facts.

Q is also the fastest to 500 and if you look at the stats it is highly unlikely (although not impossible that Fitz will catch him for that one either)

 

[82CardsGrad]

Well the article is wrong and you are wrong and it would only take you about 10 minutes to look it up. But since you wont here is the stats all for you.

After 4 season and 60 games Fitz had 330 recpetions. After four season and 56 games Q had 342 receptions.

Then in their fifth season they both eclipsed 400 recpetions. Fitz did it in week 12 there was a bye week so he did it in his 11th game that year putting him at 71 games to reach 400 receptions.

Q reached it in week 16 of his 5th season but he was injured that year and missed some games so it was his 11th game of his 5th season. Q reached 400 receptions in his 67th game thus making him the fastest WR in NFL history to 400 receptions. He is in the record book with that title as well NOT FITZ. The article is wrong like many articles that misrepresent or misreport the facts.

Q is also the fastest to 500 and if you look at the stats it is highly unlikely (although not impossible that Fitz will catch him for that one either)

I thought I recalled hearing this during one of the playoff games as well... However, I believe Fitz is the youngest to reach 400, but not the fastest...

:notworthy

 

[NuttinButTDs]

Well the article is wrong and you are wrong and it would only take you about 10 minutes to look it up. But since you wont here is the stats all for you.

After 4 season and 60 games Fitz had 330 recpetions. After four season and 56 games Q had 342 receptions.

Then in their fifth season they both eclipsed 400 recpetions. Fitz did it in week 12 there was a bye week so he did it in his 11th game that year putting him at 71 games to reach 400 receptions.

Q reached it in week 16 of his 5th season but he was injured that year and missed some games so it was his 11th game of his 5th season. Q reached 400 receptions in his 67th game thus making him the fastest WR in NFL history to 400 receptions. He is in the record book with that title as well NOT FITZ. The article is wrong like many articles that misrepresent or misreport the facts.

Q is also the fastest to 500 and if you look at the stats it is highly unlikely (although not impossible that Fitz will catch him for that one either)

Fitz reached it faster - 5th year, Week 12 as compared to Q - 5th year week 16

Q reached it faster - 67th game started as compared to Fitz - 71 games started

Pick your poison

 

[Shane]

Fitz reached it faster - 5th year, Week 12 as compared to Q - 5th year week 16

Q reached it faster - 67th game started as compared to Fitz - 71 games started

Pick your poison

It's not pick your poison. The NFL record is held by Q not fitz for a reason! The NFL is based off # of games as it should be. Nice try though. However 82 is right fitz is the youngest to achieve it.

 

[Mulli]

Fitz had one of the greatest, if not the greatest post-season runs by a WR.

Q couldn't didn't show up for the post-NFC Championship game celebration, and now his hammy hurts and his jersey doesn't fit.

I know which one I prefer.

 

[Totally_Red]

Fitz had one of the greatest, if not the greatest post-season runs by a WR.

Q couldn't didn't show up for the post-NFC Championship game celebration, and now his hammy hurts and his jersey doesn't fit.

I know which one I prefer.

Q only costs about 1/3 what Larry does. Much better value there!

 

[CardLogic]

Shane has the correct numbers. I do believe however that when Fitzgerald is referred to as "being the fastest ever to reach X number of receptions", what they really mean is the youngest ever to reach X number.

See, everyone can be happy!

 

[Saxon079]

It's not pick your poison. The NFL record is held by Q not fitz for a reason! The NFL is based off # of games as it should be. Nice try though. However 82 is right fitz is the youngest to achieve it.

I think the record should be based on number of days in the league, not games started that doesn't make any sense to me. I'm not trying to get into the middle of your guys debate on who owns the record are even who's the better player I was just reading all of this and thought the way they keep the records doesn't make sense to me. Injuries is one thing if a player misses games due to injuries I can kind of understand but what if there is a drop in performance for a while. So it would be my understanding the way they keep records a person could start off hot in their first few seasons not start get hot again and come back and play well and have all records for the fastest to XXXXXX that just doesn't make sense IMO. Of course reading what I just said doesn't make sense maybe you understand what I'm trying to say I'm not even sure I do.

 

[Goldfield]

Fitz had one of the greatest, if not the greatest post-season runs by a WR.

Q couldn't didn't show up for the post-NFC Championship game celebration, and now his hammy hurts and his jersey doesn't fit.

I know which one I prefer.

YUP POST SEASON = "SCORE BOARD"

 

[KloD]

These recievers deserve all the props they get, but the one common link of 3 out of the 5 is Kurt Warner. It's really too bad he came into the league so late, can't imagine what kind of numbers Fitz and Boldin could have over the next 5 years if it were possible to keep those 3 together.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Fitz reached it faster - 5th year, Week 12 as compared to Q - 5th year week 16

Q reached it faster - 67th game started as compared to Fitz - 71 games started

Pick your poison

It also shows that Larry is more durable...

 

[mojorizen7]

Well I just did it because out of those Rams teams I always thought Bruce was better than Holt.
Right he did miss quite a few games in that time frame. He played 12,16,16,12, and 5. That's 61.

+1
He was
Bruce put up elite numbers on some bad RAMS teams before the '99 turnaround when Holt came on board as a rookie along with Kurt,Marshall etc...

I do think that Fitz has a chance to put up some very special career numbers and challenge many of Jerry Rice's records. He already broke one of them didn't he? Was is rec yards in one post season???