Outside Threat Receivers

[JR4]

How would you rank the following receivers with respect to their ability
to be that down field outside threat that PATs supposedly didn't have last year?

LLoyd
Gaffney
Stallworth
Branch

 

[Fixit]

How would you rank the following receivers with respect to their ability
to be that down field outside threat that PATs supposedly didn't have last year?

LLoyd
Gaffney
Stallworth
Branch

1) Lloyd
2) Stallworth
3) Gaffney
11) Branch (love the guy, but he's not a downfield threat)

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

1. Gaffney
2. Lloyd
3. Branch
4. Stallworth

Mark my words: by the end of the season, Gaffney will supplant Lloyd on the depth chart, although both of them will get their share of snaps.

Stallworth will only make the team if there's an injury.

Branch will assume the role of Troy Brown '07.

 

[JackBauer]

Mark my words: by the end of the season, Gaffney will supplant Lloyd on the depth chart, although both of them will get their share of snaps.

I give this about a .05 percent chance of happening. And I say this as a Gaffney fan.

 

[BTTA]

How would you rank the following receivers with respect to their ability to be that down field outside threat that PATs supposedly didn't have last year?

There seem to be a number of different definitions and concerns in this (longstanding) topic. I've heard it expressed as "outside" and "down the field" and others have spoken about it as if it is the same. Others have pointed out that we didn't have an outside problem, but did have a down-the-field problem.

The core question, it seems, is how scared are the opposing defenses that one of our guys will run past them and catch a long pass? How often can we actually make that happen? And, how much can this fear create more cushion in the middle of the field for the other guys?

Or am I wrong?

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

LLoyd
Gaffney
Stallworth
Branch

Well that was simple.

 

[Kontradiction]

I'd say Gaffney, Lloyd, Stallworth, Branch. Gaffney is the true downfield threat on this team ala Lance Moore. Lloyd is playing the Colston role where he can threaten every level of the field. Stallworth next based on pure speed. Reminds me of a Devery Henderson type. With Branch being able to go deep here and there.

 

[JackBauer]

I'd say Gaffney, Lloyd, Stallworth, Branch. Gaffney is the true downfield threat on this team ala Lance Moore. Lloyd is playing the Colston role where he can threaten every level of the field. Stallworth next based on pure speed. Reminds me of a Devery Henderson type. With Branch being able to go deep here and there.

Lloyd: 15.4 career YPC
Gaffney: 13.9 career YPC

 

[mgteich]

Yup!

There must be some trick!

Well that was simple.

 

[JFK]

Stallworth, Lloyd, Gaffney,...

 

[Deus Irae]

Lloyd
Gaffney
Stallworth
Branch


Neither Branch nor Stallworth has been much of a "down field outside threat" in recent years. I might actually have put Welker ahead of both of them, if he had been on the list. I'm not saying that I definitely would have, but I'd have definitely needed to think about it.

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

Anyone that thinks Stallworth over Gaffney wasnt paying attention the 2nd half of 07

Lloyd
Gaffney
Branch/Stallworth(the real battle for #4)

 

[patriot.de]

isn't gaffney a mid range thread instead of a deep threat?

 

[letekro]

I'd say Gaffney, Lloyd, Stallworth, Branch. Gaffney is the true downfield threat on this team ala Lance Moore. Lloyd is playing the Colston role where he can threaten every level of the field. Stallworth next based on pure speed. Reminds me of a Devery Henderson type. With Branch being able to go deep here and there.

Huh? Lance Moore is a slot, possession-type WR. Gaffney is similar although he is better suited outside. Neither is a downfield threat on the level of Lloyd by any stretch.

 

[Deus Irae]

isn't gaffney a mid range thread instead of a deep threat?

Gaffney generally works from the 1-20 yards downfield range.

 

[Spergon Wynn]

Anyone that thinks Stallworth over Gaffney wasnt paying attention the 2nd half of 07

I don't disagree with you but what happened five years ago is irrelevant.

 

[Ron Sellers]

While Stallworth may technically be more of a deep threat than the others, barring the effect from an unforeseen injury there is only about a 1% chance that he gets more snaps or more yards than Lloyd or Gaffney, and probably less than a 50% chance that he gets more snaps or more yards than Branch.

Other than his last year in New Orleans or a handful of games with the Pats in 2007, what has Stallworth ever done to generate so much excitement about him as a player? He lost his starting spot to Gaffney in the last half of the 2007 season, and since then he has a grand total 41 receptions for 561 yards and 3 TD . Why the expectation that Stallworth is suddenly going to quadruple his performance relative to 2011, or 2010, or 2008?

You would think Stallworth had 100+ receptions, 1200 yards and ten touchdowns in that '07 season to hear what some fans make of him; as a reminder it was 46 - 697 - 3. To put that in perspective the much maligned Deion Branch had more receptions, more yards, and more TD last year. By comparison Gaffney was 68 - 947 - 5 in 2011 and Lloyd was 70 - 966 - 5.

Matthew Slater, Tiquan Underwood and Taylor Price can all run fast; how productive were they as receivers? Speed is nice but I think some here are overstating its importance. On that subject do we even know for a fact that Stallworth still has the speed he had five years ago? His numbers since then make me believe that we should not assume that he does.

 

[patfanken]

1. Gaffney
2. Lloyd
3. Branch
4. Stallworth

Mark my words: by the end of the season, Gaffney will supplant Lloyd on the depth chart, although both of them will get their share of snaps.

Stallworth will only make the team if there's an injury.

Branch will assume the role of Troy Brown '07.

Not your finest effort Ice. Gaffney's skills are much different from Lloyd's and like it has been said you have less than a 1% chance of that being true, unless there's an injury to Lloyd.

And IF Branch makes the team, he's not going to take Brown's 2007 role. Don't forget, Branch is a one trick pony trying to make a team that prides itself on versatile players. He ONLY plays the Z. He only makes this team as a potential back up to Lloyd and he offers ZERO down field skill.

People better get used to the fact the Lloyd is a different kind of "downfield" threat. He isn't going to blow by ANY NFL CB. Lloyd's greatest skill, ISN'T in getting "separation" and being "open". He's a downfield threat because his great body control allows him to get into a favorable position to catch the ball even when he is covered. He isn't the kind of WR who teams will feel the need to rotate Safeties over the top to protect the CBs. I'm thrilled to have him, but he is what he is, and people expecting more will be disappointed.

We still don't have a "downfield burner". But with this offense, maybe we won't need one.

 

[Nunchucks]

Lloyd is number one. He has good size, runs precise routes as well as all of the routes and can go up and get the ball. He makes plays while covered, which is why he is the most dangerous outside receiver

Stallworth is the second, corners have to respect his deep speed and that opens up other stuff for him.

Gaffeney is third, he isn't as fast or big as the others *maybe faster than Lloyd), he doesn't have the best hands, but has good hands and he runs excellent routes.

 

[mgteich]

The real issue is who makes the roster.

Welker, Lloyd, Gaffney and Slater as a STer seem to be locks. Stallworth hasn't produced in awhile.

Who are the other two?

Branch
Stallworth
Edelman
Other