The Associated Press ran a piece today about Terrell Owens taking advantage of the depleted Cowboys’ receiving corps. Here is a little bit of that story:
Terrell Owens has an easy way for the Dallas Cowboys to hide their lack of proven receivers: Just throw it to him more.
“I did a lot of shoulder presses this summer,” Owens said, smiling. “I think I will be ready to shoulder the load.”
T.O. is always eager to be option Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and he might have to be at times during the opener Sunday in Cleveland. Because after Owens and fellow starter Patrick Crayton, Dallas has … not much.
Backups Miles Austin and Sam Hurd are out with ankle injuries, leaving only Isaiah Stanback, a college quarterback who didn’t play last season while learning his new position. He also was slowed by injuries, and is now battling a shoulder problem that will force him to wear a harness.
Of course, the Cowboys also have Jason Witten, whose 96 receptions last season are among the most by a tight end. But even his backups are iffy — rookie Martellus Bennett and Tony Curtis (three catches in two seasons, although all for touchdowns).
Then there are the running backs. Marion Barber caught 44 passes last season, but his two backups are rookies and the fullback, Deon Anderson, has only six catches.
The circumstances could very well mean that Owens could improve on his 2007 season when he caught 81 passes for 1355 yards and 15 TDs. In team history, only Michael Irvin has had two consecutive seasons that were more productive than Owens’ production in 2006-2007 in terms of total numbers. On the other hand, the Cowboys in their history have never produced the type of passing numbers that they have in the past five years or so.
Here is a look at the best two-year totals of the top receivers in team history (listed generally in chronological order):
Frank Clarke: 1961-1962 (28 games)
Clarke total/receptions: 88
Team total/completions: 415
Clarke %: 21.2%
Clarke total/yards: 1962
Team total/passing yards: 5533
Clarke %: 35.5%
Clarke total/TDs: 23
Team total/TD passes: 54
Clarke %: 42.6%
Bob Hayes: 1965-1966 (28 games)
Hayes total/receptions: 110
Team total/completions: 382
Hayes %: 28.8%
Hayes total/yards: 2235
Team total/passing yards: 5410
Hayes %: 41.3%
Hayes total/TDs: 25
Team total/TD passes: 52
Hayes %: 48.1%
Lance Rentzel: 1967-1968 (28 games)
Rentzel total/receptions: 112
Team total/completions: 427
Rentzel %: 26.2%
Rentzel total/yards: 2005
Team total/passing yards: 5825
Rentzel %: 34.4%
Rentzel total/TDs: 14
Team total/TD passes: 53
Rentzel %: 26.4%
Drew Pearson: 1974-1975 (28 games)
Pearson total/receptions: 108
Team total/completions: 413
Pearson %: 26.2%
Pearson total/yards: 1909
Team total/passing yards: 5122
Pearson %: 37.3%
Pearson total/TDs: 10
Team total/TD passes: 33
Pearson %: 30.3%
Tony Hill: 1979-1980 (32 games)
Hill total/receptions: 120
Team total/completions: 552
Hill %: 21.7%
Hill total/yards: 2117
Team total/passing yards: 6697
Hill %: 31.6%
Hill total/TDs: 18
Team total/TD passes: 59
Hill %: 30.5%
Kelvin Martin: 1989-1990 (32 games)
Martin total/receptions: 110
Team total/completions: 520
Martin %: 21.2%
Martin total/yards: 1376
Team total/passing yards: 5466
Martin %: 25.2%
Martin total/TDs: 2
Team total/TD passes: 26
Martin %: 7.7%
Michael Irvin: 1994-1995 (32 games)
Irvin total/receptions: 190
Team total/completions: 604
Irvin %: 31.5%
Irvin total/yards: 2844
Team total/passing yards: 6991
Irvin %: 40.7%
Irvin total/TDs: 16
Team total/TD passes: 37
Irvin %: 43.2%
Keyshawn Johnson: 2004-2005 (32 games)
Johnson total/receptions: 141
Team total/completions: 608
Johnson %: 23.2%
Johnson total/yards: 1820
Team total/passing yards: 6769
Johnson %: 26.9%
Johnson total/TDs: 12
Team total/TD passes: 42
Johnson %: 28.6%
Terry Glenn: 2005-2006 (32 games)
Glenn total/receptions: 132
Team total/completions: 610
Glenn %: 21.6%
Glenn total/yards: 2283
Team total/passing yards: 7177
Glenn %: 31.8%
Glenn total/TDs: 13
Team total/TD passes: 49
Glenn %: 26.5%
Jason Witten: 2006-2007 (32 games)
Witten total/receptions: 160
Team total/completions: 652
Witten %: 24.5%
Witten total/yards: 1899
Team total/passing yards: 7941
Witten %: 23.9%
Witten total/TDs: 8
Team total/TD passes: 62
Witten %: 12.9%
Terrell Owens: 2006-2007 (32 games)
Owens total/receptions: 166
Team total/completions: 652
Owens %: 25.5%
Owens total/yards: 2535
Team total/passing yards: 7941
Owens %: 31.9%
Owens total/TDs: 28
Team total/TD passes: 62
Owens %: 45.2%
