“Defense wins championships” is an often-used sports cliché. However, teams must generate enough points for them to win. In the NFL, a reliable passing attack helps move the chains and put scores on the board. That said, it’s no wonder the Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Detroit Lions are having success on that side of the ball.
Pro Football Focus revealed that the Dolphins’ receiving duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle leads the league with 98 receptions of at least ten yards. Their prominence has Miami ranked number one in passing yards (279.2) and second in points (31.6) per game.
Racking up points has been the key for Mike McDaniel’s crew to establish a 9-4 record. Hill and Waddle have a combined 15 touchdown catches (12 from Hill), while Hill leads the league in receiving yards (1,542). Waddle has 822, making the 1,000-yard mark within reach.
Explosive duos pic.twitter.com/EMYEVRhlQk
— PFF (@PFF) December 13, 2023
Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers are second, with Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey having 96 gains of ten yards or more. While McCaffrey already has 1,177 rushing yards, he manifests his versatility by compiling 437 yards and five touchdowns.
Likewise, Aiyuk leads all 49ers receivers with 56 catches for 1,053 yards and six touchdowns. These players put the 49ers in position to be the third-best team in both points (29.2) and passing yards per game (262.7). The Niners have also clinched a postseason berth as early as Week 14.
Third on the list are the Eagles tandem of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, with 87 receptions of at least ten yards. While Philadelphia is still in a good position at 10-3, they’ve lost their last two games.
The Buffalo Bills' tandem of James Cook and Stefon Diggs is coming in fourth with 80 gains of at least ten yards. They have a 7-6 mark after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs. Finally, the Detroit Lions tandem of Amon-Ra St. Brown has 69 catches for double-digit yards. At 9-4, they are still in a good position, especially in their division.
-Lance Fernandez