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Marcel Louis-Jacques, ESPN
MIAMI — One of the most elusive records in NFL history is within reach for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, even after missing last week’s win over the New York Jets.
But sitting out with a left ankle injury against a Jets team the Dolphins thrashed 30-0 made a daunting task even more challenging.
Hill is in pursuit of not only Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving yards record of 1,964, set in 2012, but also the first 2,000-yard receiving season in league history. Johnson set the record during a 16-game regular season, and now Hill will have that many to break it. With 1,542 yards in 13 games played, and three more remaining, Hill will need to average 141 yards — a mark he has reached six times this season — to break the record and 152.6 to reach the coveted 2,000.
There is some precedent for Hill putting up that level of production. He’s surpassed 152 receiving yards five times this season, against the Los Angeles Chargers (215), New York Giants (181), Carolina Panthers (163), Washington Commanders (157), and Denver Broncos (157).
But duplicating those numbers won’t be easy. Miami plays the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills over its final three games of the regular season — each of whom boasts top-10 defenses in terms of QBR, yards per dropback and total passing yards allowed.
None of the Dolphins’ remaining opponents have allowed a 150-yard receiver this season. In fact, Dallas (2), Baltimore (4) and Buffalo (3) have combined to allow only nine 100-yard receivers this season.
Hill’s results against his upcoming opponents have varied from highly successful to unsuccessful throughout his career.
In four games against the Ravens, he’s averaged 105 receiving yards per game, on the strength of last season’s 11-catch, 190-yard performance. He’s played the Cowboys twice, totaling 141 yards and a touchdown.
The Bills present an interesting matchup for him. He’s eclipsed 150 yards in two of his three playoff games against Buffalo — both times while playing with the Kansas City Chiefs — but has failed to crack even 70 receiving yards in six regular-season games.
The top priority for Hill and the Dolphins is to win the AFC East and secure the AFC’s top seed, but Hill set 2,000 yards as a goal entering the season.
“I will break 2,000 yards next year, bro,” Hill said in July on his podcast ‘It Needed to be Said.’ “Two-thousand yards was on my bucket list to get before I leave this league … 2,000 yards and another Super Bowl. We getting that. Believe that.”
Source: www.espn.com