Before the start of the 2023 NFL season, Tyreek Hill stated he would be in pursuit of a 2,000-yard season; the first for an NFL receiver. He is more than halfway to his goal. Let’s take a look at Tyreek Hill’s stats this season, and what he needs to do to make good on his promise.
Tyreek Hill And His Near-Unbelievable Stats In 2023
Hill had an eight-catch, 110-yard receiving game last week against the New England Patriots, including a touchdown. With that performance, Hill now sits less than 1,000 yards from becoming the first NFL receiver with 2,000 receiving yards in a season. He needs 986 receiving yards over his next nine games. That breaks down to just under 110 yards a game.
The current record belongs to Calvin Johnson, who had 1,964 yards receiving for the Detroit Lions in 2012. Of note, Johnson set the record in 16 games. Hill will have the opportunity to surpass Johnson and the 2,000-yard mark in 17 regular season games.
Barriers to 2,000
In all pursuits of greatness, there is always the unforeseen. Hill is one of the toughest players in the league. There has been many a time this season already where Dolphins fans have held their breath waiting for Hill to get up; he has each time. Hill’s toughness is something he has in his favor. Of course, the elephant in the room is that there is always a potential for a catastrophic injury that will stop Tyreek Hill and his stats.
Nobody likes to discuss it for fear of a “jinx”, but in reality, that risk is always there, like it or not. It will also be interesting to see how the recent loss of many offensive linemen, who have been a big part of the team’s success this season, will affect the passing game and Tua Tagovailoa’s time to get the ball out to Hill.
Remaining Games
Again, pursuits of greatness are not easy. To be deemed the greatest one has to overcome a lot of adversity. While the potential for injuries is a constant, what is not is the teams the Dolphins will play and where they rank in defense against the pass. Of the nine remaining regular season games the Dolphins will play, six rank in the top 10 in pass defense. The Dolphins still have to play the New York Jets twice this season. The Jets rank fifth against the pass in the NFL. The Dolphins will also play the Chiefs (2nd); Raiders (9th); Cowboys (4th); Ravens (3rd); and the Bills (10th). The only two teams the Dolphins have left to play that are outside the top 10 in pass defense are the Commanders (29th), and the Titans (17th).
Will Tyreek Hill Improve His Stats?
Based on his current total of 1,014 yards in eight games, hypothetically, Hill could be sitting at 2,028 yards after 16 games. With a game more than Johnson had in 2012, Hill could easily eclipse the yards receiving record in a season by 173 yards. Could is the keyword, however. Going against six of the top ten pass defenses in their nine remaining games is not an easy task. When it comes to Tyreek Hill and his stats, maybe the achievement of surpassing the 2,000-yard mark is not what the focus should be. Seeing what a “cheetah” does in the “wild” that is the NFL, is what Dolphins fans should enjoy and anticipate, one game at a time.
