Production = wins.

Joe isn’t sure if the following stat says anything about the Bucs or not. Other than their *wide* receivers were good.

Noted handicapper Warren Sharp did a deep dive into routes run by receivers and who caught passes from what position on the field. It seems the Bucs may have been a bit too heavy on one area of the field.

Or were they?

The Bucs got 2,014 yards from receivers that lined up wide. That was seventh-best in the league in that category. All of the top nine teams either made the playoffs or contended for the playoffs.

Initially, Joe thought this suggested the Bucs didn’t get much production from receivers inside the hashmarks, especially considering all the yards receiving from running backs, but is that a good thing?

This stat suggests teams should strive to get a lot of yards from receivers lined up wide. Of the 10 worst teams, only two made the playoffs, the Giants and Crows.

2022 receiving yards by receivers aligned out wide:

2,575 – MIA
2,397 – PHI
2,205 – MIN
2,164 – CIN
2,157 – BUF
2,074 – LAC
2,014 – TB
1,998 – KC
1,981 – SEA
1,971 – LV
1,879 – WAS
1,875 – DET
1,809 – NYJ
1,765 – IND
1,762 – JAX
1,731 – ARI
1,702 – DEN
1,656 – NE
1,610 – NO…

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 17, 2023