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Joe's Best Receiver

Tank

Tank

Hall of Famer
Although he didn't show it in Bmore until his last two months on the team, no doubt Q was the best while playing with Joe.

Smitty showed promise, but really didn't pan out as he should have due to injuries. Mace was good, showed a lot of heart, but in truth was pretty much spent by the time he played with Joe.
 
Somerset Ravens

Somerset Ravens

Pro Bowler
In my opinion Joe's best receiver has been Derrick Mason. He only played with Flacco over Joe's first three seasons but Mason was very important to the passing game being Joe's go to receiver during those three years. If running backs were included I might change my answer to Ray Rice. Joe and Ray worked very well together.
 
The Raven

The Raven

Veteran
The stats are skewed to hell and worthless in the context their provided in. No shit Torrey has the best stats -- he'd been with Joe the longest of any in the discussion. I'd prefer to see, you know, season averages. Avg production per season or per game or whatever. Career stats mean nothing in the context of this discussion. I mean c'mon. You don't have to take a statistics class to know how to read them.

On a per game average:

Torrey: 3.3 catches, .46 TDs, and 56 yards. 16.8 YPC.

Boldin: 4.1 catches, .31 TDs, and 58.77 yards. 14.3 YPC.

Steve: 5.2 catches, .37 TDs, and 68.4 yards. 13.1 YPC.

Mason: 4.45 catches, .39 TDs, and 59.7 yards. 13.4 YPC.

So, it really depends on what you're looking for. Torrey clearly has the highest touchdown rate and YPC, but the others had more production in other areas.

Now, here's a question: if Boldin and Mason were used correctly for their time here, would this even be a question? Boldin, the stereotype chain mover, was used in an Air Coryell offense for most of his time, as was Mason. On the other hand, imagine what Torrey could've done in 2013 if he wasn't the only one here. It's difficult to really say who was best because of these factors, but if you gave me Torrey during the Cam years and Boldin in the Trestman/Marty years, that would've been gold. Another question: Boldin had fewer catches per gape than Derrick and Steve. If he was forcefed the way Derrick was in 08, Torrey was in 12, and Steve was in 2014 on, who knows what kind of production he could have had? A bad scheme fit and competition makes his production look worse.

I think it's really a crapshoot. If I had to pick one I'd say Steve, but really only because of his versatility as a receiver. The stats are practically a wash.
 
usmccharles

usmccharles

Practice Squad
While favorite and best are rarely the same, in this case it is. It wasnt hard for me to narrow down the choices, im bored so here we go. I think time has to be taken into it, as well as where they were in their career.

Player-Rec/Yards/TDs/Years-games

1) Torrey Smith- 213/ 3,591 / 30 / 4-64
Torrey was great for what he was, second round WR. Could stretch the field, draw Pi's like no one else but somehow never learned to track the ball very well. Also, lot of fans have a ill taste with the last pass in NE that he failed to even fight for, i would never say Torrey didnt have heart, but that wasnt a good look. He put up good numbers and showed up in some big moments ie our SB run, but not my choice, but honestly makes a strong case

2) Boldin- 186 / 2,645 / 14 /3-45
Boldin was the Ray Lewis of the offense, tough as they come, catches everything around him and would fight till the death for that 2 yards for the first down. Even getting him towards the end of his career, he still did good for us, i would of loved to get him a couple years earlier. This guy is still playing and can still contribute, such a great leader as well, wish we never traded him. Not my choice though

3) Smith Sr- 195 / 2,534 / 14 / 3-37
I wish we could of got him earlier, he is a smaller Boldin that plays just as tough, maybe even tougher. Couldnt really stay healthy but when he was on the field, he was clearly a playmaker. Not much i can say here, he just wasnt here enough and wasnt healthy.

4) Derrick Mason- 214 / 2,867 / 19 / 3-48
This is my guy. Tough as hell, great leader, i just remember his detroit game. One of my favorites of all time. Its hard to just forget about his time here before Joe. You can make a case for all i think
 
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K-Dog

K-Dog

MVP
and then there is Heap and Pitta.

Edit: Did Joe and Heap even play together? If they did I don't think it was for long.
 
SepticeyePoe

SepticeyePoe

Hall of Famer
I want to say SSS, but I'm not really sure. I think I was too young to really remember Mason, and I'm having trouble remembering how Boldin played in 2011 and 2012. So between Torrey and Steve, I think Steve was better, at least talent wise. How he compared to Boldin or Mason, I'm not really sure.
 
ZonaRaven

ZonaRaven

Practice Squad
I base the best receiver off of what the QB needed especially given our futile history of WR production...and for me that was Q. Torrey was nice and everything but we won a superbowl with what Q (and Torrey) and Pitta did which was catch passes over the middle.

The eye test tells me its SSR tho but that may be a product of recent memory.
 
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jdynamite

jdynamite

Ravens Ring of Honor
K-Dog said:
https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2...me-baltimore-ravens-boldin-maclin-mason-pitta

Interesting article.
Some surprising numbers.
Mase or Steve Smith would be my favorite but favorite and best are two different things.

Who do you think was Joes best receiver? Who was your favorite receiver?
Click to expand...

I read that article yesterday, it should be noted that they pointed out it was the best WR Flacco ever played with ( career accomplisments ) not the WR that performed best while playing with Flacco.

But then they went on to breakdown the production the WRs had while playing with Flacco, while I found that interesting I think it screwed up the voting and comment section lol.

Eye opening numbers that Torrey Smith put up with Flacco in comparison to Boldin, Mason and S.Smith.

I'd have to go with S.Smith as the best WR so far, I mean even at his old age he put up some great numbers. Most of his career was played with Delhomme as his QB, on a run-first team.
 
cobrajet

cobrajet

Hall of Famer
Derrick Mason was a beast and is probably my all time favorite Raven receiver. I am pretty fond of Q and SSS too. I guess to answer the question, Torrey was Joe's most productive, so he may deserve that honor.
 
JoeyFlex5

JoeyFlex5

Hall of Famer
Imo it should be Derrick mason without question.

He didn't disappear like boldin

He was the most sure handed

He was the most reliably target

He is second behind Smitty in heart and fire

He produced far more consistent than anyone else

Without mason, flacco would have been a disaster his first 3 years
 
redrum52

redrum52

Hall of Famer
JoeyFlex5 said:
Imo it should be Derrick mason without question.

He didn't disappear like boldin

He was the most sure handed

He was the most reliably target

He is second behind Smitty in heart and fire

He produced far more consistent than anyone else

Without mason, flacco would have been a disaster his first 3 years
Click to expand...

Without Mason this OFFENSE would have been a disaster the 1st 3 years. He was essentially our only wr.

Torrey isn't really in the convo if you ask me, no offense to him. He did well in his role, but no way he's the best and I'm making this based off a top 3 list, cause lets be honest. There aren't many options here. In no particular order, Mason, Smith and Boldin. Boldin was great, and though I'd love to put him first, he has the advantage of playing when we actually had a pretty good lineup on offense. If I had to give it to someone, it's probably Smith. Mason was great, but I'm just going to have Smith edge him out because of his natural ability when they were about the same age.
 
RavensMania

RavensMania

Staff Member
Administrator
I think Flaccos best receiver while he was with him in terms of productivity has to be Derrick Mason and the best receiver he has ever played with comes down to Q and Sr.
 
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