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Passing, Receiving, and Rushing Records Per Stadium
By GamblersPick Jun 08, 2020We set out to study which players have the most impressive records in specific stadiums, either as home team heroes or visiting rivals.When it comes to gridiron performance, it’s easy to overlook the importance of location. No matter where a football game takes place, the dimensions of the field remain the same.
But NFL venues vary significantly, in ways both obvious and intangible. Whether it’s weather, raucous crowds, or the spirit of the stadium, certain players thrive in particular environments.
We set out to study which players have the most impressive records in specific stadiums, either as home team heroes or visiting rivals. Similarly, we analyzed which squads tend to succeed on the road or fail to defend their home turf. Our findings provide a unique perspective on NFL contests, raising questions about how much a venue can mean to victory
To see which players and teams dominate in certain stadiums, keep reading.
Top Performances by Location
We analyzed single-game performances in each NFL stadium since 1960, identifying the most productive passer, receiver, and rusher in each venue. Explore the table below. You'll find many NFL all-time greats represented – and a few surprises as well.
In the passing category, several of the game’s most celebrated quarterbacks laid claim to their home stadiums. Who but Tom Brady could hold the passing record for Gillette Stadium? Or Philip Rivers for the StubHub Center? On the other hand, certain icons were surpassed by more recent players: Peyton Manning, for example, was outdone by Andrew Luck at the Colt’s Lucas Oil Stadium.
The passing records in each stadium were a mix of legends and players struck by temporary greatness. Chicago’s Soldier Field rushing record, for example, was held by Walter Payton, widely considered one of the best to ever grace an NFL field. The rushing record for Detroit’s Ford Field, by contrast, is held by Kevin Jones, whose five-year career began with a bang and settled quickly into mediocrity.
Among receivers, plenty of household names and current stars owned records for stadiums. But in terms of single-game performance, Julio Jones and Calvin Johnson have nothing on Flipper Anderson, the journeyman wideout who turned in a record-setting 336-yard receiving performance on one November day in 1989.
Domination Across Locations
Some players don’t need a home crowd to provide superlative performances. In fact, when we studied the top 10 passing, receiving, and rushing records for each stadium, certain names kept showing up.
Leading the passing category is Drew Brees with 16 top 10 performances amassed over the course of his long and storied career. Brady follows closely behind with 15 top 10 performances. Peyton Manning tied with Ben Roethlisberger with 13 top 10 performances apiece. Kirk Cousins and Carson Palmer claimed spots five and six among passers.
Among receivers, Julio Jones had the most top 10 performances, followed by the inimitable Terrel Owens. Jones shares the honor of having two stadium receiving records with Jacksonville Jaguars great Jimmy Smith and lesser-known receiver Kevin Curtis, who enjoyed an explosive 2007 season with the Eagles.
Jamal Lewis led all rushers with nine different top 10 stadium rushing performances: In the 2003 season, he earned a staggering 2,066 yards and had several other seasons with 1,000 yards or more. He shared the honor for most stadium rushing records with Doug Martin, who has overcome his short stature to make two Pro Bowls.
Humiliated at Home
Let’s face it: Some NFL franchises have forced their fans to witness plenty of dominant play by other teams. For some franchises, that meant that a majority of the top performances in their home stadiums were actually achieved by opposing players.
Oh, woeful Cleveland: The long-suffering franchise has defied mathematical probability with its consistently poor play. During their seemingly endless stretch of losing, the Browns’ FirstEnergy Stadium has seen 60% of its records for passing, rushing, and receiving set by opposing players.
Detroit and Tennessee had similar embarrassing records of rival players excelling on their home turf. Conversely, Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field had just 38% of its records set by non-Steelers, the lowest percentage in the league. This enviable history is partially attributable to the Steelers’ legacy of strong defensive squads, which kept even the most prolific offenses in check during the 2000s.
In some cases, certain opposing teams treated specific stadiums like their own stomping grounds. To some extent, this is expected: When divisional rivals meet multiple times each year, someone on the other side will occasionally turn in a massive performance. But certain statistics tell a depressing tale of domination: The Patriots consistently put up massive numbers on Buffalo, owning over 20% of records at New Era Field. Similarly, the Bengals seemed to thrive in Baltimore, while the Falcons were excellent New Orleans.
Successful Stadiums
Do certain venues lend themselves to offensive fireworks? Or does the quality of the home team dictate the offensive stats recorded in each stadium? We averaged the totals of 100-yard passing, receiving, and rushing performances in each stadium. Our findings raise interesting questions about the influence a venue may have on players’ performances at each position.
The iconic New Orleans Superdome, for example, saw the highest average passing and receiving performances. This might be attributable to the closed roof on the dome, which free QBs and receivers from dealing with wind and inclement weather. But an even more likely factor is that the Superdome is home to the New Orleans Saints, whose offensive prowess is sure to skew averages higher.
The same can not be said of Lambeau Field, where the Packers play exposed to the elements of Wisconsin’s winter. The stadium’s stats probably have more to do with the Packers’ excellent tradition of quarterback play than favorable conditions. The Raiders’ former home, the Oakland Coliseum, also ranked fourth for passing and receiving averages, though that might reflect the success of other teams on their turf in recent years.
As far as rushing performances, Buffalo’s New Era Field had a higher average than any other NFL venue. This might reflect the team’s recent run of inconsistency at quarterback rather than running skill: When you can’t find a franchise QB to lead the passing game, handing the ball off is often the only option.
Heroes at home
Clearly, some players have left indelible marks on the places in which they play. We analyzed which athletes held the greatest percentage of the top 100 passing, receiving, and rushing yards at each stadium, determining the most dominant players in particular venues.
In a remarkable feat, Tom Brady and Drew Brees held more than half of the top 100 passing performances at their respective home stadiums. Ben Roethlisberger was close behind, owning 49% of the top 100 passing games at Heinz Field. You’ll notice that the top five players in this category all come from the modern NFL era, as opposed to decades past. These statistics lend weight to the theory that the NFL is more offensively oriented than ever before, making it easier for passers to put up big numbers.
Of the top 100 receiving performances achieved at Houston’s NRG Stadium, seven-time Pro Bowler Andre Johnson accounted for 28 of them. While no other receiver could near that mark, Larry Fitzgerald and T.Y. Hilton had dominant runs with the Cardinals and Colts, respectively, as did Jimmy Smith in Jacksonville.
Among running backs, Fred Taylor owned a quarter of the 100 best rushing performances accomplished at Jacksonville’s TIAA Bank Field. Beloved Seattle Seahawk Shaun Alexander, had a similar number at CenturyLink Field, as did Ezekiel Elliot at AT&T Stadium. The great Walter Payton was the only player from an earlier NFL era to make the top five. Though his playing days ended in 1987, he still owns 22% of Soldier Field’s top rushing performances.Witnessing Winning
Our finding demonstrates that unique relationship between players and the places they compete, either as at-home favorites or rivals on the road. Some venues are inseparable from the athletes who find glory on their fields, while others have witnessed embarrassing defeats at the hands of visitors.
In an era where fandom is more digital and distant than ever before, perhaps we can pause to savor the majesty of football stadiums. As the site of tremendous play and passion, these buildings have hosted football’s finest moments through the years. For players and fans alike, they’re full of memories both precious and painful. No matter who conquers the gridiron on any given Sunday, there’s no structure quite like an NFL stadium.
Methodology and Limitations
We collected data from pro-football-reference.com of the top 100 passing, receiving, and rushing record performances for each NFL stadium from 1960 to 2019. Data was limited to stadiums that were active during the 2019 season. Data were collected on May 11, 2020. Top record performances were defined by total yards of offense by a single player in a single game.
Players, conferences, and teams were defined according to their current listing from pro-football-reference.com. Stadium names reflect the most recently used name during which an NFL team was an active tenant.
Fair Use Statement
Want to share our findings with a friend? We hope you can stir up some good stadium memories – or maybe a little smack talk about dominating their squad. If you do decide to share our work, please do so purely for noncommerical purposes and provide a link back to this page so that others can find and explore the full project.
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