- Terry McLaurin produced historic success on contested targets: His 93.9 PFF receiving grade on contested targets this yr leads all 278 gamers who’ve seen at the very least 10 contested targets in a season since 2019.
- The Eagles current a fierce take a look at for McLaurin: The workforce’s protection owns a league-best 94.6 PFF protection grade on contested targets this season.
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Estimated Studying Time: 2 minutes
The Washington Commanders are gearing as much as face the Philadelphia Eagles within the NFC Championship sport — undoubtedly one of many largest surprises of the 2024 NFL season. Behind the workforce’s emergence this season is rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Nonetheless, others have additionally stepped up round Daniels, together with vast receiver Terry McLaurin, who has earned an 82.8 PFF total grade — his highest mark since his rookie season.
Whereas McLaurin is an entire receiver, one side of his sport has stood out this season: contested catches. The Ohio State product has earned a 93.9 PFF receiving grade on contested targets, which leads the NFL. In second place is A.J. Brown, who may also take the sphere Sunday.
Terry McLaurin’s 2024 PFF Sport Grades
McLaurin has hauled in a league-high 25 contested targets, together with the playoffs, regardless of seeing simply the fifth-most such targets (38). His 309 receiving yards on contested targets rank second to solely Courtland Sutton’s 312, whereas his 9 touchdowns are probably the most by a major margin. His 65.8% catch fee on contested targets ranks ninth amongst 112 gamers with at the very least 10 contested targets this season.
What the Commanders vast receiver has achieved goes past simply this season. Since McLaurin joined the NFL in 2019, 278 gamers have seen at the very least 10 contested targets in a given season. McLaurin’s 93.9 PFF receiving grade this yr leads all 278 of them.
His 9 landing receptions on contested targets are additionally probably the most amongst qualifying gamers, with Mike Evans’ seven in 2021 rating second. Contested targets despatched McLaurin’s means have yielded a 130.4 passer score for quarterbacks — a league-high mark this season and tied for the fourth-highest mark over the previous six years.
Whether or not McLaurin can sustain his manufacturing on contested targets within the NFC Championship sport will considerably sway the Commanders’ possibilities of advancing to the Tremendous Bowl. The Eagles’ protection owns a league-best 94.6 PFF protection grade on contested targets and has allowed -0.08 anticipated factors added per play when contesting the catch level (fifth greatest). Opposing quarterbacks sport only a 64.8 passer score on contested throws in opposition to the Eagles this season, the fourth-lowest determine within the NFL.
Whereas the time period “catch level” is usually on the middle of soccer clichés, it’d really determine who will signify the NFC in Tremendous Bowl 59.
