Unlike today’s NFL where ultra-productive wideouts are moved around in formations to make it more difficult for defenses to focus on them – the Saints do that with Thomas – there never was a question where Harrison would be. Put players in position to do what they do best, and don’t overthink it. Moore’s approach has never changed during an NFL coaching career that spans five decades he’s now Bruce Arians’ offensive consultant in Tampa Bay. Someone asked him if he knew how many catches he had. “I remember Marvin’s great line to one of you guys in the media. “We set out to win games and whatever happens, happens,’’ he said. He has the distinction of being the offensive coordinator in Detroit when Moore reset the bar to 123 and in Indy when Harrison shoved it to 143. “It really just happened,’’ Dungy insisted. The record never was an objective as the Colts headed into the season. It was an otherwise ho-hum 5-yarder had it not been for the historical ramifications. 124 – came in the bitter cold in Cleveland in game 14. 143 was a 2-yarder in the regular-season finale. 1 was a 16-yarder in the opener while No. Harrison’s 2002 assault on Moore began and ended against Jacksonville. Herman Moore set the record with 123 in 1995, eclipsing Cris Carter’s mark of 122 established the previous season. “Marvin’s year just blew me away because back in that day, 100 catches was a great year and 115 was really rare.’’ Week after week – catch after catch – Harrison was front and center. He inherited an offense teeming with dazzling talent: Harrison, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Edgerrin James, Marcus Pollard. Tony Dungy was in his first year with the Colts.
“I don’t see any way he doesn’t get it unless he gets hurt.’’ “He’s going to get it because of their offense and the fact they’re going to need these games,’’ offered the coach who had a front-row seat for Harrison’s record-setting season.
This seems as inevitable as Lamar Jackson being named MVP. Thomas has had at least 10 catches in seven of 13 games. Thomas needs 23 catches in three games to eclipse Harrison’s mark, and the fewest he’s had in a three-game stretch this year is 24. Both are NFL highs, and the receptions are 28 more than the league’s second-busiest wideout (DeAndre Hopkins with 93). Thomas is immersed in his fourth season and, and it’s been epic: 121 receptions and 1,424 yards. 22 in Nashville when the Saints meet the Tennessee Titans or a week later when they close the regular season at Carolina. The next step in Thomas’ relentless pursuit of Harrison’s long-standing NFL record for catches in a season – 143, in 2002, when Thomas was 9 – comes Monday night in New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome, somewhat appropriately against Harrison’s Indianapolis Colts. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated.
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