Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Re-Mark-able feat
Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills approaching Clayton-Duper territory
Landry-Stills approaching Clayton-Duper status.
DAVIE — Since 1977, only two pairs of Miami Dolphins teammates have combined for more than 20 receiving touchdowns in a season. Wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills could become the third this year.
Landry (eight touchdowns) and Stills (six) have combined for 14 touchdowns this year and they’re threatening to become the first Dolphins duo combine for 20 receiving touchdowns since Mark Duper and Mark Clayton had 21 in 1986.
Think about that. Landry and Stills are being mentioned in the same sentence with Duper and Clayton.
“It’s an honor,” Landry said of being associated with that duo, “especially because of the things that these guys did not only in the history of the Dolphins, but in the history of the league.”
Of course, Landry and Stills have work to do if they want to keep company with Clayton and Duper, a duo that also combined for 26 receiving touchdowns in 1984, the most by a Miami twosome in the past 40 years.
In fact, Landry and Stills have work to do to surpass many of the top touchdown-producing duos since 1977, among them Landry and fellow wide receiver Mike Wallace (15 in 2014), wide receiver Chris Chambers and tight end Randy McMichael (16 in 2005), wide receivers Nat Moore and Duriel Harris (17 in 1977), and Clayton and running back Jim Jensen (19 in 1988).
Landry and Stills downplay their march toward franchise history. They say it would be more enjoyable if they were winning more.
“You would like to say the touchdowns we score have led to wins,” Landry said, “but they haven’t, for the most part.”
Regardless, Landry and Stills have been the best part of a passing game that has sometimes struggled with two starting quarterbacks — Jay Cutler and Matt Moore — a host of different offensive linemen, change at the running back position, and little help at tight end until recently.
“Those guys, especially in the red zone, they’ve done a really good job of being where they’re supposed to be,” coach Adam Gase said. “This last game, the second touchdown Jarvis had, I don’t even know if we’ve ever thrown him the ball on that. That was a good job by him doing what he was supposed to do and he found that window.
“And then Kenny, a lot of his touchdowns seem to come from a little further out. But when he gets a oneon-one matchup, he figures out a way to get open.”
Landry, whose game has graduated from being a slot receiver to more of an allaround receiver, has done outstanding work in the red zone. All eight of his touchdowns have come in the red zone, the area inside the opponents’ 20-yard line, and seven of the eight touchdowns have been from inside the 10-yard line.
Landry, playing in the final year of his contract, has 88 receptions for 745 yards and eight touchdowns. He already has a career best in touchdowns, surpassing the five he had as a rookie in 2014, and he could approach his career best in receptions (110 in 2015). But reaching a career best in yards (1,157 in 2014) is unlikely.
Stills has 50 receptions for 751 yards and six touchdowns. He could surpass career bests in receptions (63 in 2014), yards (931 in 2014) and touchdowns (nine in 2016).
Stills, who has showed toughness while playing through hand and back injuries this season, has done his best work from distance. Four of his six touchdowns are from 20 or more yards, including a 61-yarder against Tampa Bay.
“I’ve made some improvement on my game from last year,” Stills said. “I still think about that game in Seattle [when he dropped a sure touchdown pass in last year’s opener] so I’m really just focused on making big catches, catching everything, trying to make some plays with the ball in my hand after the catch.
“I feel like I’m doing my best to improve my game, but there’s always more room to improve.”
It’s somewhat surprising Landry and Stills are the top touchdown-producing duo for the Dolphins. Earlier in the season, it seemed a duo threatening a receiving touchdown mark this year would include wide receiver DeVante Parker.
Yet, it’s Landry and Stills who have powered Miami’s passing game, snatching up 64 percent of the team’s 22 touchdown receptions, and 50.5 percent of the team’s receiving yards (1,496 of 2,961 yards).
And they mostly have each other to thank.
“I’m sure for those two guys,” Landry said in reference to Clayton and Duper, “it was always a good feeling knowing that that other guy was lined up next to him and could take some pressure off their back and make some plays.
“I think that’s the biggest thing I think about when I think about Kenny.”