Was Michael Irvin better than Jerry Rice at any point during his career?

[Tarik One]

Irvin was to Rice as Wade is to Lebron. Rice is easily regarded as the #1 receiver of all time. If not for Rice, Irvin would have been considered the best of that era. Was there any particular season during that time where you could argue that Irvin was indeed better than Rice?

[-playmaker-]

it can be argued...read this:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=257




Player Years AvYd AvTmAtt Yd/TmAtt

================================================== ======

Michael Irvin 1991-1995 1419 482 2.95

Jerry Rice 1991-1995 1451 536 2.71

Marvin Harrison 1999-2003 1519 567 2.68

Randy Moss 1999-2003 1412 532 2.66

Jimmy Smith 1997-2001 1346 516 2.61

James Lofton 1980-1984 1175 465 2.53

Torry Holt 2000-2004 1474 591 2.49

Herman Moore 1992-1996 1211 489 2.48

Tim Brown 1993-1997 1269 518 2.45

Chad Johnson 2002-2006 1319 542 2.44

Harold Jackson 1972-1976 795 327 2.43

Rod Smith 1997-2001 1273 528 2.41

Cliff Branch 1974-1978 869 361 2.41

Hines Ward 2001-2005 1095 455 2.41

Terrell Owens 2000-2004 1293 543 2.38

Joe Horn 2000-2004 1258 535 2.35

Henry Ellard 1987-1991 1188 509 2.34

Steve Largent 1983-1987 1101 476 2.31

Sterling Sharpe 1989-1993 1245 542 2.30

Stanley Morgan 1978-1982 885 389 2.27

Ken Burrough 1975-1979 837 375 2.23

Andre Reed 1988-1992 1050 476 2.20

Eric Moulds 1998-2002 1176 538 2.19

Cris Collinsworth 1982-1986 994 455 2.18

Drew Pearson 1974-1978 860 394 2.18

Drew Hill 1985-1989 1070 494 2.17

Cris Carter 1996-2000 1152 532 2.17

Laveranues Coles 2002-2006 1072 497 2.16

Art Monk 1982-1986 972 451 2.15

[-playmaker-]

Receivng yards: 1991--1995



Jerry Rice 1991-1995 1451

Michael Irvin 1991-1995 1419

Cris Carter 1991-1995 1068

Andre Rison 1991-1995 1025

Henry Ellard 1991-1995 1025

Tim Brown 1991-1995 1016

Anthony Miller 1991-1995 1011

Irving Fryar 1991-1995 999

Herman Moore 1991-1995 979

Sterling Sharpe 1991-1995 963

Andre Reed 1991-1995 899




^^^ Irvin's prime is just right below Rice, like just 30 yards...and if you take into account that Dallas was a running team with Emmitt, while Rice is in the West Coast, it could be argued that Irvin's prime years were possibly the greatest of all time...

[Jackass18]

He was better in '92 and '97. No, you can't argue that Irvin's prime was the best ever unless you're a biased to hell Cowboy fan.

[-playmaker-]

so I can argue it...

awesome...

[Jackass18]

You can try. Rice had a 5-year span where he averaged 15 TDs while Irvin never had more than 10 in a single season. Irvin's TD numbers are rather lacking.

[-playmaker-]

the article in that link is the best I could ever argue it...

Last week I wrote a couple of posts about methods for ranking the great wide receivers. Based on some good discussion in the comments following those posts, I've modified the method somewhat and am close to being comfortable calling it a Definitive Ranking System (as definitive as such things can ever be, anyway). But that's a post for later in the week if all goes well.

For now I want to talk about the one guy who always appears near the top of these kinds of lists but who isn't usually thought of as one of the all-time greats: Michael Irvin. Among all receivers whose careers started since the merger, Irvin ranked #2 in the receiving yardage category of the Gray Ink rating system I posted last week. He ranked #1 among all receivers debuting in 1978 or later according to this system that I posted back in May, and he ranked #7 among all receivers debuting since 1970 in my favorite WR ranking system EVER (though I admit it's one that probably doesn't produce the "best" rankings, it's the one I like best in theory).

He's barely behind the best receiver of all time, and a mile ahead of everyone else. Even if you consider all five-year stretches that started within five years of 1991, Irvin's is still second best, it's still close to Rice's best, and it's more than a hundred yards better than anyone else.

But that understates it. Irvin was playing on a conservative offense. During Rice's best stretch, the 49ers were throwing 536 passes per season, compared to 482 passes per year for the Cowboys during Irvin's peak. From 1991--1995, Irvin averaged more yards per team passing attempt than any player in post-merger NFL history.

[Jackass18]

Rice nearly matched Irvin's career TDs in just 4 seasons. Irvin's prime doesn't come that close to Rice's.

[-playmaker-]

Irvin was better than Rice stat wise in

91
92
and 97, but Jerry only played one game that year


and yeah, I do not believe that Mike's prime was as good as Jerry's...

but it does look like Mike had a couple years where he was better than Rice...

[1manfastbreak]

how about this..

if you were to trade rice for irving, do you think dallas or sf would have fewer/more superbowls?

[-playmaker-]

Originally Posted by 1manfastbreak

how about this..

if you were to trade rice for irving, do you think dallas or sf would have fewer/more superbowls?

I think they would have the same...

"Irvin" btw...

[Rasheed1]

NO......

Michael Irvin was at no time in his lifetime on the level of Jerry Rice... he wasnt even on his level, dont even talk about better

[Lebron Bryant]

Originally Posted by Rasheed1

NO......

Michael Irvin was at no time in his lifetime on the level of Jerry Rice... he wasnt even on his level, dont even talk about better

This.