What's wrong with Mecole Hardman - Part 2

[dlphg9]

Spoiler alert!

Nothing is wrong with him! Unless you consider Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce as being a problem.

Mecole was 3rd on the team in targets (62), rec yards (560), and rec TDs (4). Those stats are right in line with any other teams 3rd most productive receiver and none of those other teams had 2 guys that were 1st team AP in front of that guy.

Green Bay Packers #1 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Robert Tonyan - 59 targets, 52 rec, 586 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 212
Rec - 148
Yards - 2064

Buffalo Bills #2 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Gabriel Davis - 62 targets, 35 rec, 599 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 273
Rec - 209
Yards - 2502

Tampa Bay Buccaneers #3 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Rob Gronkowski - 77 targets, 45 rec, 623 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 193
Rec - 135
Yards - 1846

Tennessee Titans #4 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Jonnu Smith - 65 targets, 41 rec, 448 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 198
Rec - 135
Yards - 2059

New Orleans Saints #5 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Jared Cook - 60 targets, 37 rec, 504 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 189
Rec - 144
Yards - 1482

Baltimore Ravens #7 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Willie Snead - 48 targets, 33 rec, 432 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 188
Rec - 116
Yards - 1470

Seattle Seahawks #8 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
David Moore - 47 targets, 35 rec, 417 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 261
Rec - 183
Yards - 2357

Indianapolis Colts #9 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Michael Pittman Jr. - 61 targets, 40 rec, 503 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 164
Rec - 99
Yards - 1391

Las Vegas Raiders #10 ranked scoring offense
3rd most productive receiving option
Hunter Renfrow - 77 targets, 56 rec, 656 yds

Top 2 options
Targets - 227
Rec - 155
Yards - 2092

Average for top 10 scoring offense's 3rd most productive receiving option :

Targets - 62
Receptions - 41
Yards - 530

Average for top 10 scoring offense's top 2 most productive receiving options combined :

Targets - 212
Receptions - 147
Yards - 1918


This is how Hardman stacks up against the other teams 3rd receiving option

Targets - 62 (62 avg)
Receptions - 41 (41 avg)
Yards - 560 (530 avg)

Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce combined

Targets - 280 (most in group)
Receptions - 192 (2nd most in group)
Yards - 2692 (most in group)

So what we can see from these stats above is that nothing is up with Mecole Hardman. His targets and reception matched the average of the 9 other top offenses 3rd receiving option and he was above average in yards, but the big huge difference is Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill just happen to be on the same team as him. Those two have 68 more combined targets, 45 more combined receptions, and 774 more combined yards than the others teams top 2 receiving threats.

TLDR;

Nothing is wrong, he's right in line with the other teams 3rd most productive pass catchers. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are monsters and the best pass catching duo in a long ass time.

PS:

Seriously Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce are so good! There was only 11 QBs with more TD passes than those 2 had receiving TDs.

PSS:

****ing Cam Newton started 15 games and had 45 less passing yards than Hill and Kelce had rec yards in the same amount of games!

PSSS:

****ing MVP Lamar had 65 more passing yards than Hill and Kelce had rec yards and they tied for the same amount of passing TDs to receiving TDs.

[Red Dawg]

Mahomes looked annoyed with Hardman last night and I don't like it. He also is probably annoyed with not throwing a td in the pre season.

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by -King-

He doesn't "suck". He just look like a gadget player. He for damn sure doesn't look like a reliable #2 WR.

Btw, he's played 2 years before these 2 preseason game. He had the same chemistry issues with Mahomes.

I don't even know how you can deny him and Mahomes have issues.

This

[Chiefnj2]

I don’t care if Hardman makes the team or not, but last night was more on Mahomes. He was throwing high on a lot of the plays. I’d like to see a younger WR step up and make the team and hopefully have better chemistry with Patrick, but only Andy knows exactly what he’s looking for.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by oldman

Ding, ding, ding - we have a winner. It's not 2 preseason games, it's that he hasn't taken that next step to be a reliable #2 in 2 years. He didn't make the most out of Watkins time off, his routes are still sloppy. I don't know if there are "issues" with PMII, but if he wants a big payday soon, he better get those ironed out.

Yup. In mahomes' short career, how many players do you remember him being annoyed with like this. It's not even just being on the wrong page. In many cases Hardman is flat out in the wrong place. And nobody else is doing this. Even DRob for all his shortcomings is usually in the right place.

[Spott]

Originally Posted by -King-

He doesn't "suck". He just look like a gadget player. He for damn sure doesn't look like a reliable #2 WR.

Btw, he's played 2 years before these 2 preseason game. He had the same chemistry issues with Mahomes.

I don't even know how you can deny him and Mahomes have issues.

Exactly. It’s been 6 preseason games, 32 regular season games and 6 playoff games. When he’s on he’s great, but when he’s off he just seems like he’s more of a liability to the team. We got extremely lucky to get a super fast WR like Tyreek that’s actually turned out to be an excellent all around receiver. A lot of the players with that type of speed end up being gadget players and don’t last that long in the league.

[JPH83]

Guess it depends what you expect Hardman to be. Think he's a decent enough third receiver, which is what he'll be. I don't think he's more than that, and that's probably fine. You'd probably want him to be a step above Pringle and it's not obvious he is. It's probably partly a frustration with seeing those players picked after him - but hindsight is 20/20

The frustrating thing with him feels like consistency. He makes a chunk play then does something dumb. I don't think it was all on him against the Cards but agree with those saying it's really not clicking with Mahomes at this point.

[Eleazar]

Hardman is an inconsistent player but he always has been. He’s never going to be another Hill. At this point he’s a third year player who’s played all that time in an offense that does him a lot of favors. We know who he is at this point and it’s unlikely he suddenly becomes a world beater.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Eleazar

Hardman is an inconsistent player but he always has been. He’s never going to be another Hill. At this point he’s a third year player who’s played all that time in an offense that does him a lot of favors. We know who he is at this point and it’s unlikely he suddenly becomes a world beater.

Yep. I think the offense is best if he stays in the gadget role. Don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Hammock Parties

I legit don't remember a single bomb he ever caught. Maybe that one against Indianapolis on the sideline.

He's good at catching them in camp though.

He had one against Oakland, one against the Ravens, and one against NE in 2019. Arguably had another against the Ravens in 2020.

But as you said, few and far between and once teams adjusted to him, he hasn't been able to adapt.

[Hammock Parties]

Ah yeah - I am just having a mental block.

If he gets right he could be much more dangerous with those types of plays. It would be nice to have that on the field more.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by New World Order

I feel pretty comfortable knowing if it really is a need Veach will take action, either now or before the trade deadline.

Could see guys like Cooks, maybe Gallup from Dallas etc

Absolutely this

If they see it as a genuine problem, we know Veach won’t hesitate to make changes

[ThyKingdomCome15]

I think we'd feel a little different about Hardman this morning had Patrick not missed on his no-look pass last night. Hardman had a full step on his man on the left side of the end zone. A little better ball from Patrick woulda scored a TD in the back of the as well.

I do believe they're not as far off as we think. Although the 'not being on the same page' aspect did resurface again last night. Can can only hope that's not permanent. I do believe Patrick believes in Hardman but obviously not to the full extent of Kelce and Cheetah.

[MIAdragon]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Lmao at the dweebs deciding Hardman sucks after 2 preseason games. God damn some of you are dumb.

How long has he been here again….

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15

I think we'd feel a little different about Hardman this morning had Patrick not missed on his no-look pass last night. Hardman had a full step on his man on the left side of the end zone. A little better ball from Patrick woulda scored a TD in the back of the as well.

I do believe they're not as far off as we think. Although the 'not being on the same page' aspect did resurface again last night. Can can only hope that's not permanent. I do believe Patrick believes in Hardman but obviously not to the full extent of Kelce and Cheetah.

I would not feel any different. This has been happening for 2 years. One good play does not erase the fact that the qb, who is crazy smart and has no chemistry issues with anyone else on the team, seems to have no idea what Hardman is going to do at least a handful of times per game.

Mahomes barely acts this way to anyone else. It is clear frustration. Drob, for all his issues, is usually really good at being right where mahomes wants him to be. That's why he's always open.

[Rasputin]

I think once our season unfolds and our offense is clicking and people will be like wow look what Hardman did but then look at what this other guy did. Our offensive line is key to getting our guys able run proper routes so that Patrick feels comfortable in the pocket. Obviously he was not comfortable last year in the pocket because he had no pocket. So we have a lot of players that can step it up our offense is loaded. Hardman will get opportunities to make plays and if he takes advantage of those opportunities then y'all need quit yet bitched if we are winning that's all we need to do.

If he doesn't take advantage of his opportunities then by all means he will deserve what he gets but I don't think he deserves all this ridicule just yet going into his third season that everyone says takes three years to get acclimated to Andy Reid offense.

Mecole has made some outstanding plays and yes he needs to be more consistent but that's why even the Honey Badger said he worked with him on OTAs and Mecole sought him out to do so.

I think there are going be people eating crow.


I remember a game Hardman made a mistake and Patricl went right to Mecole and told him he was going go right back to him and Mecole made a big play. They have chemistry you all just see what you want to see.