How many times this offseason have you heard or read new Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver James Washington referred to as only being a deep pass catcher coming out of college? While Washington was indeed a bona fide deep threat at Oklahoma State, he enters the NFL a much more rounded wide receiver than most people credit him as really being.
As part of me recently contextualizing all the pass attempts made by new Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph at Oklahoma State in 2017, I also was able to do the same for every pass thrown to Washington.
As you can see in the breakdowns below, Washington was targeted a total of 119 times during the 2017 season and he caught 74 (62.2%) of those attempts for 1,544 yards and 13 touchdowns.
52 of Washington’s 74 receptions were caught within 16 yards of the original line of scrimmage and in the NFL, that distance is considered a short pass. Those 52 receptions totaled 662 yards and 5 touchdowns. Washington also averaged 4.89 yards after the catch on those 52 receptions. However, it’s worth noting that only 10 of those receptions included Washington catching the football on the other side of the right hash mark on the field. In short, most of Washington’s short receptions came on the right side of the field.
The other 22 receptions that Washington registered in 2017 were of the deep variety and that means they traveled more than 15 yards in the air past the original line of scrimmage. In fact, Washington caught 22 of 48 (45.8%) deep throws his way in 2017 and that’s not a bad percentage at all. 13 of those 22 receptions came on passes that were thrown more than 30 yards in the air past the original line of scrimmage as well.
In total, those 22 deep receptions that Washington had in 2017 produced 882 receiving yards of which 155 was gained after the catch. 8 of those receptions resulted in touchdowns as well. If you do the math, you’ll see that those 22 receptions resulted in an average gain of 40.1 yards. That’s an astounding number.
The biggest thing that jumps out at you when you look at Washington’s reception breakdown from 2017 is the fact that only 4 of his catches happened on the left side of the field, which I deem to be left of the left hash mark. That’s not overly surprising, however, as Washington rarely lined up on the left side of the offensive formation last season, and quite honestly, his entire career at Oklahoma State.
I will have more Washington data for you in a future post but in the meantime, if you would like to see every target Washington had in 2017, below are links to every one of them along with the play-by-play and contextualization for each..
GM | QRT | TME | SCR | DWN | DST | LOS | RES | YDS | DIR | DST | YAC | CONTEXT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 14:19 | 0-0 | 1 | 10 | MID 50 | C | 5 | SWR | 6 | -1 | Long out route to right |
1 | 1 | 8:37 | 0-7 | 1 | 10 | OKST 31 | C | 16 | SIR | 10 | 6 | Quick slant off play-action |
1 | 1 | 8:21 | 0-7 | 1 | 10 | OKST 47 | C | 1 | SWR | -1 | 2 | Quick screen left side |
1 | 1 | 6:42 | 0-7 | 2 | 11 | TLSA 40 | C | 40 | DM | 42 | -2 | Deep pass TD middle of field |
1 | 2 | 2:04 | 14-31 | 1 | 10 | OKST 23 | C | 77 | DIR | 48 | 29 | Underthrown nice WR adjustment for TD |
1 | 3 | 10:34 | 17-38 | 1 | 10 | OKST 46 | C | 6 | SWR | 6 | 0 | Quick out right side |
2 | 1 | 14:22 | 0-0 | 2 | 7 | OKST 28 | I | 0 | DWR | 40 | 0 | Deep shot right sideline good coverage |
2 | 1 | 5:46 | 3-0 | 2 | 8 | OKST 34 | C | 66 | SIR | 14 | 52 | Post TD off play-action |
2 | 1 | 1:53 | 10-0 | 1 | 10 | USA 34 | C | 30 | DWR | 29 | 1 | Deep bucket pass right sideline |
3 | 1 | 4:48 | 14-0 | 2 | 7 | OKST 23 | I | 0 | DM | 31 | 0 | Overthrow deep post |
3 | 2 | 9:00 | 35-7 | 2 | 8 | OKST 20 | C | 7 | SWR | 7 | 0 | Curl route to sticks right side |
3 | 2 | 8:43 | 35-7 | 3 | 1 | OKST 27 | C | 23 | SIR | 10 | 13 | Fit in tightly on slant from right side |
3 | 2 | 7:15 | 35-7 | 3 | 7 | PITT 47 | C | 31 | DWR | 29 | 2 | Deep sideline bucket throw |
3 | 2 | 5:05 | 42-7 | 1 | 20 | OKST 11 | I | 0 | SWR | 10 | 0 | Way high on open out route |
3 | 3 | 11:51 | 49-14 | 1 | 10 | OKST 1 | C | 39 | DWR | 21 | 18 | Deep fade left side |
3 | 3 | 11:04 | 49-14 | 1 | 10 | PITT 49 | C | 24 | SWR | 7 | 17 | Right sideline from far hash |
4 | 1 | 2:27 | 6-0 | 2 | 6 | OKST 14 | C | 86 | DIR | 49 | 37 | Deep seem TD on money |
4 | 2 | 14:11 | 13-7 | 2 | 7 | OKST 28 | C | 5 | SWR | -1 | 6 | WR screen right side |
4 | 2 | 13:20 | 13-7 | 1 | 10 | OKST 36 | C | 18 | SIR | 10 | 8 | Quick slant right side |
4 | 3 | 14:42 | 20-10 | 2 | 2 | OKST 33 | C | 17 | SWR | 12 | 5 | Out route from far hash |
4 | 4 | 11:59 | 37-17 | 1 | 10 | OKST 21 | C | 14 | SIR | 11 | 3 | Comeback to right |
4 | 4 | 11:36 | 37-17 | 3 | 10 | OKST 35 | C | 13 | SM | 13 | 0 | Square in MOF |
4 | 4 | 2:27 | 44-31 | 2 | 10 | OKST 23 | I | 0 | DWR | 22 | 0 | Right sideline throw behind WR |
5 | 1 | 11:58 | 0-0 | 1 | 10 | TTU 24 | C | 9 | SWR | 8 | 1 | Quick out route right |
5 | 1 | 11:22 | 0-0 | 1 | 10 | TTU 14 | C | 14 | SIR | 14 | 0 | Quick slant to right for TD |
5 | 1 | 9:12 | 7-0 | 1 | 10 | TTU 33 | C | 9 | SWR | 8 | 1 | Quick out route right |
5 | 1 | 7:17 | 7-7 | 2 | 8 | OKST 36 | C | 11 | SWR | 12 | -1 | Quick out route right |
5 | 1 | 6:04 | 7-7 | 3 | 6 | TTU 49 | C | 9 | SIR | 7 | 2 | Quick slant just past sticks |
5 | 1 | 5:25 | 7-7 | 1 | 10 | TTU 19 | I | 0 | SWR | 7 | 0 | Flushed out INC right sideline |
5 | 1 | 5:16 | 7-7 | 2 | 10 | TTU 19 | C | 10 | SM | 4 | 6 | Quick slant from left |
5 | 2 | 12:36 | 14-7 | 2 | 8 | 50 | C | 30 | DM | 19 | 11 | Steps up strike to post MOF |
5 | 3 | 15:00 | 21-17 | 1 | 10 | OKST 25 | I | 0 | DWR | 45 | 0 | Deep pass right side dropped |
5 | 3 | 11:12 | 28-17 | 1 | G | TTU 9 | I | 0 | SM | 11 | 0 | Quick slant behind WR in EZ |
5 | 4 | 9:01 | 34-34 | 3 | 7 | OKST 44 | C | 20 | DM | 20 | 0 | Post om money in traffic |
5 | 4 | 1:58 | 34-34 | 1 | 10 | TTU 48 | C | 15 | SIR | 9 | 6 | Farside comeback right |
6 | 1 | 7:59 | 7-0 | 1 | 10 | BAY 48 | I | 0 | SIR | 10 | 0 | High comeback right dropped |
6 | 1 | 4:48 | 7-0 | 1 | 10 | OKST 48 | I | 0 | DM | 16 | 0 | Off target MOF interceptable |
6 | 1 | 0:12 | 7-7 | 1 | 10 | OKST 35 | C | 45 | DWR | 45 | 0 | Deep to open WR right sideline |
6 | 2 | 15:00 | 7-7 | 1 | 10 | BAY 20 | I | 0 | SIR | 0 | 0 | Low WR screen right tight coverage |
6 | 2 | 2:16 | 28-10 | 1 | 10 | BAY 44 | C | 43 | DM | 36 | 7 | Deep post MOF |
6 | 2 | 1:27 | 28-10 | 1 | 10 | OKST 31 | I | 0 | DM | 42 | 0 | Deep post pressure in face MOF incomplete |
6 | 3 | 14:52 | 35-10 | 1 | 10 | OKST 20 | C | 54 | DIR | 46 | 8 | Under-thrown deep right seam |
6 | 3 | 11:47 | 35-13 | 1 | 10 | OKST 25 | C | 12 | SWR | 12 | 0 | Out route right far hash |
6 | 3 | 10:30 | 35-13 | 1 | 10 | BAY 40 | C | 13 | SIR | 12 | 1 | Quick slant from right |
6 | 3 | 10:19 | 35-13 | 1 | 10 | BAY 27 | I | 0 | DWR | 28 | 0 | Deep right side in EZ interceptable |
6 | 3 | 6:36 | 38-16 | 2 | 3 | OKST 32 | C | 68 | SIR | 13 | 55 | Quick slant from right TD |
7 | 1 | 14:59 | 0-0 | 1 | 10 | OKST 25 | C | 9 | SWR | 12 | -3 | Out route right |
7 | 1 | 13:50 | 0-0 | 3 | 9 | OKST 39 | I | 0 | SIR | 9 | 0 | High throw at sticks |
7 | 1 | 7:43 | 0-0 | 1 | 10 | OKST 4 | C | 9 | SWR | 10 | -1 | Curl route right |
7 | 1 | 7:25 | 0-0 | 2 | 1 | OKST 13 | C | 14 | SIR | 9 | 5 | Quick slant |
7 | 4 | 6:46 | 10-10 | 1 | 10 | OKST 14 | C | 0 | SM | -4 | 4 | Flip forward end-around |
7 | 4 | 1:14 | 10-10 | 1 | 10 | OKST 8 | I | 0 | DWR | 29 | 0 | Deep right sideline interceptable |
8 | 1 | 8:59 | 0-0 | 4 | 1 | WVU 31 | C | 13 | SM | 6 | 7 | Quick slant left side |
8 | 1 | 7:26 | 0-0 | 3 | 5 | WVU 13 | C | 13 | SIL | 0 | 13 | WR screen left for TD |
8 | 1 | 4:11 | 7-0 | 1 | 10 | WVU 36 | I | 0 | DM | 32 | 0 | Deep MOF post overthrown interceptable |
8 | 2 | 13:24 | 13-3 | 1 | 10 | OKST 25 | C | 14 | SIR | 11 | 3 | Quick slant to right |
8 | 2 | 5:13 | 16-3 | 3 | 9 | OKST 40 | I | 0 | SM | 14 | 0 | In-breaking route PBU |
8 | 3 | 13:46 | 23-10 | 1 | 10 | OKST 39 | C | 14 | SWR | 12 | 2 | Out route right |
8 | 3 | 8:17 | 30-10 | 2 | 8 | WVU 42 | C | 9 | SIR | 8 | 1 | Comeback right side |
8 | 3 | 6:11 | 30-10 | 3 | 9 | WVU 32 | I | 0 | DM | 16 | 0 | Behind WR MOF tipped second level |
8 | 3 | 2:39 | 30-24 | 3 | 2 | OKST 48 | I | 0 | SIL | 1 | 0 | Quick WR screen left off target |
8 | 4 | 13:06 | 30-24 | 1 | 10 | WVU 24 | C | 9 | SIR | 8 | 1 | Underneath settle |
8 | 4 | 12:28 | 30-24 | 2 | 1 | WVU 15 | I | 0 | DWR | 18 | 0 | Right fade to EZ in hands PBU |
8 | 4 | 8:27 | 37-24 | 2 | 12 | WVU 19 | C | 19 | DWR | 20 | 0 | Right fade TD |
8 | 2:44 | 30-24 | 2 | 2 | OKST 48 | I | 0 | SIR | 8 | 0 | High in-breaking route | |
9 | 1 | 10:31 | 0-3 | 3 | 6 | OKST 40 | I | 0 | SIR | 10 | 0 | Comeback right side high throw |
9 | 1 | 8:24 | 3-Jul | 1 | 10 | OKLA 15 | I | 0 | SM | 6 | 0 | Forced to underneath sitdown |
9 | 2 | 14:45 | 21-10 | 2 | 2 | OKST 33 | C | 51 | DWR | 44 | 7 | Deep go right side |
9 | 2 | 14:33 | 21-10 | 1 | 10 | OKLA 16 | C | 10 | SWR | -1 | 11 | WR screen left side |
9 | 2 | 8:12 | 35-24 | 1 | 10 | OKST 25 | I | 0 | DWR | 40 | 0 | Deep right sideline |
9 | 2 | 7:54 | 35-24 | 1 | 10 | OKST 40 | C | 11 | SIL | 11 | 0 | Curl left side |
9 | 2 | 7:22 | 35-24 | 1 | 10 | OKLA 35 | C | 35 | DM | 40 | 0 | Deep post TD MOF |
9 | 2 | 1:03 | 38-31 | 1 | 10 | OKLA 48 | C | 14 | SIL | 10 | 4 | Curl route left |
9 | 3 | 14:21 | 38-38 | 2 | 7 | OKST 38 | C | 6 | SWR | 5 | 1 | Quick out right side |
9 | 3 | 7:36 | 38-38 | 1 | 10 | OKST 3 | I | 0 | DWR | 47 | 0 | Deep go right side |
9 | 3 | 4:19 | 41-38 | 1 | 10 | OKST 38 | C | 1 | SIR | 0 | 1 | Check down WR right side |
9 | 3 | 3:51 | 41-38 | 2 | 9 | OKST 39 | I | 0 | DIR | 37 | 0 | Deep post from left off fingertips PBU |
10 | 4 | 10:35 | 35-31 | 2 | 15 | ISU 30 | I | 0 | DWR | 34 | 0 | Miscommunication with WR |
10 | 4 | 8:38 | 42-34 | 1 | 10 | OKST 25 | C | 22 | DWR | 22 | 0 | Deep back shoulder right side |
11 | 1 | 9:17 | 7-0 | 1 | 10 | OKST 17 | C | 16 | SM | 15 | 1 | Slant MOF |
11 | 1 | 8:30 | 7-0 | 3 | 6 | OKST 37 | I | 0 | DIR | 44 | 0 | Too far deep right |
11 | 1 | 5:51 | 7-0 | 1 | 10 | KSU 38 | C | 38 | DM | 38 | 0 | Deep post TD |
11 | 2 | 14:33 | 10-7 | 3 | 9 | OKST 29 | I | 0 | SM | 15 | 0 | High throw dig route MOF off hands |
11 | 2 | 12:47 | 14-10 | 2 | 6 | OKST 43 | C | 14 | SWR | 11 | 3 | Out route right side |
11 | 2 | 8:13 | 21-13 | 1 | 10 | OKST 37 | IN | 0 | DM | 43 | 0 | Deep post MOF overthrown for INT |
11 | 2 | 4:11 | 21-13 | 2 | 20 | KSU 41 | IN | 0 | DIR | 22 | 0 | Overthrow right for INT |
11 | 3 | 13:14 | 28-13 | 3 | 10 | KSU 49 | I | 0 | SIR | 13 | 0 | Off target miscommunication right side |
11 | 3 | 7:43 | 35-13 | 2 | 10 | OKST 25 | I | 0 | SIR | 9 | 0 | Curl route right side hit DB in back |
11 | 3 | 7:39 | 35-13 | 3 | 10 | OKST 25 | I | 0 | SM | 13 | 0 | MOF throw off target |
11 | 3 | 4:49 | 42-13 | 2 | 4 | OKST 42 | C | 52 | DWR | 47 | 5 | Deep sideline right side |
11 | 4 | 12:24 | 45-20 | 1 | 10 | OKST 37 | I | 0 | DWR | 18 | 0 | Flushed right floater OOB |
11 | 4 | 11:31 | 45-20 | 1 | 10 | KSU 48 | C | 11 | SWR | 11 | 0 | Out route right side |
11 | 4 | 9:01 | 45-20 | 2 | 7 | KSU 8 | C | 8 | SM | 12 | 0 | Slant route MOF EZ TD |
11 | 4 | 6:32 | 45-27 | 1 | 10 | OKST 17 | C | 8 | SWR | 10 | -2 | Out route to right side |
11 | 4 | 4:32 | 45-34 | 1 | 10 | KSU 26 | C | 12 | SWR | 10 | 2 | Out route to right side |
11 | 4 | 2:16 | 45-40 | 1 | 10 | OKST 46 | I | 0 | SWR | 11 | 0 | Out route right side dropped |
11 | 2:12 | 45-40 | 2 | 10 | OKST 46 | I | 0 | SWR | 11 | 0 | Out route right side too high | |
12 | 1 | 10:14 | 0-7 | 2 | 10 | OKST 32 | C | 6 | SWR | 6 | 0 | Out route right side |
12 | 1 | 7:32 | 0-7 | 1 | 10 | KU 32 | C | 4 | SWR | 0 | 4 | WR screen right |
12 | 1 | 0:26 | 10-3 | 1 | 10 | KU 35 | C | 12 | SWR | 11 | 1 | Comeback right sideline |
12 | 2 | 15:00 | 10-3 | 1 | 10 | KU 23 | I | 0 | DWR | 27 | 0 | Deep EZ right sideline PBU |
12 | 2 | 8:19 | 24-3 | 1 | 10 | OKST 33 | C | 3 | SIR | 2 | 1 | Far right side pivot route |
12 | 2 | 7:01 | 24-3 | 3 | 7 | OKST 36 | C | 17 | DM | 16 | 1 | Square in right MOF |
12 | 3 | 14:06 | 10-34 | 1 | 10 | KU 30 | C | 30 | DWR | 34 | 0 | Deep TD right sideline |
12 | 3 | 12:27 | 10-41 | 1 | 10 | OKST 41 | I | 0 | DWR | 44 | 0 | Too deep right sideline |
12 | 3 | 5:08 | 17-41 | 2 | 9 | OKST 26 | C | 11 | SWR | 11 | 0 | Out route right side |
12 | 3 | 2:57 | 17-41 | 1 | 15 | KU 38 | C | 23 | DWR | 23 | 0 | Flushed right to WR on sideline |
12 | 4 | 15:00 | 17-48 | 2 | 5 | OKST 13 | I | 0 | DWR | 48 | 0 | Deep right sideline too far |
12 | 4 | 14:14 | 17-48 | 1 | 20 | OKST 11 | I | 0 | SM | 12 | 0 | Quick screen right bounced |
13 | 1 | 14:38 | 0-0 | 1 | 10 | VT 38 | I | 0 | DM | 36 | 0 | Deep post MOF inaccurate |
13 | 2 | 5:10 | 6-7 | 1 | 10 | OKST 25 | C | 0 | SM | -4 | 4 | Flip forward on end-around |
13 | 2 | 4:03 | 6-7 | 3 | 8 | OKST 27 | I | 0 | DIR | 21 | 0 | Off target miscommunication deep right |
13 | 3 | 13:14 | 13-7 | 2 | 9 | OKST 22 | I | 0 | DIL | 49 | 0 | Flushed left threw up deep left side |
13 | 3 | 11:39 | 13-7 | 2 | 8 | VT 30 | C | 13 | SWR | 7 | 6 | Speed out to right |
13 | 3 | 6:24 | 14-20 | 1 | 10 | OKST 24 | I | 0 | SWR | 11 | 0 | Out route right side too low |
13 | 3 | 6:20 | 14-20 | 2 | 10 | OKST 24 | C | 13 | SIR | 10 | 3 | Curl right side |
13 | 3 | 5:47 | 14-20 | 2 | 12 | OKST 35 | C | 65 | DIL | 38 | 27 | Deep post TD left MOF |
13 | 4 | 14:45 | 14-27 | 1 | 10 | OKST 27 | C | 35 | DM | 31 | 4 | Deep post MOF hit while throw |
13 | 4 | 8:43 | 14-27 | 2 | 6 | VT 42 | I | 0 | DM | 42 | 0 | Deep post MOF too far |
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