LA Rams WR Cooper Kupp within reach of rare NFL WR Triple Crown

More records shattered?

Look for Cooper Kupp to deliver in Week 18. He won’t be sitting. But like we’ve pointed out, his performance so far this season is already caveated by missing a full half of football, against teams that were not exactly having much success in stopping him.

So what is left for Kupp in Week 18?  In terms of the Rams All-Time Single-Season franchise receiving records, the only record not claimed by Kupp is receiving touchdowns. That mark is currently held by Elroy Hirsch, and his 17 receiving touchdowns record was set in 1951.  Kupp, who currently has 15 touchdowns, would need at least two touchdowns to tie the record, and three touchdowns to set a new franchise record.

Right now, the picture is a bit more complex for the NFL All-Time Single-Season receiving records.  Ready for some deeper discussions?  Okay, here we go.

Receptions

Right now, Cooper Kupp is the third-ranked NFL receiver of All-Time Single-Season reception with 138. He will need six catches to climb to second place, besting the 2002 record of 143 receptions set by Indianapolis Colts great WR Marvin Harrison. To top all NFL receivers, he will need 12 catches. That will put him past the record-setting performance of New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas, who caught 149 passes in 2019.

• Michael Thomas 149   2019     New Orleans Saints
• Marvin Harrison  143   2002     Indianapolis Colts
• Cooper Kupp        138   2021      LA Rams

I wouldn’t expect 12 or more receptions. But I could see six or more receptions in Week 18.  Kupp has only bested 12 or more receptions once this season.  He did so in a vital game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Receiving yards

Entering Week 18, Cooper Kupp is the fifth-ranked NFL receiver of All-Time Single Season receiving yards with 1,829 yards. Right now, he is 125 yards from tying the NFL record-setting 1,954 yards of Detroit Lions great WR Calvin Johnson set in in 2012. Curiously, his quarterback at setting that record was Matthew Stafford, the same quarterback throwing to Cooper Kupp this year.

• Calvin Johnson   1,954   2012   Detroit Lions
• Julio Jones           1,871   2015   Atlanta Falcons
• Jerry Rice             1,848   1995   San Francisco 49ers
• Antonio Brown  1,834   2015   Pittsburgh Steelers
• Cooper Kupp       1,829   2021   LA Rams

Right now, Kupp is just 43 yards from taking over second place. I would be very surprised if he does not do so. However, the real test will be in getting enough yards in this one to claim the record of 1,954 yards.

Receiving touchdowns

Cooper Kupp has 15 receiving touchdowns, good enough to tie him for 22nd place on the NFL’s All-Time Single Season receiving  TDs list. The current record of 23 receiving touchdowns appears safe, as it is 23 receiving touchdowns held by Randy Moss set in 2007 with the New England Patriots.

While I’m not about to list 22 players, you can find the list at this link.  For each touchdown scored by Kupp in Week 18, he will climb up the ranking rapidly.  If he scores one touchdown, he will climb to 15th-place in the All-Time receiving TD list. If he scores twice, he will jump up to sixth-place.

Cooper Kupp has never scored more than two TDs in any game this season. But if he should manage to find the endzone a third time, he would reach a tie for third place in the NFL record books.