Jermaine Kearse is the New Sidney Rice

Nov 10, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (15) catches a touchdown with coverage by Atlanta Falcons safety Thomas DeCoud (28) in the first half at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

When Sidney Rice went down to a season ending injury it looked to be a bit of a blow to this passing offense. Although Rice wasn’t having the same kind of year he had in 2012, he did have three touchdowns, a couple of the longer variety. While he had likely slipped to the third option in this passing attack behind Golden Tate and Doug Baldwin, he was still an important vertical threat in this offense. Rice never lived up to his contract value, but there was no doubt that he was a useful player to have around.

It’s safe to say that when the Seahawks receivers put on a clinic in Atlanta on Sunday there weren’t many people concerned about the loss of Sidney Rice. While all of the wide receivers have stepped up their game in his absence the real breakout has come from local hero Jermaine Kearse. Jermaine Kearse is currently tied for the Seahawks lead in receiving touchdowns with four. It appears that he has stepped right into Rice’s shoes as a downfield option. His ability to go up and get the ball has made him an excellent fit for the part. Now that they have both played a similar number of snaps on the season (340 for Rice and 290 for Kearse according to PFF) it seems fair to see how they compare in 2013. First we look at the basic numbers:

Yards

Yards per Reception

Touchdowns

Jermaine Kearse

13

246

18.9

4

Sidney Rice

15

231

15.4

3

Kearse’s edge is apparent here but it becomes more apparent when we dig deeper into some of the other numbers:

Targets

Catch%

YAC

YAC average

Jermaine Kearse

13

19

68.4

33

2.5

Sidney Rice

15

35

48.9

20

1.3

Catch% is not the best way to judge a receiver as the quarterback’s accuracy plays a major role. However, Kearse is going up and getting the ball, he’s doing it more consistently than Rice was and with better results. He’s also making a little bit more happen after the catch although neither player is exactly a Golden Tate type in that regard. This comparison might be slightly unfair in that Rice was playing through injury, but the comparison isn’t one between Kearse and Rice at his peak, it’s a comparison between Kearse and what Rice was able to produce in 2013.

It will be very interesting to see how the return of Percy Harvin affects this receiving core but for now it appears that Jermaine Kearse is carving out a role for himself. Kearse is doing his best Sidney Rice impression, which turns out to be better than what Rice had to offer this year.