Interceptions by Targeted Receiver

One thing I've learned to appreciate is how much interceptions can be the fault of the intended receiver. Whether it's a bad route, a misplayed tip, or a failure to fight the defender for the ball, receivers can often be as much if not more at fault than the passer.

We're always happy to list interceptions by quarterback or by defender, but rarely do we see interception stats by receiver. So I put one together. These are not interceptions I have qualitatively determined to be the receivers fault, but simply all interceptions when the receiver was listed as the intended target.

Player	Team	Ints
82-K.Winslow	TB	7
89-S.Smith	CAR	6
83-V.Jackson	SD	6
17-D.Moore	OAK	6
13-St.Johnson	BUF	5
84-R.White	ATL	5
83-F.Davis	WAS	5
87-R.Wayne	IND	5
87-B.Celek	PHI	4
86-D.Nelson	BUF	4
12-A.Roberts	ARI	4
82-M.Manningham	NYG	4
87-A.Caldwell	CIN	4
80-M.Thomas	JAX	4
87-E.Decker	DEN	4
10-D.Jackson	PHI	4
17-A.Benn	TB	4
88-T.Gonzalez	ATL	4
88-E.Sanders	PIT	3
80-J.Graham	NO	3
85-A.Gates	SD	3
82-D.Bowe	KC	3
11-L.Fitzgerald	ARI	3
17-A.Collie	IND	3
11-S.Smith	PHI	3
10-J.Gaffney	WAS	3
19-D.Jones	BUF	3
17-L.Naanee	CAR	3
12-J.Ford	OAK	3
18-A.Green	CIN	3
87-R.Gronkowski	NE	3
84-B.Lloyd	DEN	3
88-D.Bryant	DAL	3
84-E.Dickson	BAL	3
19-B.Marshall	MIA	3
81-C.Johnson	DET	3
82-B.Hartline	MIA	3

Obviously, the QB, the lines, and the secondary all play roles. Interceptions could be considered the culmination of the efforts and errors of all 22 players on the field. Situations and luck play their part as well. And this list does not necessarily mean the guys at the top aren't doing their job. It could mean just the opposite. Maybe they're drawing more than their share of double coverage, or they are their QB's security blanket--the guy his QB instinctively looks for when in a panic. Still, it's a different way to look at one of the most important plays in the game.