NEW ORLEANS - If you're making Cris Carter's case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, your three talking points are touchdowns, touchdowns and more touchdowns.
The former Vikings receiver scored 130 of them during a 16-year career that included 12 seasons (1990 to 2001) in Minnesota. That's more TDs than all but one of the 21 modern-era receivers in the Hall of Fame. Even when adjusted to account for longer seasons, Carter's touchdown average per game (.556) is better than 18 of those 21 Hall of Famers.
In some cases, it's not even close. Hall of Famer Charlie Joiner played five more games than Carter (239-234) and had half as many touchdowns (130-65). Hall of Famer James Lofton played one fewer game than Carter but caught 55 fewer touchdowns.
Red-zone touchdowns?
Carter had 72. That's the most ever by a receiver and second overall behind only tight end Tony Gonzalez (78).
Postseason touchdowns?
Carter had eight of them in 14 games. Only four of the 21 Hall of Famers had more. Hall of Famer Bob Hayes had two in 14 games. Lofton had one in 13 games. Joiner and Hall of Famer Steve Largent had five and four, respectively, and, like Carter, never played in a Super Bowl.
Of the 21 modern-era receivers in the Hall of Fame, four played the majority of their careers in the 1950s, five played most of their careers in the 1960s, six in the 1970s and four in the 1980s. Yet only two of them -- Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin -- played the bulk of their careers in the 1990s.