Cincinatti Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase was asked about who was his top receiver duo from his youth. Chase's answer showed his New Orleans roots. He selected former New Orleans Saints wide receivers Marques Colston and Lance Moore.
The reporter offered the legendary duo of Chris Carter and Randy Moss, but Chase turned that option down in favor of Colston and Moore. He cited that duo was before his time saying, "for me, it was only like 2008 to 2012 where I started to watch football."
Chase was only eight years old in 2008 and growing up in New Orleans. During that time, the Saints were in their golden era and Colston and Moore were two of their best offensive players.
Chase
If you were going to pick a Saints duo, Colston was an obvious choice, especially if you're picking from Chase's younger years. It becomes a little more difficult to pick a running mate, however. You had players like Moore, but also, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem were key contributors.
Chase went with Colston and Moore, and explained he liked the complimentary nature of the duo. "Those two guys together. One was a speedster, and one was a big, tough guy." It's rare to hear either of those guys be praised on a national stage. Fast forward to the present day, Chase is the big, tough guy as well as the speedster.
Clearly, Chase was a fan of Moore and Colston, but he was also a fan of the Saints. The All-Pro receiver got into football around the time the Saints won their first Super Bowl, so it makes sense. That time and those players left a lasting impact on Chase.
Marques Colston and Lance Moore are the first Saints WR duo to both hit 1000 yards
Chase looked at it from a trait standpoint, but let's dive into the statistical side of that conversation as well. Chase specified 2008-2012. What is there to be said about Marques Colston? He was a man of few words, so we'll honor him. Colston is the most decorated wide receiver in Saints history. His stretch from 2008 to 2012 featured four 1000 yards seasons, and two of his top three receiving seasons.
Moore started and ended that time with a bang. In 2008, Moore led the team in receiving yards. In 2012, he had his only season crossing the century mark in receiving yards.
That 2012 season was the first in Saints history that two wide receivers recorded more than 1000 yards in the same season. The next, and only other, time it happened was Michael Thomas and Brandin Cooks in 2016.