BigRedChief
11-03-2004, 09:49 PM
Meet Your Mismatch
By IRA KAUFMAN ikaufman@tampatrib.com
Published: Nov 3, 2004
TAMPA - Which NFL position has changed the most during the past decade?
It's a slam-dunk.
When Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez enters Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Bucs fans can view the modern prototype for tight ends, an athletic big man who can get downfield in a hurry.
Then Tampa Bay travels to Atlanta, where Alge Crumpler awaits. The following week, San Francisco's Eric Johnson comes to town.
You get the imposing picture.
``Football's a game of mismatches, and the most likely position to find a mismatch these days is at tight end,'' Bears Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka said. ``You get these guys going up against safeties, who are usually not coverage guys, or linebackers, who usually aren't coverage guys, and the defense is in big trouble.''
Gonzalez, 28, sparked a new breed when he entered the league in 1997 as a first-round pick out of Cal.
The former college basketball standout is simply too big (6-foot-4, 248) for defensive backs and too quick for linebackers.
``Gonzalez is the best I've ever seen,'' Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. ``He's special ... extra, extra special.''
But he's not alone.
Another former basketball star, San Diego's Antonio Gates, leads all tight ends with 49 catches.
Miami's Randy McMichael and Gonzalez also rank in the top 11 AFC reception leaders. In the NFC, Johnson, Jason Witten of Dallas and Crumpler are among the top 12 in catches.
``You're seeing better athletes at the tight end position, and they're being used differently,'' said Tampa Bay's Ken Dilger, who entered the league in 1995. ``You see them out in the slot or flanked out wide by themselves. There are 64 tight ends, and maybe only 10 or 15 who can run a 4.7. Everyone wants one.''
Gruden is no exception.
The Bucs haven't had a consistent downfield threat at the position since the days of Calvin Magee and Jimmie Giles.
As Dilger winds down a distinguished career, athletic tight ends are impacting games every Sunday.
Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who played quarterback at Indiana as well as hoops for Bobby Knight, appreciates Gates' transition from Air Jordans to football cleats.
``He may be a little bit unique in that even though he was a basketball player, the Lord has blessed him with a football player's body,`` Cameron said.
Game-breakers like Ditka and Baltimore's John Mackey were rarities in the 1960s, when most tight ends were asked to block and catch an occasional third-and-5 pass.
The Browns chose Kellen Winslow with the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft, hoping he would approach the level of his Hall of Fame father.
A broken fibula has wrecked Winslow's rookie season, but he is expected to join youngsters like Witten, Jeremy Shockey of the Giants and Baltimore's Todd Heap as successors to Gonzalez, who remains in his prime.
``I love the game,'' said Gonzalez, who passed the 500 plateau in career receptions Sunday with a big game against the Colts. ``I love the competition, and I love being part of this team. I want to be a complete football player. You know, I think I love football more now than I ever have.''
That's a scary thought for a Buccaneer defense that will undoubtedly double-team Gonzalez most of the afternoon.
When the Chiefs visited Denver in the season opener, the Broncos * (* Violated the salary cap during their championship seasons) swarmed to Gonzalez and dared Kansas City's mediocre group of wide receivers to burn them downfield.
They couldn't.
``I learned how to block at an early age,'' Dilger said, ``and blocking sustained me for seven seasons at Indianapolis. Coach Gruden wants a guy who can run a 4.6 and stretch the field.''
Witten has caught 17 passes in the past two games, prompting Cowboys quarterback Vinny Testaverde to predict, ``Jason's going to be one of the very best.''
Crumpler was a three-time state champion in the discus, and Gates averaged 20.6 points at Kent State.
No wonder Gates and Gonzalez celebrate touchdown catches by leaping up and dropping the ball over the crossbar.
``At the tight end position, you can line up guys like Gonzalez anywhere,'' said Gruden, somewhat wistfully. ``You have the flexibility to use him in conventional or unconventional ways. Somebody's got to be assigned to cover him. Who's that poor soul going to be?''
Kansas City's offensive line is so sound that Gonzalez is usually free to roam without thinking twice about laying his body on a blitzer.
He is especially effective over the middle, opening up the flanks and making defenses pay for focusing on Priest Holmes, the league's No. 1 rusher.
``I like to block,'' Gonzalez said, ``but I still know why they pay me.''
By IRA KAUFMAN ikaufman@tampatrib.com
Published: Nov 3, 2004
TAMPA - Which NFL position has changed the most during the past decade?
It's a slam-dunk.
When Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez enters Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Bucs fans can view the modern prototype for tight ends, an athletic big man who can get downfield in a hurry.
Then Tampa Bay travels to Atlanta, where Alge Crumpler awaits. The following week, San Francisco's Eric Johnson comes to town.
You get the imposing picture.
``Football's a game of mismatches, and the most likely position to find a mismatch these days is at tight end,'' Bears Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka said. ``You get these guys going up against safeties, who are usually not coverage guys, or linebackers, who usually aren't coverage guys, and the defense is in big trouble.''
Gonzalez, 28, sparked a new breed when he entered the league in 1997 as a first-round pick out of Cal.
The former college basketball standout is simply too big (6-foot-4, 248) for defensive backs and too quick for linebackers.
``Gonzalez is the best I've ever seen,'' Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. ``He's special ... extra, extra special.''
But he's not alone.
Another former basketball star, San Diego's Antonio Gates, leads all tight ends with 49 catches.
Miami's Randy McMichael and Gonzalez also rank in the top 11 AFC reception leaders. In the NFC, Johnson, Jason Witten of Dallas and Crumpler are among the top 12 in catches.
``You're seeing better athletes at the tight end position, and they're being used differently,'' said Tampa Bay's Ken Dilger, who entered the league in 1995. ``You see them out in the slot or flanked out wide by themselves. There are 64 tight ends, and maybe only 10 or 15 who can run a 4.7. Everyone wants one.''
Gruden is no exception.
The Bucs haven't had a consistent downfield threat at the position since the days of Calvin Magee and Jimmie Giles.
As Dilger winds down a distinguished career, athletic tight ends are impacting games every Sunday.
Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, who played quarterback at Indiana as well as hoops for Bobby Knight, appreciates Gates' transition from Air Jordans to football cleats.
``He may be a little bit unique in that even though he was a basketball player, the Lord has blessed him with a football player's body,`` Cameron said.
Game-breakers like Ditka and Baltimore's John Mackey were rarities in the 1960s, when most tight ends were asked to block and catch an occasional third-and-5 pass.
The Browns chose Kellen Winslow with the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft, hoping he would approach the level of his Hall of Fame father.
A broken fibula has wrecked Winslow's rookie season, but he is expected to join youngsters like Witten, Jeremy Shockey of the Giants and Baltimore's Todd Heap as successors to Gonzalez, who remains in his prime.
``I love the game,'' said Gonzalez, who passed the 500 plateau in career receptions Sunday with a big game against the Colts. ``I love the competition, and I love being part of this team. I want to be a complete football player. You know, I think I love football more now than I ever have.''
That's a scary thought for a Buccaneer defense that will undoubtedly double-team Gonzalez most of the afternoon.
When the Chiefs visited Denver in the season opener, the Broncos * (* Violated the salary cap during their championship seasons) swarmed to Gonzalez and dared Kansas City's mediocre group of wide receivers to burn them downfield.
They couldn't.
``I learned how to block at an early age,'' Dilger said, ``and blocking sustained me for seven seasons at Indianapolis. Coach Gruden wants a guy who can run a 4.6 and stretch the field.''
Witten has caught 17 passes in the past two games, prompting Cowboys quarterback Vinny Testaverde to predict, ``Jason's going to be one of the very best.''
Crumpler was a three-time state champion in the discus, and Gates averaged 20.6 points at Kent State.
No wonder Gates and Gonzalez celebrate touchdown catches by leaping up and dropping the ball over the crossbar.
``At the tight end position, you can line up guys like Gonzalez anywhere,'' said Gruden, somewhat wistfully. ``You have the flexibility to use him in conventional or unconventional ways. Somebody's got to be assigned to cover him. Who's that poor soul going to be?''
Kansas City's offensive line is so sound that Gonzalez is usually free to roam without thinking twice about laying his body on a blitzer.
He is especially effective over the middle, opening up the flanks and making defenses pay for focusing on Priest Holmes, the league's No. 1 rusher.
``I like to block,'' Gonzalez said, ``but I still know why they pay me.''