KingPriest2
11-24-2004, 11:59 AM
Tight ends becoming quite a catch
By Adam Schefter
Special to NFL.com
Adam Schefter's commentaries can be seen on Tuesday night's NFL Total Access show on NFL Network. Schefter's around-the-league information reports air Mondays and Fridays.
(Nov. 23, 2004) -- Quarterbacks get the cheerleaders, running backs get the football, but tight ends get this season's glory.
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No other position has made a louder statement, or a more dramatic improvement, than the tight ends that only recently went as unnoticed as offensive linemen.
These days, tight ends are leapfrogging wide receivers amongst the league's leading pass catchers. San Diego's tight end Antonio Gates, who has played like the next coming of Kellen Winslow, is tied for the AFC lead in receptions.
San Francisco's Eric Johnson and Dallas' Jason Witten, who have played like the next coming of Brent Jones and Jay Novacek, are tied for second and fifth in the NFC in the receptions.
And all around the league, tight ends are making more plays than they've made in years.
Part of the reason is football has scored big over basketball. Gates, Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez and Indianapolis' Marcus Pollard were all basketball stars in college, before giving up their jump shot for their NFL shot.
The other reason that this has become the season of the tight end is that with teams playing more "Cover 2" defenses to guard wide receivers, tight ends are less guarded.
The results are as loud as Shannon Sharpe. Just this past Sunday, tight ends scored 14 touchdowns. One player alone, Buffalo's Mark Campbell, caught three of them -- matching as many as he had caught in any of his first six NFL seasons.
Suddenly tight end, with Jeremy Shockey and Alge Crumpler, is a glamour position, something it has not been for a while. No tight end has led the league in receptions since the Raiders' Todd Christensen in 1986.
Those were some glory days for tight ends. These days are starting to compare.
By Adam Schefter
Special to NFL.com
Adam Schefter's commentaries can be seen on Tuesday night's NFL Total Access show on NFL Network. Schefter's around-the-league information reports air Mondays and Fridays.
(Nov. 23, 2004) -- Quarterbacks get the cheerleaders, running backs get the football, but tight ends get this season's glory.
NFL Network
NFL Network
Analysis, opinions, features and more!
Field Pass
Listen LIVE to NFL games, plus watch video news and features of your favorite team.
No other position has made a louder statement, or a more dramatic improvement, than the tight ends that only recently went as unnoticed as offensive linemen.
These days, tight ends are leapfrogging wide receivers amongst the league's leading pass catchers. San Diego's tight end Antonio Gates, who has played like the next coming of Kellen Winslow, is tied for the AFC lead in receptions.
San Francisco's Eric Johnson and Dallas' Jason Witten, who have played like the next coming of Brent Jones and Jay Novacek, are tied for second and fifth in the NFC in the receptions.
And all around the league, tight ends are making more plays than they've made in years.
Part of the reason is football has scored big over basketball. Gates, Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez and Indianapolis' Marcus Pollard were all basketball stars in college, before giving up their jump shot for their NFL shot.
The other reason that this has become the season of the tight end is that with teams playing more "Cover 2" defenses to guard wide receivers, tight ends are less guarded.
The results are as loud as Shannon Sharpe. Just this past Sunday, tight ends scored 14 touchdowns. One player alone, Buffalo's Mark Campbell, caught three of them -- matching as many as he had caught in any of his first six NFL seasons.
Suddenly tight end, with Jeremy Shockey and Alge Crumpler, is a glamour position, something it has not been for a while. No tight end has led the league in receptions since the Raiders' Todd Christensen in 1986.
Those were some glory days for tight ends. These days are starting to compare.