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Athletic tight ends are creating myriad problems for defenses.(NFL)
I always knew I'd miss Jay Novacek when he retired. Because of a degenerative back condition, he never played again after we won Super Bowl 30, and the Dallas offense never was the same.
Novacek was an athletic tight end--a wide receiver in a tight end's body. Blocking was about all that was required of most tight ends at the time, but Jay's ability as a front-line receiver made our offense tremendously versatile and explosive. When he left, our offense went into decline.
I don't think it's a coincidence that offensive production in the NFL is on the rise at the same time there is an abundance of tight ends such as Novacek. Tony Gonzalez has been doing it for years, but look at San Diego's Antonio Gates, Atlanta's Alge Crumpler, Miami's Randy McMichael and San Francisco's Eric Johnson. Each is leading his team in both receptions and receiving yards, which means they're not only catching lots of balls but getting downfield, too.
The Giants' Jeremy Shockey, Minnesota's Jermaine Wiggins, the Cowboys' Jason Witten and the Colts' Marcus Pollard and Dallas Clark also are huge contributors to their teams' passing games.
An athletic tight end creates more problems for a defense than any other player on the field. Let him run interior routes, and ...
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...Rick Gosselin HAVING A BALL: TIGHT ENDS SNAP UP RULE-CHANGE WINDFALL...draft could be a banner one for tight ends with three potential first rounders...on illegal defensive contact, tight ends have emerged as the greatest beneficiaries...
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...12 catches. Total receptions (four tight ends): 22. Total touchdowns: 2. Total...which is more than can be said about the tight ends the Patriots trotted onto the field each...pass thrown at me." Which is why the tight ends attending this week's passing camp...
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...be even better. NFL teams drafted 12 tight ends last year and all of them made rosters...Jacksonville in the preseason. Three tight ends started, all on playoff teams: Mark...David Sloan (Lions). Eleven of the tight ends caught passes, six scored touchdowns...
