Compared to most anyone, Witten looks remarkable
Posted by: Anthony Bialy
Good tight ends of course catch many passes, but only the finest catch many more than their next-closest teammate. In this regard, Jason Witten is one of the most valuable receivers in the game, not merely just at his specific position. Specifically, he led the Cowboys in receptions during 2007 and did so by a wide gap, proof that he's evolved into perhaps the best non-Tony tight end in the NFL.
Witten hauled in 96 passes in 2007, which would have been a fantastic total for most wideouts, much less for a spot where some offenses just hope they can get decent blocking and two or three receptions a game. That amount was 10th best in the NFL and second overall for those with the same player classification, as only all-time great Tony Gonzalez caught more as an end with 99.
They were part of a select fraternity last season: Kellen Winslow Jr., Chris Cooley, and Antonio Gates along with Witten and Gonzalez were the only tight ends to lead their teams in receptions. That's quite a selection of offensive weapons; although a small percentage would meekly argue for the injured Jeremy Shockey's inclusion, one could make an overwhelmingly convincing argument that these five are the best five at their position in the game. The fact they each led their team in receptions is simply a fact that confirms a nearly universally held opinion.
But how big was each lead? Of all these players, Witten was tied for attaining the second-biggest disparity in receptions on his team compared to the runner-up: He had 15 more than Terrell Owens' 81. Gonzalez came in first, as he finished far ahead of fellow Chief Dwayne Bowe, who caught 70 in his promising rookie season.
Gates managed to tie Witten for the difference between his total and that of his nearest teammate, as he got 75 grabs to LaDainian Tomlinson's 60. Meanwhile, Santana Moss' 61 receptions for the Redskins put him very close to Cooley and his 66 catches, while Winslow nabbed 82, just two more than Braylon Edwards. All of these tight ends did something impressive, and Witten was one of the most impressive inside this small group.
Next to Gonzalez, which isn't a fair comparison for anyone, Witten performed the best at his job in the league in terms of not only quantity of receptions but also in his worth to the offense; Gates gets third place thanks to LT. When a tight end can not only lead a team in catches but do so by a significant margin, he's crossed into elite territory; Witten arguably does more for his prolific offense than any other Cowboy.
How could Witten get even better? Adding a top wide receiver in the draft would help, even though it would likely cause his own numbers to decline. While the theoretical new player might take away some of Witten's receptions, it would also mean more open field in which Witten would have room to operate.
He would undoubtedly trade in his statistical achievement for a stronger overall passing offense, particularly one where he might catch less but gain more every time. It would allow him to pump up his already decent 11.9 yards per catch average from last season, and besides, he doesn't need to astound anyone: Witten has already established himself as one of the premier tight ends in the game, something last season's spectacular numbers prove.
Good tight ends of course catch many passes, but only the finest catch many more than their next-closest teammate. In this regard, Jason Witten is one of the most valuable receivers in the game, not merely just at his specific position. Specifically, he led the Cowboys in receptions during 2007 and did so by a wide gap, proof that he's evolved into perhaps the best non-Tony tight end in the NFL.
Witten hauled in 96 passes in 2007, which would have been a fantastic total for most wideouts, much less for a spot where some offenses just hope they can get decent blocking and two or three receptions a game. That amount was 10th best in the NFL and second overall for those with the same player classification, as only all-time great Tony Gonzalez caught more as an end with 99.
They were part of a select fraternity last season: Kellen Winslow Jr., Chris Cooley, and Antonio Gates along with Witten and Gonzalez were the only tight ends to lead their teams in receptions. That's quite a selection of offensive weapons; although a small percentage would meekly argue for the injured Jeremy Shockey's inclusion, one could make an overwhelmingly convincing argument that these five are the best five at their position in the game. The fact they each led their team in receptions is simply a fact that confirms a nearly universally held opinion.
But how big was each lead? Of all these players, Witten was tied for attaining the second-biggest disparity in receptions on his team compared to the runner-up: He had 15 more than Terrell Owens' 81. Gonzalez came in first, as he finished far ahead of fellow Chief Dwayne Bowe, who caught 70 in his promising rookie season.
Gates managed to tie Witten for the difference between his total and that of his nearest teammate, as he got 75 grabs to LaDainian Tomlinson's 60. Meanwhile, Santana Moss' 61 receptions for the Redskins put him very close to Cooley and his 66 catches, while Winslow nabbed 82, just two more than Braylon Edwards. All of these tight ends did something impressive, and Witten was one of the most impressive inside this small group.
Next to Gonzalez, which isn't a fair comparison for anyone, Witten performed the best at his job in the league in terms of not only quantity of receptions but also in his worth to the offense; Gates gets third place thanks to LT. When a tight end can not only lead a team in catches but do so by a significant margin, he's crossed into elite territory; Witten arguably does more for his prolific offense than any other Cowboy.
How could Witten get even better? Adding a top wide receiver in the draft would help, even though it would likely cause his own numbers to decline. While the theoretical new player might take away some of Witten's receptions, it would also mean more open field in which Witten would have room to operate.
He would undoubtedly trade in his statistical achievement for a stronger overall passing offense, particularly one where he might catch less but gain more every time. It would allow him to pump up his already decent 11.9 yards per catch average from last season, and besides, he doesn't need to astound anyone: Witten has already established himself as one of the premier tight ends in the game, something last season's spectacular numbers prove.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:26 PM
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