When San Francisco's Eric Johnson pulled down a last-minute touchdown pass against Atlanta, it put the punctuation mark on the NFL's first weekend, not because of what it did but because of who did it.
A tight end.
A converted wide receiver from Yale, Johnson plays a position that suddenly is a league hotbed of productivity. It's not just that tight ends are more significant factors in the passing game; it's that they're beginning to tilt the passing game in their direction.
Cue the results from last weekend, and you will find:
- Tight end Daniel Graham had a team-high seven catches for New England.
- Dallas Clark had the Colts' longest catch, a 64-yard reception.
- Tight end Randy McMichael produced Miami's only score.
- Tight end Ernie Conwell did the same thing with New Orleans.
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Downfield threats like Tony Gonzalez draw attention. (Getty Images) |
Where tight ends once were known predominantly as blockers, they're suddenly showing up at or near the top of the receiving charts, with eight of them scoring over the weekend. It's a trend, and it's a trend that's likely to continue as long as tight ends keep beating coverages.
"I think it's just turned into a problem with mismatches," said Heap, Baltimore's leading receiver a year ago. "When you get a good athlete on the inside, it will cause mismatches, whether it's with a linebacker, cornerback with size or a safety.
"It's hard for a linebacker being four or five yards off the line of scrimmage when we're coming at them full speed. If you have the athleticism to move your hips or get around them, it's a good matchup."
But this is not just about mismatches with linebackers or safeties; this is about taking advantage of rules, too. When the NFL cracked down on defensive contact five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, the idea was to benefit the passing game, which last season plummeted to its lowest numbers in 11 years.
Coaches and players agreed the change would most affect the inside passing game, with overmatched linebackers no longer able to cover tight ends by pulling on their jerseys or grabbing them as they move downfield. The first week's results speak for themselves.
"Now they can't reroute the tight ends beyond five yards, so tight ends are getting a chance to run freer," said Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome, Baltimore's executive vice president and general manager. "Sure, there are more tight ends now that are pass catchers, like (Jeremy) Shockey, McMichael, Heap and (Kellen) Winslow Jr., but I think the rules are helping them."
Apparently, so do some coaches -- and they're quick to try to adjust. In Sunday night's Kansas City-Denver game, the Broncos more than once had their top cornerback Champ Bailey covering tight end Tony Gonzalez. The strategy worked, with a frustrated Gonzalez reduced to two receptions.
