Auden Tate is Much Better Than Most People Think

[Whatever]

(01-22-2020, 03:20 PM)Au165 Wrote: What does the team record have to do with anything? We are talking about the importance, or in reality lack of importance, of separation. Nothing you said in regards to trying to explain away guys stats has any relation to how effective a guy can be with little separation. You want to act as though there is some tie in with records so let's compare Hill (Best receiver in Super Bowl) versus Golladay (Least separation of anyone in the league).

Tyreek Hill on a Super Bowl playing team, In 12 games 89 Targets 58 receptions 860 yards 7 TD's
Kenny Golladay on a bad team, In 16 games 119 Targets 65 receptions 1190 yards 11 TD's

By your logic the Chiefs shouldn't be good because they force the ball too much to Hill, or the Lions should be better because 7.4 targets a game isn't forcing it. The reality is there is no causation in terms of #1 WR targets and winning. Julio Jones is on this list, Julio Freaking Jones. Julio Jones is considered a great WR and a 4.39 40 guys and he get's less separation than Tate yet we are somehow going to pretend like separation is a big deal?

Just stop with the nonsense. That list is littered with really good WR's that had I not shown you the list and asked if the WR's were good, or if they could get separation, everyone here would say "heck yea, we'd love to have those guys!". Tate may not be a superstar but we don't have to make up reasons to hate on the guy. He performed well when give a chance and I'd expect he will have more opputunity next season.

Ok, first off, don't comp a guy that hasn't had a single 40+ yard catch in his NFL career to a guy who tied for the league lead with 8 this year and tell others to "Just stop with the nonsense.". Tate is not Mike Williams.  His ceiling is not Mike Williams.  He simply doesn't have the physical tools Williams does and will never be near the deep threat.  

Second, I see you either didn't see or ignored my statement about a lot of these guys facing constant double teams.  When Julio Jones goes to bed at night, there's a CB sitting on his footlocker and a S on his headboard.  It's a lot harder to get seperation when you're working against double teams.  

Tyreek Hill gets plenty of seperation and he's tied for 6th in the league in 40+ yard catches.  It's not forcing it if he's open, especially when he can take it to the house.  

Can a guy be productive without getting consistent seperation?  Sure.  Let's look at the guys on your list again.  Brown and Williams are tied for the league lead in 40+ yard catches with 8.  Parker is tied for 4th with 7.  Golladay is tied for 6th with 6.  Gallup is tied for 10th with 5.  Julio, McLaurin, Slayton, and Golden Tate are tied for 21st with 3.  Robby Anderson has 2.  Robinson has 1.  Auden Tate has 0.

Let's look at 20+ yard catches next.  Golladay is 2nd with 22.  Julio and Parker are tied for 3rd with 21.  Gallup is tied for 8th with 18.  Mike Williams is tied for 10th with 17.  Brown, McLaurin, and Robinson are tied for 21st with 15.  Robby Anderson has 13.  Slayton has 12.  Golden Tate has 10.  Auden Tate has 8.

So, double teams or not, you can be productive without getting a ton of seperation IF you can get big chunk plays.  Problem is, Tate isn't good at getting big chunk plays due to his lack of speed.  

Is he a bum who should be cut?  No.  However he lacks the speed to be effective deep and the short area quickness for a lot of short routes.  That means his effective route tree is limited by his lack of physical talent.  He has some utility as a chain mover, particularly in the 2 minute drill against soft zone, but as I said earlier, he is not a guy you want seeing 80 targets a year like he did this year.