I purchased the NFL Game Pass and have watched many Bengal games since 2011 forward. You can watch a condensed game in about 30 minutes. Granted, I haven't watched EVERY Bengal game but the many i have watched whenever Tate was targeted, he rocked! Yes, he is no Adam Jones on kickoff and punt returns, but, from what I've seen, he does quite well the few opportunities he has had as a receiver.

Tate has been mediocre as a receiver (in limited play) and average as a returner.

I've been round and round with the Tater Haters and have never figured it out. Dude is dependable, durable, and consistent. It was a couple years ago when I posted player A and player B return stats. Player A was better, he was Tate. Player B was Randall Cobb.

Dude is not the best return guy in the league; nor is he an elite receiver. But he is solid and a player every team needs. WTS, I have zero issue if we waive him in favor of Mario; but if Tate is back there again this year; I'm not gonna be mad or hate on him,

(07-16-2016, 10:34 PM)jeremydc Wrote: Tate has been mediocre as a receiver (in limited play) and average as a returner.

What are you basing your assessment as a receiver? Like I said, I've been watching the games and I see him like Bfine32 does. No AJ Green, but he catches when he's thrown to and has good YAC.

It boils down to Tate being the scapegoat for our punt return philosophy as a team for the longest time (Very conservative). That being said he has fielded the ball at some questionable points. He's always done what was asked of him as a WR. Overall, I don't hate him but I am very glad that they've looked into having a more explosive returner back there at times. If you need to play it safe though, Tate is the man.

(07-16-2016, 11:05 PM)treee Wrote: It boils down to Tate being the scapegoat for our punt return philosophy as a team for the longest time (Very conservative). That being said he has fielded the ball at some questionable points. He's always done what was asked of him as a WR. Overall, I don't hate him but I am very glad that they've looked into having a more explosive returner back there at times. If you need to play it safe though, Tate is the man.

My post was strictly speaking from the receving aspect. From the little chances he's had, he looks solid. Who truly knows if he was put into a Marvin Jones or Sanu role, that he couldn't produce similar results?

(07-16-2016, 11:21 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: My post was strictly speaking from the receving aspect. From the little chances he's had, he looks solid. Who truly knows if he was put into a Marvin Jones or Sanu role, that he couldn't produce similar results?

Oh, well as a WR he has done fine. Nothing stellar but he has made plays.

Tate will never have a better chance to prove everybody wrong than this season.

Never have been a big fan, Nothing to hate yet nothing to love. Always felt he was replaceable.

Hope he proves me wrong though.

Tate had his shot in 2014 and sucked. Royally.

He got 4 starts that year and produced 9/97 (10.8)/1 in those four starts. That translates to a full season of 36/389/4 in 16 starts, and that's as a #2 WR.

In 2014, he actually played 45.6% of the offensive snaps. If that's not getting a shot, I don't know what is. In that 45.6% of the time, he put up 17/193/1... so if he played 100% of the snaps at that rate, it'd be something like a 37/423/2 full season... which is right next to that 16 start projection I mentioned earlier.


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Dude just isn't a good WR at all. He played in 16 games (10 starts) with Tom Brady at QB in 2010 and only put up 432 yards. If Tom Brady doesn't make you look good, nobody will. The Patriots ended up getting 31-year-old Deion Branch-midseason and he put up 700 yards in 9 starts. Tate was gone that offseason.

Tate is a solid, but unspectacular player and people who don't actually have their jobs on the line (like us) tend to act like we would totally ditch him and just toss some guy in there to "see what happens." The short of it is, if you are in the NFL and over the age of 26 and you aren't top 3 at your position there is going to be a segment of fans who would suit up a talking mule to take your spot to see if magic can happen.

Some fans either want a guy with top-tier stats or a guy with a bunch of 0's on his resume (because he could be like the best evarrrrr, guys!). Solid players tend not to get a lot of love. Americans have seen too many movies where the underdog finally gets his shot and is miraculously good.

(07-16-2016, 11:02 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: What are you basing your assessment as a receiver?  Like I said, I've been watching the games and I see him like Bfine32 does. No AJ Green, but he catches when he's thrown to and has good YAC.

33 receptions in 5 years.

(07-16-2016, 10:40 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I've been round and round with the Tater Haters and have never figured it out. Dude is dependable, durable, and consistent. It was a couple years ago when I posted player A and player B return stats. Player A was better, he was Tate. Player B was Randall Cobb.

Dude is not the best return guy in the league; nor is he an elite receiver. But he is solid and a player every team needs. WTS, I have zero issue if we waive him in favor of Mario; but if Tate is back there again this year; I'm not gonna be mad or hate on him,

I'm rooting for the young talent to finally beat him out. If they can't beat him out then he's on the squad. It is what it is.
I could think of much worse WR's to have on the back end with much smaller tool kits.

Coaches like him on punt returns because he catches the ball. Decisions aside, he can catch. Not a stellar description, but there are only a few more hurtful plays in football than the fumbled punt.

But like any position in the NFL, that one is up for grabs and may the best man win.

Made one hell of a diving catch last year and scored. That play really stood out, but he's not going to do it every game.

I don't hate Tate, but the guy makes a lot of boneheaded plays

(07-16-2016, 09:54 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: I purchased the NFL Game Pass and have watched many Bengal games since 2011 forward. You can watch a condensed game in about 30 minutes. Granted, I haven't watched EVERY Bengal game but the many i have watched whenever Tate was targeted, he rocked!  Yes, he is no Adam Jones on kickoff and punt returns, but, from what I've seen, he does quite well the few opportunities he has had as a receiver.

The only reason he's on the team is as a returner. Even when Marvin Jones, AJ Green, Tyler Eifert and Gresham were injured at the same time, Tate was barely used as a receiver. He's good for a play or two a year.

Simply put, we can do better. His returns are a weakness on this team. No harm in improving the position. Doesn't mean anyone hates him. If you want a better car it doesn't mean you hate the old one.

(07-16-2016, 11:21 PM)bengalguy71 Wrote: My post was strictly speaking from the receving aspect. From the little chances he's had, he looks solid. Who truly knows if he was put into a Marvin Jones or Sanu role,  that he couldn't produce similar results?

To call him "mediocre" as another poster did, that would almost imply he is a "middle-of-the-road" WR, and he is not.  Not even close.  He doesn't generate any separation and he is incredibly stupid at times on KR.

That is where I believe the "hate" you refer to stems, is the decisions in the KR game.  A few years back he had fumbles on consecutive KRs...and he was right back there for a third...which he unbelievably lost grip of as well, but managed to recover it.   That game was against the steelers.  Another example is when he catches the ball on the back line and runs it out to the 15 yard line.  He did this several times as recently as last year.  That primetime Texans game I believe he had one return to the 8 yard line.  THE 8 YARD LINE!  Now, I know people will talk about his blockers, blah, blah, blah....the blockers didn't make the decision to return it from 9 yards deep in the end zone.  

I don't hate the guy, but I don't think his ball security issues or his poor decisions would be tolerated on many other teams.  

Never really been stirred one way or the other about Tate. He is a reliable KR, marginal PR, and solid backup at WR. Nothing really flashy, but doesn't put the ball on the ground. The big knock on Tate, was where he had a habit of fielding punts inside the 5 yard line, and getting not much on the return. Seems like they may have worked with him on that, as I noticed less of it, last season.

Bottom line is that the team knows exactly what they are getting in Tate, and he doesn't command a big contract.

(07-17-2016, 09:49 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Never really been stirred one way or the other about Tate.  He is a reliable KR, marginal PR, and solid backup at WR.  Nothing really flashy, but doesn't put the ball on the ground.  The big knock on Tate, was where he had a habit of fielding punts inside the 5 yard line, and getting not much on the return.  Seems like they may have worked with him on that, as I noticed less of it, last season.

Bottom line is that the team knows exactly what they are getting in Tate, and he doesn't command a big contract.

How so?

Hard to argue w facts like these. I'm of the camp that thinks he is just "ok"

(07-17-2016, 01:04 AM)Nately120 Wrote: Tate is a solid, but unspectacular player and people who don't actually have their jobs on the line (like us) tend to act like we would totally ditch him and just toss some guy in there to "see what happens." The short of it is, if you are in the NFL and over the age of 26 and you aren't top 3 at your position there is going to be a segment of fans who would suit up a talking mule to take your spot to see if magic can happen.

Some fans either want a guy with top-tier stats or a guy with a bunch of 0's on his resume (because he could be like the best evarrrrr, guys!). Solid players tend not to get a lot of love. Americans have seen too many movies where the underdog finally gets his shot and is miraculously good.