Antonio Gates: The New Breed

Antonio Gates: The New Breed

When we think about the '3rd Year Breakout' rule, it's usually in reference to a wide receiver. However, Antonio Gates is making a strong bid to widen the spectrum for this rule-of-thumb by including tight-ends when considering possible 3rd-year breakout players. Tony Gonzalez, the most recent benchmark for tight-end greatness also reached his potential in his 3rd season back in 1999 when he caught 76 balls and 11 touchdowns. Enter Antonio Gates who is not only enjoying a career season, but is quickly establishing himself as the new breed of tight-end and the class of his position league-wide. Like Gonzalez before him, Gates comes from a basketball background which continues to be the best training ground for young tight-ends by turning large men into soft-handed, agile pass-catchers. Gates is still a work in progress, and that's a scary thought for defensive co-ordinators around the league who are already well aware of the significance of Gates to the Chargers overall offensive gameplan, but still have not been able to stop him.

After Sunday's game, Gates has made 18 third-down catches for 213 yards and three touchdowns this season. "Gates was very crafty," Minter said. "If you played him inside, he went outside. If you played him outside, he went inside. So we knew what they were trying to do. We just couldn't stop them." - The Daily News

Chargers' Gates flusters Panthers on third down [TheDailyNews.com]
Photo: [Getty Images]

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