These days, just about every NFL team has a big receiving tight end who can create mismatches, whether he lines up in a three-point stance or split out as a slot receiver.
The Falcons found success in this department with Austin Hooper over the past four season before trading this offseason for Hayden Hurst, who has 37 catches for 411 yards and three touchdowns this season. Hurst ranks ninth among tight ends in receiving yards.
Ranking second among his position group in yards is Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller, who the Falcons will be forced to defend Sunday. Waller, quarterback Derek Carr’s most often-targeted receiving option, has caught 60 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns.
Waller, who played college football at Georgia Tech, has the attributes that make him a matchup nightmare.
“He’s long, he’s talented, he’s fast, he’s physical,” Falcons interim coach Raheem Morris said. “He can separate. He has great hands. He’s a really good football player. He’s a really talented guy. He’s a guy that’s able to go out there and make some plays. He’s been a bright spot in that offense for the last couple of years coming out of nowhere from some of the early trouble that he had early in his career. You can’t help but be proud of him and happy for the kid in what he’s been able to do.”
At times, the Falcons have been susceptible to big games from the opposing tight end. For the season, tight ends are averaging 5.7 catches and 62.2 yards per game. The Falcons have given up eight touchdowns to opposing tight ends, with Green Bay’s Robert Tonyan doing most of the damage by catching three scores in Week 4.
In a sense, this week begins a murderer’s row of tight ends that the Falcons will have to face.
It starts with Waller, who has emerged as one of the better players at the position over the past two seasons. From there, the degree of difficulty remains the same.
Week 13, New Orleans Saints tight end Jared Cook: Of the remaining tight ends the Falcons are slated to face, Cook has the fewest yards with 285. He has proven to be a red zone threat, however, as he has four touchdowns. In the first meeting between the Falcons and Saints last week, Cook caught only one pass for 6 yards.
Week 14, Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry: Henry is third on the Chargers in receiving, having caught 41 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns. While Henry is third on the team in yards, quarterback Justin Herbert looks for him often as he’s second on the team in targets with 66.
Weeks 15 and 17, Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski: After a slow start to the season, Gronkowski’s production has started to pick up. Second on the team in targets with 55, Gronkowski has caught 31 passes for 399 yards and four touchdowns. His four scores have come in the past six weeks.
Week 16, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce: The game’s top tight end, Kelce ranks third in the league in receiving with 66 receptions, 896 yards and seven touchdowns. Kelce’s touchdown total is tied for eighth in the entire NFL.
Needless to say, the Falcons will have their hands full over the next six games when it comes to the tight end position.
“All of those guys that have developed these receiver skill sets and still have been able to maintain such great size and length in order to play the tight end position and get some of the blocking done as well, they’re really outstanding,” Morris said. “It’s really just a credit to these guys and the work they put into it from, you have to say it started in college. They’ve evolved these guys into better wideouts … and more physical and more talented human beings.”
With the Raiders offering a well-balanced offensive attack, taking away Waller will be important but hard to do. Morris said one of the premier matchups of the week will be using linebacker Foye Oluokun to guard Waller in certain man-to-man situations.
“We can put Foye against a bunch of tight ends,” Morris said. “He’s been able to be out there for some challenges. He’s been given a lot of credit for being one of the upticks of the year. He has a great challenge coming this week versus Waller. He’ll get a chance to go out there and compete against one of the very best. He’s playing like one of the very best right now. So, look forward to that thing happening and being a premier matchup this week for us and for us to be able to go watch in particular in our man-to-man settings.”
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