You sure went out of your way to offend everyone. Did it ever enter your mind that it's OK for someone else to see things differently than you do?
Sorry about that buddy. Im a real black n white stats guy myself and I get carried away sometimes. I wasn't trying to offend anyone as much as make my point. I'm just trying to keep it real and I think alot of peeps are holding on to fond memories of 82 in his prime. I'm a statistical guy but I'm a realist also brother.
The NFL is not a stats league. It's a results oriented league. It doesn't make a difference what you did in the first quarter or in meaningless games if you didn't help contribute enough critical down and distance plays to go win something significant.
If you needed 6-7 yards and a first down Witten was a reliable catch rate possession receiver. For ball control and blocking. He was a great completion rate possession receiver.
He could make plays and was a much better every down te than what this entire core was in his last year when he was just a shell of the everydown te he was in his prime
Witten had great skillsets even in his last year's but he wasn' that everydown player anymore because he had lost his abilities to make critical down plays that he could make when he was in his prime. He was void of big play capabilities and just didn't impact the game anymore as an everydown receiver because he was not a deep threat or very clutch at making any type of significant game winning plays when it was do or die situations. He probably would have been a great guy to keep around for depth at the position but his overall talent was just not everydown worthy anymore and he had unfortunately built his entire legacy and career of being the everydown te that wasn't coming off the field.
Now It's 3rd and 14 and the game or season is on the line and you have an everydown te that has lost his speed. He gonna invite the blitz but the Defense is gonna double up coverage on the skilled guys who can statistically get the14 yards and only contain the guys who can't.
In his prime he could make those plays playing every snap enough to warrant the everydown te role and be a factor for any down and distance on passing snaps. But he couldn't play at a Level to continue as the everydown receiving te and he'd have a big game against familiar foe like division rivals because of his experience but his skillsets combined with his lack of speed couldn't make enough impact in the stat column or highlight reel to warrant his involvement on critical passing snaps at even 3rd and 10.
He'swas just a possesion receiver and if we had the best slot wr in all of football or even an equal to Zeke at rb we would have sent out #82 to make a play against a playoff caliber defense when he didn't have a chance on God's green earth to make those plays with his skillsets. Forward on 9 years under Garrett and this scheme and the NFL has changed and the rules produce higher scoring games that require 4-5 players to score Every game even in the playoffs and your everdown te scheme has no potency because the leading everydown receiving te has no potency .
That's where we're stuck as a team. Weve had plenty of talent to run an integrated running and passing attack using a combination of dual rbs and slot receivers and still using alot of the 11 and 12 formations. But the Cowboys continue down the one dimensional low scoring run dominant offense and doesn't spread the ball around to enough scoring playmakers and you got Hanna and Witten dominating passing snaps even though there's no potency of making any big passing plays consistently at a high enough level.
Witten had a prime. He's not an everydown receiver anymore. He's had a great career but he's made a legacy of being that everydown receiver but he couldn't do that forever.
The set it and forget it every down te scheme is broken when you don't have a te that can make in impact as a receiver. He came he was awesome. He had an extraordinary career but now he's slow and it's past time to go and pursue something where he can have an everydown role.
Great player, Great Role, Hofamer, tough son of a gun, but not an everydown te in a league designed for a Superstar Receiving Tes, super slot wrs, and super rbs that can score more frequently.