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Drop Percentage: Tight Ends
Drop Percentage: Tight Ends
With our wide receiver Drop Percentage article being met with such interest, and the demand for a follow-up look at tight ends evident, I feel compelled to move ahead of schedule and get this out to the public immediately.
Well, that, and we had a free day in the schedule that needed filling.
So, in much the same fashion as our Drop Percentage for wide receivers (which you can catch here), we’re going to be examining the drops by tight ends in 2010 and then over the last three years to gather clues as to who has the best (and worst) hands of all.
Same rules apply to the formula: catchable balls are determined by the total numbers of drops and receptions with that number then being divided by dropped passes to give the Drop Percentage. Simples … as the kids say.
For the 2010 rankings, we’ve eliminated anyone who had less than 25 catchable balls thrown their way and the results leave us with a clear winner.
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeath
So while Heath Miller may be frustrated about not picking up another Super Bowl title, he can at least console himself with the knowledge that by our definitions, he had the surest pair of hands of any tight end in the league. The Steeler only dropped one ball all year, a number matched only by Dave Thomas of the New Orleans Saints (though Thomas had 17 less catchable opportunities).
They both bested the guy who normally tops most things tight end, Jason Witten, who had a far higher number of receptions, but also dropped a couple more passes to finish third. In no means anything to be ashamed of, he still finished higher than a man who may as well be a wide receiver in Kellen Winslow (fourth) and the most dominant receiving threat in the league, Antonio Gates (eighth).
Elsewhere in our top ten, we’ve got our first rookie, with Rob Gronkowski adding “sure handed” to his long list of attributes. The Pat dropped just 6.12% of balls thrown his way, putting all other rookies – including his teammate – to shame. Aaron Hernandez was as bad as Gronkowski was good when it came to holding onto the ball. He dropped 16.36% of his passes, the second worst figure among tight ends.
There was also room at the top for the much-maligned Anthony Fasano. He may not be as dynamic a receiving threat as some, but he did a good job in only dropping 4.88% of passes thrown his way. Throw that together with his excellent blocking and I’m again asking the question of why he doesn’t get more praise for his all around game.
>>CLICK THE LINK ABOVE FOR THE CHARTS AND THE REST OF THE ARTICLE<<
Well, that, and we had a free day in the schedule that needed filling.
So, in much the same fashion as our Drop Percentage for wide receivers (which you can catch here), we’re going to be examining the drops by tight ends in 2010 and then over the last three years to gather clues as to who has the best (and worst) hands of all.
Same rules apply to the formula: catchable balls are determined by the total numbers of drops and receptions with that number then being divided by dropped passes to give the Drop Percentage. Simples … as the kids say.
For the 2010 rankings, we’ve eliminated anyone who had less than 25 catchable balls thrown their way and the results leave us with a clear winner.
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeath
So while Heath Miller may be frustrated about not picking up another Super Bowl title, he can at least console himself with the knowledge that by our definitions, he had the surest pair of hands of any tight end in the league. The Steeler only dropped one ball all year, a number matched only by Dave Thomas of the New Orleans Saints (though Thomas had 17 less catchable opportunities).
They both bested the guy who normally tops most things tight end, Jason Witten, who had a far higher number of receptions, but also dropped a couple more passes to finish third. In no means anything to be ashamed of, he still finished higher than a man who may as well be a wide receiver in Kellen Winslow (fourth) and the most dominant receiving threat in the league, Antonio Gates (eighth).
Elsewhere in our top ten, we’ve got our first rookie, with Rob Gronkowski adding “sure handed” to his long list of attributes. The Pat dropped just 6.12% of balls thrown his way, putting all other rookies – including his teammate – to shame. Aaron Hernandez was as bad as Gronkowski was good when it came to holding onto the ball. He dropped 16.36% of his passes, the second worst figure among tight ends.
There was also room at the top for the much-maligned Anthony Fasano. He may not be as dynamic a receiving threat as some, but he did a good job in only dropping 4.88% of passes thrown his way. Throw that together with his excellent blocking and I’m again asking the question of why he doesn’t get more praise for his all around game.
>>CLICK THE LINK ABOVE FOR THE CHARTS AND THE REST OF THE ARTICLE<<
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