Tight end Brent Celek spent the off-season watching film of his NFC East counterparts Jason Witten and Chris Cooley. The film study has apparently paid off. Through two games, Celek is putting up numbers that will insert him into the discussion of best tight end in the division … that is, if he can keep them up.
Celek is tied with Cooley for the most receptions in the league by a tight end with 14. Celek's 141 receiving yards places him in a tie for fifth among all tight ends. On Sunday, Celek had eight catches for 104 yards – it was his second career 100-yard receiving game.
In the Eagles' last three games, including the NFC title tilt back in January, Celek has 24 catches for 224 yards and three touchdowns. Celek led the Eagles in catches in each of those three games. If Celek were to maintain his current pace for this season, he'll finish with 112 catches for 1,128 yards and right touchdowns. While that's certainly not likely to happen, Celek could certainly threaten the numbers Keith Jackson posted in 1988 - 81 grabs for 869 yards and six scores. The best overall season by a tight end since was by Chad Lewis, who had 69 catches for 735 yards and three touchdowns in 2000.
Celek isn't concerned with the numbers. He wants to be the security blanket that the quarterback can depend on in the clutch.
"I just try to be dependable for all of the quarterbacks," Celek said. "I try to be in the right place at the right time so they know they can come to me. That's always been my goal."
A fifth-round draft pick out of Cincinnati in 2007, Celek showed his dependability late in his rookie season as he hauled in a 29-yard grab on a third down to help seal a win at Dallas. He took over the starting tight end job late last season.
Celek has good hands and will fight for extra yardage. Five of his catches Sunday against the Saints resulted in a first down. Two of them came as he was dragging multiple defenders to the sticks.
The question is whether Celek can maintain a high level of consistency throughout the course of the season.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 2:21 p.m., September 22
