Pettigrew proving critics wrong

millenbacker · #1 01-24-2010, 09:16 AM

Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew had no idea what his statistics were after his rookie season.
"I really don't," he said. "I don't even know how many catches I had."
Too bad. He might have been impressed.
Before he went on injured reserve with a torn ACL, Pettigrew had 30 catches for 346 yards in 11 games, which worked out to 31.5 receiving yards per game. Compared to other premier tight ends in their rookie seasons, no one had a better per-game average. Not Dallas Clark, Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates or Jason Witten.
Pettigrew's development as a complete tight end was stalled when he missed time in training camp with a thigh injury. He put pressure on himself to live up to his selection as the No. 20 overall pick and struggled with consistency. But he found his stride in his final three full games, when he racked up 165 yards and caught both of his touchdown passes.
"I believe I can do more," Pettigrew said. "I did some good and I definitely did some bad, too. But I definitely know that I can do more.
"Just catching the ball more and really just making more big plays. I don't think that I made a lot. I made some, but I'm definitely capable of making more -- a lot more than I made this season."

http://www.freep.com/article/2010012...e-a-good-catch

..........

I agree and I think he will have a monster season next year when he comes back. He really gave Stafford a weapon and he was missed big time when he got hurt. AND in those 3 games before he got hurt he was averaging 55 yards a game.

MB

TheDane · #2 01-24-2010, 11:28 AM

He was even with Heller until games 10 and 11. BTW, Heller never had stats like this until this year. Last year was a tryout for all of our guys, rookies and vets alike. Lots of new faces getting used to each other on both sides of the ball. TE and LB are now as solid as they have been for us in years. QB got his rookie year out of the way, Sammie got plenty of PT, Levy looked like an NFL player out there and we don't even need to talk about Delmas.

Sammie might not have been the best DT in terms of being NFL ready but thats what last year was about, getting him there. We'll see what we have this year with him, both of the Cohens and Flu.

Add a starting DE and a starting CB on D and things will get better. Add a starting LG and a #2 WR and things will get better.

Huntermsu · #3 01-24-2010, 11:55 AM

I am happy with Pettigrew and Heller at TE, Pettigrew should only get better as long as he stays healthy and with that big frame he gives Stafford a big safe target but maybe not explosive, Will Heller is also a big target as a receiver and deceptively fast, terrible hands and for his size only average as a blocker.

Rusty Hilger · #4 01-24-2010, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millenbacker

Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew had no idea what his statistics were after his rookie season.
"I really don't," he said. "I don't even know how many catches I had."
Too bad. He might have been impressed.

Until they told him how many drops he had.

Then maybe not so much.

bigdogchris · #5 01-24-2010, 12:35 PM

I definitely think Pettigrew is loaded with talent but he didn't do anything this year that was memorable or that impressed me. I do remember him dropping a couple of clutch passes though.

Sanders97 · #6 01-24-2010, 01:30 PM

I was probably his biggest critic early on, but he did start coming around.

That said, he still worries me. He missed all that time in camps and preseason due to injury and then he didn't even make it all the way through the season.

He might be capable of being the next Gates, Witten, or Gonzales......I think his numbers prove that (not taking the drops into consideration).....but none of it will matter if he's injured all the time.

He better follow up his rehab with some serious conditioning.

LionNation · #7 01-24-2010, 04:30 PM

He will never be a Gates, Clark, or Gonzalez. He may end up being better then them all around but as a receiving TE think Bubba Franks, decent but not great.

millenbacker · #8 01-24-2010, 04:42 PM

Well I think we may be surprised. he was really looking like he finally got it those 3 games before he got hurt. if he can come out strong and get good numbers early he could put up some monster numbers for a TE and it will benefit CJ like it was starting to until he got hurt. Next season will be a better gage of how he is progressing.

MB

Greg Landry · #9 01-25-2010, 01:57 PM

I can't believe how many of you just assume that he is going to be physically fine after a torn ACL!
He could easily be done.

Felix · #10 01-25-2010, 02:08 PM

I think the days of ligament tears ending a career are pretty much over (except older players of course)......although I think it will be a full year before fully healed, so I dont expect much next season...

Blog · #11 01-25-2010, 02:43 PM

what did he have 3 td's in his last 2 years of playing football?

Sanders97 · #12 01-25-2010, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felix

I think the days of ligament tears ending a career are pretty much over (except older players of course)......although I think it will be a full year before fully healed, so I dont expect much next season...

Haha....I don't know how you do it man. I know, I know....you're going to say it's "being realistic" and I won't argue with that. However, there's another side of "realistic"........the side that says "you only get so long to prove yourself in the NFL".

I suppose it has little to do with what we "expect" and more to do with what we all know needs to happen. He needs to work hard at rehabbing that knee and conditioning and he needs to come back strong next year whether the recovery time is expected to be six months or a full year.

If he has another injury riddled season or doesn't come back expanding on what he started to show this season, then it will be pretty tough to defend him being worthy of the #20 pick.

As usual, I expect everything to suck and for everything that can go wrong to go wrong next year.....it's the way of the Detroit Lions. Still, I won't say that it's O.K. either.

def · #13 02-07-2010, 12:05 PM

Fluff thread. Fluff pick. Pittgrew showed nada, zip...if he can stay healthy, which is a big f'in if, he maybe a mediocre TE, but he showed he cannot handle NFL hits, workouts, practices, he's fluff, mark it down, if he becomes a Bubba Franks I'd be very surprised....No Kellen Winslow here.

I'm still hurting on passing up Oher.

Vic Turner · #14 02-08-2010, 05:30 PM

Another missed opportunity to beef upgrade the OL

Pettegrew better be the next Mark Bavaro!