Open Gates is fruitful for Chargers

By: JAY PARIS - Staff Writer | Sunday, November 25, 2007 10:48 PM PST ∞

Chargers' Antonio Gates prances into the end zone for the Chargers' first touchdown of the game pursued by Ravens' Ed Reed.
BILL WECHTER Staff Photographer
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SAN DIEGO ---- On Thanksgiving weekend, the Chargers remembered to count one of their blessings: Antonio Gates.

The All-Pro tight end caught six passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns in a 32-14 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Gates was at his Sunday best after a baffling stretch in which his production dove.

"I don't try to get caught up in that,'' Gates said after his fourth 100-yard game this season. "I do whatever I can to win as a team. If that means catching two touchdowns for us to win or me catching no touchdowns and just playing a bigger role in the game, that is how I view the game.''

In the Chargers' first five games, Gates had 40 catches. In the next five, he had 14.

"We're trying to throw to Gates every week,'' Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. "But certain teams try to take him away ---- they game plan, too. I think, too, with the team we got ---- L.T., Gates, (Chris) Chambers and our young receivers ---- to base it off how many catches Gates gets a week is unfair in this offense with the weapons we got.''

Gates' first scoring catch came in the second quarter, a 35-yard reception in which he was wide open down the middle. Rivers removed safety Ed Reed from the play with a nifty pump fake, which gave Gates plenty of room to roam.

"We called it a couple of times this year, and today we got the coverage and the right safety ---- an aggressive safety,'' Rivers said.

With Reed neutralized, Gates took advantage of the Ravens' miscue.

"It was a blown coverage,'' Gates said. "They do so many exotic things on defense, and our offense is shifting and moving in different personnel; it's hard to identify the strength.''

Gates got single coverage on his second touchdown, beating All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis on a 25-yard pass. Lewis didn't have any help, and Gates' presnap read told him as much.

"When you have a pair of blown coverages on the best tight end in football, it's always going to go poorly,'' Lewis said. "That's the bottom line. There's no excuse for letting No. 85 run all over the field like that.''

Gates didn't run his mouth about his sporadic production. He has bigger fish to fry, and it doesn't involve him catching 10 passes a game.

"Early in my career, I would have been (upset), but it comes with maturity and also understanding the ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl,'' Gates said. "Some guys tend to forget what the goal is.

"You can go to the Pro Bowl every year and if you don't win a Super Bowl, your career is missing something. I'm at the point of my career now that I want to win and I go out and play my role to the best of my ability.''

And his skills are undeniable.

"He is a big weapon for us,'' running back LaDainian Tomlinson said, "and just another way we can score points.''

Contact staff writer Jay Paris at jparis8@aol.com.