Slump doesn't bother Gates

By: DAN HAYES - Staff Writer
Chargers tight end focused on team's run to the playoffs | Friday, December 28, 2007 9:48 PM PST ∞

SAN DIEGO -- Perhaps a younger version of Antonio Gates would have a tough time handling his recent slump. But after starting the season blazing hot, the Chargers' 27-year-old veteran tight end is having little, if any, difficulty handling a slow stretch of action towards the end of the 2007 campaign.

As Gates pointed out at the Chargers' practice facility on Friday, the magic elixir stems from the team's current five-game winning streak.

"I've definitely matured with being able to handle not playing as well as I want to," Gates said. "It's just that it's a cycle. It's one of those things where we're going to beat you with this."

And that. Or, in the Chargers' case, an entire cupboard full of offensive weapons.

Gates was the featured weapon through the Chargers' first five games, amassing 41 receptions.

Through 11 games, he had 60 catches for 834 yards and eight touchdowns. Four times he surpassed 100 yards receiving in a game, one shy of tying Kellen Winslow's team record for a tight end.

Gates' efforts, however, seem to have caught up with him. In his last four games, the former Kent State basketball player has been double-teamed repeatedly, managing only nine catches for 88 yards and a touchdown.

That trend was never more apparent than it was in Monday's victory over the Denver Broncos, who limited Gates to one catch for 24 yards. In the teams' Oct. 7 meeting, Gates torched the Broncos for 113 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.

"He's gotten a lot of attention," head coach Norv Turner said. "He had a big game up there in Denver, but they weren't going to let him be a factor. They doubled him throughout most of the game. It let a lot of other guys get great opportunities and great looks."

And as long as the Chargers are executing those opportunities, Gates is fine with the plan.

After all, it's easy to be confident with LaDainian Tomlinson, the reigning NFL MVP, in the backfield and Chris Chambers lining up at receiver.

"It's just the nature of the game," Gates said. "That's what makes us a complete team. That's why I'm excited to be here, and I'm glad that we can still win. It's just going to come down to you pick your poison."

Still, if Gates had his druthers against Oakland on Sunday, he'd get the 88 yards he needs to achieve his second career 1,000-yard season. And Turner can understand why, considering that tight ends don't get the big-play opportunities most wide receivers do.

"I really do think (it's a big accomplishment), Turner said. "The type of passes they get don't present many (big play) opportunities. But Antonio's a unique guy, because he's a guy that plays receiver an awful lot of the time."

He's also a guy who is one touchdown short of making NFL history for a tight end. If Gates can find the end zone one more time this season, it would give him the third double-digit touchdown season of his career, a first for any tight end. Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Wesley Walls have each reached the mark twice.

And Gates freely admits he'd love to reach any benchmark -- but not at the cost of winning a game.

"You want to accomplish certain things because you don't know when you're going to get to it again," Gates said. "But our main focus right now is we're going to go out and win the game. And if I get the 1,000 yards, then so be it. If it doesn't happen, so be it."

Contact staff writer Dan Hayes at dhayes@nctimes.com.