Back to work day in the NFL. We'll be heading back to Winter Park and will let you know if our tight-end detector can locate any signs of life heading into Week 2 against the Buccaneers at the Metrodome.
We know there are tight ends on the roster. Four of them to be exact. Heck, the team likes tight ends so well that it passed up other needs to spend a second-round draft pick on one. Then, when that wasn't enough, they kept an undrafted rookie to boot.
So we know they intend to use the tight ends. And that makes last week's invisibility of the tight end so hard to figure.
We figured the offense would struggle. But we also figured the key to treading water while struggling would be leaning on the tight ends to keep downs and distances manageable, and move the chains.
But the tight ends were targeted twice. Neither pass was completed.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb speaks to the media today. We'll be asking him about the tight ends, or lack thereof.
Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave talks to the media tomorrow. We know Bill's history in Atlanta, where he worked in a tight end-friendly offense. A year ago, the Falcons' tight ends caught 85 balls, including 58 (68.2 percent) that went for first downs or touchdowns. Vikings tight ends caught 68 balls a year ago, including 33 (48.5 percent) that went for first downs or touchdowns.
Maybe facing the Bucs at home will help. They gave up six passes for 68 yards and a touchdown to Detroit's tight ends in a 27-20 loss on Sunday.
