He was the simple answer for an obvious question:
Who will be the deep threat now that WR Randy Moss is gone? Brandon Tate.
Why not Tate? He was the talk of training camp as teammates couldn’t help but gush about the fourth round pick out of the 2009 Draft. He came with a reputation as an explosive player that finished his North Carolina career as the NCAA career leader in kickoff and punt returns.
Tate gave Patriot Nation a tease of what he is capable of by taking the second half opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against Cincinnati in the season opener. It would only be a matter of time before he was producing explosive plays with the offense we thought.
After 12 weeks, Tate has just two receptions of 30 yards or more. One was from a broken play against Minnesota. QB Tom Brady bought time by rolling left out of the pocket and hit Tate when Brandon turned a sideline route upfield. It was a heady adjustment that resulted in a 65-yard catch and run.
Tate would have more big plays if he didn’t drop passes. The latest one came against Detroit. Brady hit Brandon perfectly in stride 37-yards downfield, only for the pigskin to the ground as if Tate’s hands were smothered in gravy. It probably would had been a 67-yard touchdown.
Tate has the talent, but he needs to improve his concentration. Brandon had sticky hands as a Tar Heel. What happened to those hands?
This is basically Tate’s rookie season, as he played sparingly in two games in 2009. At a time when the average second year player is comfortable and showing their growth from his rookie year, Brandon is still working out the jitters.
Why Tate is playing as if he’s in awe is puzzling as he couldn’t had joined situation with less pressure on him. Tate watched and learned from Moss and Wes Welker for a year. Brandon would ease his way into a contributing role with the offense as Moss and Welker drew most of the attention. And with Tom Brady as the triggerman, Tate almost never has to make a difficult catch.
His role didn’t change with the arrival of Deion Branch, but that hasn’t cured Tate’s stone hands. Playing with some of the leagues surest receivers doesn’t mean soft hands are contagious, but there are some valuable tips Tate can pick up from the veterans.
Against Pittsburgh Tate was on the receiving end of a 45-yard pass. It’s the kind of play the Pats hope to get out of Tate on a regular basis. There’s still time for Brandon to start clicking. But his inconsistency is a concern with New England’s poor recently history of drafting receivers. I don’t want to believe that Tate will be a disappointment like Chad Jackson and Tony Simmons.
Question? Comments? Send to talktome@randolphc.com.
Keywords: Brandon Tate, Deion Branch, New England Patriots, Randy Moss, Tom Brady, Wes Welker
