San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Season finale is a tight end showcase
Career seasons for Kansas City’s Pro Bowler Kelce, Oakland’s Cook
“What I’ve seen from him since he’s been in Oakland is that his ball skills have gotten so much better.” Vance Joseph, Broncos head coach, on Raiders tight end Jared Cook
Though the Pro Bowl rosters don’t reflect it, Sunday’s regular-season finale between the Chiefs and Raiders will arguably display the AFC’s top two tight ends.
Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Oakland’s Jared Cook rank first and second, respectively, at their position in the AFC in catches, receiving yards and first downs. They are second and third in touchdowns behind Indianapolis’ Eric Ebron, who joined Kelce on the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster.
Cook, who has not made a Pro Bowl in 10 seasons, was named an alternate. But his career season, which ends Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, has made opposing coaches take note.
“I think Jared Cook is as tough a cover as you have in Kelce in Kansas City and all the top tight ends in the league,” Broncos head coach Vance Joseph said on a recent conference call. “His long speed has always been there. He’s been a guy that could run by safeties and linebackers his entire career.
“But what I’ve seen from him since he’s been in Oakland is that his ball skills have gotten so much better. He’s making the difficult catch.”
After setting career highs in catches (54) and receiving yards (688) in his first season in Oakland, Cook has eclipsed those totals this year with 65 catches, 868 yards and six touchdowns entering Sunday’s finale.
“Obviously, he’s had big games against us,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “He’s big, he’s fast and he knows how to use his body really well on routes. He’s long, so he has a great catch radius. (Quarterback Derek Carr) uses him very well and has a lot of trust in him.”
Cook had a big day in the Raiders’ 40-33 loss to the Chiefs on Dec. 2, with seven catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. He was upstaged, though, by Kelce, who had a season-high 12 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns.
Cook followed that game with a seven-catch, 116-yard outing against Pittsburgh, but has been held to four catches for 43 yards in his past two games. Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson said opposing teams throughout the season have made an effort to take away Cook, who leads the Raiders with 96 targets, especially amid turnover in Oakland’s receiver group.
“And he merits that, really, especially as a receiver on this football team right now,” Olson said. “We always expect to see their best coverage plan against a tight end.
“We’re going to have a number of targets set for Jared Cook in every game plan. And if they take those away, then we’ll work to No. 2 and through the progression. But we’re always going to have him as one of our top progression guys in any concept that we have.”
Receiver Jordy Nelson’s reemergence this month has given Carr another viable option in the passing game. Gruden said Friday the Raiders intend to bring Nelson, 33, back next season in the final year of his two-year deal. Cook, 31, will be a free agent and should draw suitors. Gruden has suggested that re-signing Cook will be an offseason priority.
First the Raiders face a road finale that carries plenty of significance for the Chiefs. Coming off consecutive losses for the first time this season, Kansas City can clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win — but also faces the possibility of falling to the No. 5 seed in the AFC with a loss.
Forcing that outcome will likely require the Raiders to contain Kelce — whose 98 catches, 1,274 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns are all career bests. Raiders safety Marcus Gilchrist said in the Week 13 loss to the Chiefs, many of Kelce’s longer gains “came on scramble plays.”
“I think they did a good job, all their players, of when the play was breaking down, just trying to get open,” Gilchrist said. “We’ve got to be able to plaster a little bit better.”
Gilchrist said staying with receivers when Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambles “just turns into effort.” Gruden said he hopes the Raiders can end a trying season on a high note.
“I think we’re getting better, I think we’ve played better football the last month of the season,” Gruden said. “Hopefully we can go out there and perform at the highest of our abilities.”