Cowboys' Jason Witten: The Only Number That Matters Is Wins
By Shawn Lealos
Jason Witten is quickly moving up the ranks of both the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL record books. He is the second best tight end in NFL history when it comes to receptions and receiving yards, behind only the great Tony Gonzalez. However, Witten is struggling this season with his own individual numbers, something that might concern fans but doesn’t bother Witten at all. Witten told ESPN on Friday that the only number that matters to him is wins.
Over his career, Witten has 918 receptions for 10,230 yards and 55 touchdowns. Witten ranks 16th on the overall list for receptions in the NFL, regardless of position. He ranks ahead of names like Jimmy Smith, Wes Welker, Rod Smith and Keyshawn Johnson. He will soon pass legendary receivers like Torry Holy, Art Monk and Andre Reed. The only other tight end in the Top 20 is Tony Gonzalez, sitting in second place behind Jerry Rice, with 1,549 receptions.
For receiving yards, Witten ranks 37th regardless of position with 10,230 yards. Tony Gonzales is the only tight end ahead of him as well, with 15,127 yards. There were some thoughts that Witten could move way up the receptions list and at least inch higher on the yardage list before his career ends. However, at the age of 32, Witten seems to have lost a step this season.
Yes, the Dallas Cowboys are running the ball more and Dez Bryant demands a lot of looks. However, Witten looks slower than he used to look and goes down a little quicker than he used to upon first contact. He is also used a lot more in blocking situations, which might also be beating him up a little bit. As a result, after 10 games this season, Witten has only 39 receptions for 431 yards and three touchdowns.
Those numbers mean that Jason Witten is on pace for 62 receptions and 689 yards this season. That would be his lowest numbers since his rookie season in 2003. His drop off really started last season when Witten finished with 73 receptions for 851 yards. While those were his lowest numbers in six years, he at least made up for it with eight touchdowns. This season, Witten’s touchdown numbers are down as well.
However, none of that matters to Jason Witten. The Dallas Cowboys are 7-3 heading into their bye week. The last three seasons, Dallas finished with eight wins in each season, finishing .500 each year and missing the playoffs by one game. This season, Dallas needs just two more wins in their last six games to beat that record and unless a complete collapse happens in the final six weeks of the season, the Cowboys are guaranteed their first playoff spot in five years.
“So it’s a winning formula for us so far and that’s why it’s exciting,” Witten said. “It’s always easy for guys to say, ‘Yeah, it’s about the team.’ I think especially when you’re at this point, where I’m at, it’s like, ‘Man, I want to do everything I can to hopefully get a glimpse of what a championship team feels like.’”
The Dallas Cowboys went to the playoffs in Witten’s rookie season and have only been four times in his entire career. Out of those playoff appearances, the Cowboys have won only one playoff game as well. This is the best the Dallas Cowboys have looked, outside of the 2007 season, and the running game is why. That is why DeMarco Murray is the key now and not Witten. If you ask Jason Witten, that is just fine with one of the best tight ends in NFL history.
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Shawn S. Lealos is a freelance writer who graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. He writes for a variety of national publications and has over 15 years of sports journalism experience. Follow Shawn on Twitter @sslealos. Examiner.com.