Photo Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Today we take a look at how the Detroit Lions’ tight ends performed during the 2012 season with a little help from the fine folks at Pro Football Focus.

The radar chart below shows the Pro Football Focus grades for the Lions’ tight ends that played at least 25% of team snaps and compares them to the best, worst and league average ratings. PFF grades each player on each play to produce a massively useful tool for evaluating the totality of a player’s season compared to others at his position.

2012 Season Review
Your highest rated Detroit Lions tight end for the 2012 season is… Will Heller! And therein lies the problem with the Detroit Lions’ tight ends. It’s not a knock against Heller. He has done a fine job with what the Lions have asked him to do. It’s just that they should be getting more from the players they ask more from. Heller’s +2.4 pass block rating from Pro Football Focus was sixth best among tight ends that played at least 25% of team snaps. Season stats: 17 rec, 150 yards, 1 TD.

Tony Scheffler – Letj’s be honest, Tony Scheffler has one role on this team and that is to catch passes. He isn’t a prototypical tight end and he’ll be split out wide in most offensive sets. He provides value when he is making catches, ideally for first downs and touchdowns. He did just that in 2011 but not as much in 2012. His touchdown total fell from six to one and his percentage of catches going for first downs dropped from 77% in 2011 to 67% in 2012. Season stats: 42 rec, 504 yards, 1 TD.

Brandon Pettigrew – It was a rather forgettable season for Brandon Pettigrew. His ball security issues continued, both with drops and turnovers. He had costly fumbles against the Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans that helped turn those games for the opponent and was among the tight end league leaders in drops. Injuries didn’t help as Pettigrew missed a couple games and lacked the ability to separate from defenders when he did play. In total, it came out to a -10 passing game rating from Pro Football Focus. Only Kellen Davis was worse. He was somewhat effective as a pass blocker (+1.6) but offset that with his run blocking (-1.6). Season stats: 59 rec, 567 yards, 3 TD.

Offseason Plan
Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler each have one year remaining on their contracts so they will both be back barring another front office search for change in the couch cushions. Scheffler will need to be counted on for a big role in the passing offense with injuries taking a toll on the Lions wide receiver depth. He is a one-dimensional tight end so he needs to excel in that dimension.

Pettigrew might be facing a make-or-break season in the last year of his rookie contract. It’s time to show that he can put the drops behind him and, more importantly, not fumble the ball once he has made a catch. The selection of Brandon Pettigrew was sold to the fans as a pick that would help the Lions in the running game and passing game. Pettigrew’s problems in the passing game are well documented but it has been two full season since Pettigrew could be seen as an asset to the Lions’ ground attack. Injuries are partly to blame for limiting Pettigrew’s effectiveness in 2012. This offseason is all about getting healthy in hopes of proving to the Lions that they can count on him as part of their team going forward.

Ideally, Pettigrew is the do-everything tight end the Lions envisioned when they drafted him but he hasn’t been that yet so Will Heller’s role has been more important than it probably should be. He was the team’s best blocking tight end in 2012 and showed the ability to catch the football once in a while. The Lions should be able to easily bring him back at a low cost, but might be wise to do so only after seeing if they can add Alabama tight end Michael Williams as a very late draft choice.

Previously: Wide Receivers, Offensive Tackles, Guards, Center

*Those that have been around the Detroit Lions blogosphere for a while may recognize the approach presented as similar to Ty Schalter’s ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ series on The Lions in Winter. Don’t worry, he’s cool with what I’m doing here and has assured me that he’ll be back with Old Mother Hubbard later in the offseason.

Oct 16, 2011; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew (87) is congratulated by quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) after catching a pass for a touchdown in the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber- US PRESSWIRE

If someone told me that Matthew Stafford would throw for 329 yards, complete 67% of his throws, throw 3 TDs and that Calvin Johnson would notch a career best, 12 catches for 207 yards and a TD on the road, my first reaction would be “Lions victory!”

Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, as the Minnesota Vikings finished off a sweep of the Lions last Sunday.  The Lions desperately need players not named Megatron to contribute more.  And quickly, because the big and bad Green Bay Packers come to town this week.

Since Wednesday is the day position coaches give out the weekly game plan, I decided to do some quality control work.  Something that has caught my attention while studying the Lions offense through the first nine games is the lack of production from the tight end position.

Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler have to be more involved in the game plan.  Particularly this week vs a Packers team who will be without 3 of their 4 original starting linebackers.  The Lions are 1-3 vs the Packers over the last 4 matchups.  The only win came when Drew Stanton was at the helm, in a week 14 matchup December 12, 2010.  I will leave that game out of this discussion due to the fact the Lions were 65% run to 35% pass that afternoon.  I did however look over my notes from the 3 remaining games and found that the tight ends were heavily involved in the game plan.

November 20, 2011; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions tight end Tony Scheffler (85) celebrates after a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers at Ford Field. Lions won 49-35. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-US PRESSWIRE

In a week 4 matchup on October 3, 2010, Scott Linehan called 34 plays out of a total of 77 plays in 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs).  In that game, the tight ends had 14 catches for 154 yards on a total of 21 targets.  In a week 12 matchup November 24, 2011, Scott Linehan didn’t call the tight ends’ number as much.  The offensive coordinator called only 16 plays out of a total of 66 plays in 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs).  In that game, the tight ends had 6 catches for 40 yards on a total of 10 targets.  In a week 17 matchup January 1, 2012, Linehan called on the tight ends once again.  Of the 78 total plays that afternoon, 36 came out of 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs).  The tight ends tallied 11 catches for 181 yards on 17 total targets.  Pettigrew and Scheffler are primed for a big day if their number is called.

After looking over the first nine games of the season, the tight end production has not been there.  Granted the insertion of rookie OT Riley Reiff into the lineup, as an extra tight end, has hindered the production, there is still no excuse.  Across the board, the production from the tight ends in wins and losses are just about the same with the exception of yards gained.  In the team’s four wins, the tight ends production stands at 53 targets, 30 catches, and 385 yards.  In the team’s five losses, the tight ends production stands at 50 targets, 29 catches, and 250 yards.

With all the attention that Calvin Johnson receives, the tight ends should see very favorable matchups down the seams and in the hash area.  They have to force defenses to account for them in the passing game.  And Linehan has to do a better job of getting them in position to do so.

“You put a real tough tight end with good hands in the hash area, and there won’t be anyone who can cover him.  Then you really control the passing game.” – Sid Gillman, father of the modern passing game.

Sep 9, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions tight end Tony Scheffler (85) gets away form St. Louis Rams free safety Quintin Mikell (27) and defensive end Robert Quinn (94)in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-US Presswire

The release of the official injury report can sometimes bring surprises and that was certainly the case today. The names on the injury report had been consistent all week and it looked wouldn’t change with today’s final practice before the game against the Titans. Unfortunately, with the Lions apparently snake-bitten at cornerback, a new name has emerged: Jacob Lacey.

Lacey was able to practice today, thus the reason for the surprise in seeing his name on the injury report, albeit in a limited role. He is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a toe injury. Corey Williams is also listed as questionable due to a knee injury. Williams practiced today in a limited role for the first time all week.

More bad news comes with the doubful designations. Louis Delmas is not a surprise since he has been listed as doubtful through the first two games and still hasn’t been able to practice. Travis Lewis is also doubtful with his quad injury. The biggest news is that Tony Scheffler has been deemed doubtful to play after a calf injury kept him from practicing this week. It would be a blow to the Lions offense if Scheffler can’t play but could be an opportunity for rookie wide receiver Ryan Broyles to see some offensive snaps.

Bill Bentley (concussion), Chris Houston (ankle) and Calvin Johnson (ankle) are all listed as probable and all are expected to play against the Titans.

By NFL definition, players have the following percentage chance of playing in a game based on their designation:
Out = Player will not play
Doubtful = 25% chance a player will play
Questionable = 50% chance a player will play
Probable = 75% chance a player will play