The coveted skill for any receiver is their contested catch ability. And the Jets' TE Mason Taylor at 6-5, 251 has it.
Exhibit A came against Miami last Sunday when Taylor made a leaping catch over CB Jason Marshall to complete a 13-yard scoring toss from QB Geno Smith. Now in his second season with the Green & White after being drafted out of LSU, Taylor said he had concrete goals after hauling in 11-of-14 contested catches last season (78.6%), among the best number among tight ends who had at least 10 chances.
"Number one, being more consistent in the run game," Taylor said a few days after his 5 receptions for 62 yards (12.4 per), 2 TD and a 2-point conversion performance. "And then my run-after-catch ability. I feel like I still need to improve that part of my game."
Beyond those numbers, Taylor had an impressive overall performance: A long gain of 20 yards, 4 first downs, 2 third-down and a fourth-down conversion. Pro Football Focus gave him the highest grade, 93.3, among all tight ends in Week 7 games.
"What a day it was for Mason Taylor," NFL analyst Brian Baldinger said in his critique of Taylor's day. "He showed up over and over again despite the defense not making it easy on him."
Jets HC Aaron Glenn was equally impressed.
See photos of the Jets on the practice field ahead of their Week 8 matchup with the Raiders.
"One thing I thought that he did a hell of a job in training camp was just run out the catch, of being able to catch, get up field, and be able to make yardage," Glenn said. "And now what's really coming out is the ability [where] you can just throw it up to him and be able to make a catch. He always had that. The thing is he's getting better at it."
On his first TD catch, Taylor, who led the Jets' tight end group with 37 snaps (63%), said he used his internal timer to adjust his route.
"It was a corner route, I remember just inside releasing, and I was going to do a little move at the top, but I felt like my inside time, you always have an inside timer against pass rush in the NFL, kind of just when you're supposed to be in your spot," Taylor said. "So I just bent it. Wasn't anything kind of crazy to route. But then Geno gave me a chance to go up and get the ball. I just knew how to make a play.
"A laser focus on the ball, you kind of shut everything out. I knew I had to go back a little bit and attack the ball."
With Taylor facing the quarterback with the defender in front of him with a shot at thwarting the play, he showed off his contested catch ability, grabbing the 50/50 ball for his first TD of the season.
His 20-yard catch from Smith in the fourth quarter led to a Jason Sanders field goal, then later in the quarter Taylor ran a corner route with Smith dropping in a perfect 12-yard pass that only Taylor could get to. He capped his day by tip-toeing on the sideline on the subsequent 2-point conversion to get the Jets within 3 points.
"It's what we've seen from him," Smith said of Taylor. "He's made those plays throughout camp. Again, when he was out, other guys had stepped up, but we know what he brings to the table. So, whenever we get opportunities for Mason to make those plays, we're going to give him a shot. He's shown and proven that he can make it happen."
Overall this season, in 5 games (Taylor missed two games with a thumb injury), he has 14 catches from 18 targets for 117 yards, 31 yards after catches.
Taylor is among a closely knit group of talented tight ends -- rookie Kenyon Sadiq, veteran Jeremy Ruckert and the 6-7 Jelani Woods -- who give the Jets and OC Frank Reich myriad options in the pass and run game.
"We have a great group," Taylor said. "That's one of the best parts about playing football. It's the brotherhood in the locker room, but also the brotherhood, I believe, in the tight end room, is really strong. We're all best friends in there, including Andrew Beck, our fullback slash tight end.
"And we always have a blast, and we all have different kinds of talents and attributes. The coaches do a great job of putting us on the field ... getting the matchups we need to win games."
He added: "People joke about it all the time. We're always walking around in the facility, going to lunch together, and walking back to the locker room together. Everyone's joking around, saying 'those damn tight ends, what y'all doing?' We're always moving, always moving together."
