Lions Insider

The Lions have a pretty good combo of their own in Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler. Pettigrew (6-5, 265) uses his big body well in traffic and is a big target across the middle of the field. Scheffler (6-5, 255) is a little more versatile because of his speed and has the ability to stand up and play the slot if needed.

Pettigrew broke his own franchise record for catches (83) and yards (777) by a tight end this season. He has developed into one of the best young tight ends in the league and had two 100-yard receiving performances this season.

Pettigrew would be the first to admit that he still had too many drops and he was also the most penalized player on the team.

Scheffler’s 26 receptions were the lowest since his rookie season in Denver (18), but his six touchdowns were a career-high. Scheffler was more of a big-play threat than Pettigrew, averaging 13.3 yards per reception.

Pettigrew averaged 9.4 yards per catch and was used a lot in short, ball-control type routes to supplement the offense’s lack of a ground game.

Pettigrew and Scheffler on the field at the same time is a match-up problem for the defense. The Lions utilized Pettigrew and Scheffler up the middle with receiver Calvin Johnson on the outside, which was particularly tough to contain in the red zone.

The Lions ranked second behind only the Patriots in red zone touchdown percentage (66 percent) this season with the tight end position responsible for 11 touchdowns during the regular season.

Reserve tight end Will Heller even got into the act with a 10-yard touchdown catch in the Lions’ playoff loss to the Saints. Heller, who’s used primarily as a blocker, caught six passes during the regular season.

TOP PERFORMER

Pettigrew has rewritten the Lions record books, topping a lot of Hall-of-Fame tight end Charlie Sanders’ single-season records for tight ends.

Pettigrew was second on the team with 83 receptions and finished the year with five touchdowns.

He had 11 catches for 112 yards in the Lions’ 23-20 overtime victory over the Vikings back in September. He had eight catches for 88 yards in the second half of that game.

Pettigrew has to get better when it comes to drops. He’s the type of player who’ll drop an easy one and then come back and make the spectacular catch in traffic the very next play. He needs to more consistent.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford seems to have a lot of trust in his big tight end, using him as a primary target on third down.

BY THE NUMBERS

6: Touchdowns by Scheffler were the most for a Lions tight end since David Sloan had seven in 2001.

11: The 11 catches by Pettigrew against the Vikings was a Lions record for a tight end and only the second time in team history that a tight end registered at least 10 catches in a game. Sanders had 10 against the Redskins on Dec. 15, 1968.

2: Only two tight ends (Pro Bowlers Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski) had more receptions than Pettigrew this season. His 83 catches were the eighth-most of any receiver in the NFL.

LOOKING FORWARD

Pettigrew and Scheffler are under contract through 2013 and Heller is signed through next season.

Pettigrew and Scheffler are securely entrenched as the team’s top two tight ends.

Heller was used as a fullback in some packages in the preseason, but the Lions didn’t implement those packages in the regular season. He is a 10-year veteran and has proven he can step in and make plays. He’s a solid No. 3.

The Lions signed developmental tight end Nathan Overbay to a future contract earlier this month, meaning he’ll participate in offseason workouts. Overbay was on the practice squad this season.