On Sunday, Zach Ertz broke Jason Witten's record for most receptions by a tight end in a season. He has also earned his second straight Pro Bowl selection. Ertz is currently third this season in receiving yards among tight ends. Is he the best tight end in the game today? I’ll let him answer that in this week's edition of Gunn-on-One.
Q: There seems to be this controversy for a few weeks. Tell me why this offense seems to be more efficient with Nick Foles under center?
A: I don’t know if its a controversy in our eyes. Carson is the franchise quarterback. Nick is an outstanding quarterback. We’ve been able to run the ball more efficiently. Against the Texans we didn’t run the ball great, but we were able to make plays in the passing game. Everyone’s playing at a really faster rate right now, and guys are just playing for one another. We were always banging on the door close to being a really good offense. The first 11 weeks of the year we just really couldn’t put it together for an entire game. There would be stretches where we’d out up a lot of points, and stretches we couldn’t do anything. I think know lately we’ve been able to put it together.
Q: What’s it like being in the position of needing help to get into the playoffs?
A: It’s tough. In this game, in life, you want to new able to control your own destiny. You want to be able to say, 'hey, if we do this, we’ll get this in return.' Unfortunately in life it doesn’t always work out like that. Being a Type A person like myself, I struggle with that consistently. But the only thing that matters is for us to go out there on Sunday and win a football game. because if we don’t go out there and win, it's all for naught. It doesn’t matter what happens in the other game. All we can do is focus on us, and hopefully go down to Washington and get a win.
Q: I want you to be 100 percent honest with me. Are you the best tight end in the game right now?
A: (Laughs) That’s for you guys to decide. I would put myself up there with anyone. I love the game of all the other guys playing right now. But I think I’m playing at a high level too. I just try to put wins on tape consistently whether it be in the run game or the pass game. Whether the ball comes to me or not. I’m just trying to be the best I can. The comparison is for everyone that has a Twitter. Everyone that writes about it in the media. My game probably isn’t as flashy as some of those other guys at times. I’m just trying to be the best Philadelphia Eagles tight end I can be.
NFL
For more of my Gunn-on-One conversation with Ertz, tune in Sunday to Eagles Pregame Live beginning at 3 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia or watch it on the MyTeams App.
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