Jordan Reed is the reason the Washington Redskins sit atop the NFC East.
That un-nuanced take paints with a broad brush. It's also true.
Sunday's 24-21 win over the Chicago Bears came thanks to Reed's hands, feet and shoulders. The tight end was unguardable, making linebackers look like rooted plants and bowling over any defensive back who got in his way. On the Redskins' three touchdown drives, Reed had catches of 17 yards, 28 yards and 32 yards to set up the scores.
To call Reed a scoring catalyst is putting it mildly.
"As I've said before, and said every week, I don't know nobody who can guard that young man," left tackle Trent Williams said, via the Washington Post. "When he's on, he's on and it's tough to stop. I think he's definitely the best receiving tight end in the NFL, hands down. I think he's having a Pro Bowl year."
Whoa, whoa, whoa. While Reed has been fantastic, there is Gronk and then there is everyone else. Greg Olsen, Tyler Eifert and Delanie Walker could also claim a seat at the best pass-catching tight end table ahead of Reed.
Regardless of rankings, no tight end in 2015 outside of Gronk is as vital to his team's playoff hopes as Reed is for Washington. In a Week 12 win over the Giants, Reed had 98 yards on eight caches. On Sunday, he had 120 on nine and a touchdown. In the loss to Dallas between those performances, he had three catches for 33.
Kirk Cousins needs an active, productive Reed for the offense to function. Shut down Reed and the whole operation goes kaput.
Finally healthy for a long stretch, Reed is proving to be a game-changing weapon for Washington. With a contest against the Buffalo Bills, and divisional matchups with Philadelphia and Dallas remaining, the Redskins need the dynamite tight end to keep dominating like he did Sunday if they are to take home the division crown.
