NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -Justin Gage took all the offseason criticism of Tennessee’s receivers personally.
Now he’s finally showing the rest of the NFL why the Titans didn’t need to sign a big-name player or draft a hotshot wide receiver.
The six-year veteran had one of his best games yet last week, catching four passes for a career-high 147 yards. Gage also had the first multi-TD game of his career and the most yards receiving by a Titans player since Drew Bennett had 160 against Oakland on Dec. 19, 2004.
“It’s irritating to hear when everybody around the league, media saying the Titans don’t have receivers. They don’t have this, they don’t have that,” Gage said Wednesday. “At that point, there was nothing we could do but wait for the season. Now that opportunity is here.”
Dallas’ Terrell Owens and Denver’s Brandon Stokley for the highest percentage of catches to move the chains.
He led the Titans with 750 yards receiving, earning himself a four-year contract extension in February.
“We felt like all he needed was an opportunity,” Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. “We gave it to him, he made the plays. That’s what he did for us last year. A lot of big plays, a lot of tough catches. That’s why it was important for us to re-sign him.”
Jets running back Thomas Jones, who played with Gage in Chicago, couldn’t be happier for his good friend, even though they meet on Sunday when New York (7-3) visits Tennessee (10-0).
“Sometimes when people get a change of scenery, it bodes well for them. I think that was the situation with Justin, he just needed a change of scenery. I’m happy for him, and he’s doing a really good job this year,” Jones said in a conference call.
Gage was slowed by injuries this season. First, a groin injury forced him to miss a win Sept. 21 against Houston, then he sprained his right knee and sat out games against Baltimore and Kansas City with a bye in between. He managed only one catch in his first two games back.
“Mentally, I was telling myself I can do this and this. Physically, I couldn’t get there,” Gage said. “Finally, I feel like mentally and physically I’m at the same point on the same page. It definitely feels good.”
ught four passes in a win at Chicago with one for a TD, which he admitted felt good to silence some of his old critics.
But he was at his best with Kerry Collins in Jacksonville. They opened the game by connecting on a 47-yarder. In the third quarter, Gage beat a defender down the sideline for a 56-yard TD that put the Titans ahead to stay and then clinched the victory with a 38-yard score.
“He’s really stepped up the past couple weeks,” Collins said. “Obviously coming off the knee injury, he’s kind of getting his feet back under him. He’s definitely back to the ’12-Gage’ that we all know. Really made a couple really great plays the other night … so he’s definitely getting back to form.”
And yes, the guy who was a three-time All-Big 12 pick with Missouri is enjoying himself in the NFL.
“Now I’m getting to live that dream,” he said.
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