Like It Or Not: Terrell Owens Is Still A Force In This League
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 12:47PM Joe Simmons 
Like him or not, Terrell Owens made his point. He's nowhere near finished.
The 36-year-old receiver had trouble finding a team that would take him this off-season, something he took as a snub. The Cincinnati Bengals finally signed him, and now he's their leading receiver.
One of the league's best, too.
Owens has had a couple of very explosive games this year. Earlier this year Owens had 10 catches for 222 yards against Cleveland. In that game he also moved into second place on the career list for yards receiving, trailing only former 49ers teammate Jerry Rice. He became the oldest receiver in NFL history to have a 200-yard game, and the only one this season.
Owens performance has served as an eye-opener for a lot of people out there that have said a lot of negative things about him. I have heard everything about him from the fact that he has lost a step, or he just can't play.
Quite honestly I was baffled at the way teams ignored him after Buffalo let him go following his one season there. The Bengals gave him a tryout, and then signed Antonio Bryant instead. Bryant's knee prevented him from being ready for training camp, so Cincinnati signed Owens to take his spot opposite Chad Ochocinco.
Owens obviously wanted to prove something to the teams that passed on him.
Last nights game against the Steelers reminded us of how dangerous Owens still is at age 36. The Steelers strategy was just like the Browns as they early decided to double-team Ochocinco, a blitz quarterback Carson Palmer and left Owens with single coverage much of the time. He tore it up. Owens caught passes on short and intermediate routes, and he also had a couple of big play touchdowns prompting a lot of people on twitter to recognize he still had some in the tank. Owens finished with more that 140 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
He did it all, from rallying the troops to keep playing and to keeping people’s heads into the game. I am sure that none of it surprised Palmer, who lobbied the front office to sign Owens after they worked out together in California during the summer. Palmer is impressed with how hard Owens works during the week.
"I think if there is one thing that has put him where he is in the history of the league, it's his work ethic,"Palmer said. "He doesn't take a day off, doesn't take a practice off. There's a lot of guys once they get past 32, 33, they kind of slow themselves down and back off on Wednesdays and Thursdays. He wants to run as many routes as possible. He wants to run every one full speed."
Owens moved ahead of Isaac Bruce into second place on the career list in receiving yards. Rice had 22,895 yards in 20 seasons, playing until he was 42 years old. Rice also holds the career record for catches with 1,549. Owens is fifth, trailing Rice, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter and Tim Brown. Owens also became the third player in history with 150 receiving touchdowns along with Randy Moss and Jerry Rice.
Say what you like about the man, but the player can still get it done. He is putting up numbers now despite his team being 2 - 6. No doubting my mind that Terrell Eldorado Owens is a Hall of Famer. No doubt at all!
Stay breezy I’m out…
Reader Comments (4)
Bittersweet. The man is showing the world he can still play, but the team is not winning games.
Yeah he can ball still. Kinda upset he isn't in Dallas. He could shoulder the blame and everyone would be waiting for the press conference.
The man still commands the double team. I wish he and McNabb could have made it work. They were born to play together.
@ Kenny - That sounds a little salty but true.
@ Jesse - I hated to see him go but that was never going to work without a strong head coach.
@ Aaron - That is my only gripe with the man. He and Donovan ruined something special. I bet if he could do it all over again he would. The Eagles are a little to blame but TO took it too far. If they would have just paid the man he may never have thrown Donovan under the bus. McNabb and TO are two of my favorite players and I hated to see them when they were at it. But it is what it is. I still think they both can play.