It has been a frustrating season for Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, but it looks like he’ll have a chance to start changing that on Sunday against the Jets.
Gates practiced fully for the first time all week on Friday and is listed as questionable for the Week Seven matchup. Gates hasn’t played since Week Two because of a foot injury. There’s been some thought that the Chargers pushed Gates too far too fast in the first two games, something Gates agreed with on Friday.
“I was dealing with it from the beginning of the year,” Gates said, via NBC San Diego. “I think when you’re dealing with something like that, you want to try and pick and choose. Do the things that are necessary to continue to stay healthy ... Unfortunately, I was able to continue to rupture it.”
Norv Turner has indicated that Gates will play a limited number of snaps. You’d imagine that those snaps would include any plays in the red zone, giving the Chargers an important target on Sunday. Darrelle Revis will likely be covering Vincent Jackson, leaving Gates as a tough matchup for the Jets defense to stop if they are going to improve to 4-3.