The writer tells part of the story, but not all of it. Then the writer uses what he does say to throw a little shade at the coaching, suggesting that Atwell should run more screens where he can utilize his speed.
I always thought that screens were most effective when the receiver followed his blocking - which might be slower than the receiver. And I seem to recall many screen plays that collapsed when the receiver outran his blocking. But I'm just a fan. And I couldn't possibly know as much as a professional sportswriter.
Another thing not mentioned: Tutu has the catch radius of a milk bucket. That factor alone undoubtedly influences how he is used and schemed for. And he's not built to go up for contested balls on the sidelines or routes over the middle where his stature causes him to be bumped off routes or doesn't help him to get inside position on a defender. Cooper and Puka can do that. Tutu can't. Moreover, Puka is becoming a valuable and physical blocker.
Tutu can run second-man-through a zone assignmemts effectively and must be respected when he goes deep. He's becoming more useful in pulling coverage away from other receivers, being used in stacks, other things not related directly to his atrget count. If the D is taking him away that means somebody else might be getting open, And there's value in that. This writer misses the opportunity to say those things instead of throwing shade at the coach because Cooper Kupp gets more targets than Tutu Atwell.
But then I'm just a fan and not a professional expert sports writer.
