Sometimes a player's impact on the game doesn't show up in the box score

On a post earlier today, I mentioned Antonio Gates, a five-time Pro Bowl TE for the Chargers.

Then I come across a story here in the San Diego paper about how Gates, who is almost always double-teamed, deals with teams game-planning to take him out of the game.

“When it first happened, I was kind of frustrated. As I matured as a player, I (came to) understand that sometimes your impact on the game doesn't necessarily come statistically. The fact that you get double-teamed and that they take you out of the game has just as big an impact as a guy catching a pass.

Patience now, for me, is real important. There are going to be times when I go without getting an attempt and I have to be patient, understanding that as long as we hit other areas offensively, eventually this thing will open up and I can make a play. And when my number is called, be ready to make a play.”