It didn’t take long for Jets tight end Dustin Keller to draft an impressive playoff resume.
In his postseason debut last year, Keller scored a touchdown in each of the team’s three games — one each against the Bengals, Chargers and Colts.
Three games, 12 catches, three TDs. That works.
The latter score came in a loss in the AFC title game in Indianapolis, which also was a Keller homecoming. The Lafayette, Ind., native, who played at Purdue, grew up a Colts fan.
“They put us out last year, and our goal is to win the Super Bowl,” he said yesterday, “and the first stop there is Indianapolis.”
Nobody with Gang Green is going to complain if Keller makes it four straight playoff games with a score, but his primary goal is a second-round trip to New England to face the Patriots.
“A touchdown would be great,” he said, “but it’s all about the win, whatever it takes to win, whether that’s just running the ball every single play, then that’s fine with me. We’ve just got to get out of this game with a W.”
The Jets have made it this far without Keller making any end zone visits of late. He hauled in five scores this year, but none since Week 4.
Keller did tie for fourth among tight ends with 11 catches of at least 20 yards, and he finished the season with a team-high 55 grabs overall. But in his last seven games, Keller has eclipsed four catches or 50 yards just once — when he reeled in seven grabs for 79 yards against the Bears in Week 16. Yet Keller insists he and quarterback Mark Sanchez are on the same page.
“Mark and I are playing better together now than we ever were before. And what better time than the playoffs?” Keller said. “Last year in the playoffs, that’s when we were playing our best football together, and hopefully we can replicate that this year.”
Additional reporting by Steve Serby.