<p>Alge Crumpler sure lived up to the moment.</p><p>After signing a new six-year contract worth about $26 million, the Pro Bowl tight end caught the winning touchdown pass for the Atlanta Falcons in a victory over New Orleans.</p><p>"I didn't want to be standing up here after a losing game," Crumpler said at a news conference Monday to formally announce the deal.</p><p>Crumpler and the Falcons actually signed the contract Saturday, after their final workout for the Saints, but decided to keep it under wraps until the day after the game.</p><p>The Falcons rallied for a 24-21 victory when Michael Vick threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Crumpler with 1:22 remaining. The Falcons (9-2) are on the verge of clinching just the third division title in the team's 39-year history.</p><p>Crumpler's new contract includes a $9 million signing bonus, one of the biggest in franchise history and on par with the deal signed two years ago by Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez, whose seven-year, $31.5 million contract included $10 million in guaranteed money.</p><p>"Gonzalez was up here and everybody else (among tight ends) was down here," said Butch Williams, Crumpler's North Carolina-based agent. "But Alge showed from week to week to week that there wasn't much difference between the second guy and the first guy. Every week, he was helping his team win games. Every week, Vick was throwing to him. His value started to rise."</p><p>After four months of negotiations, the two sides finally agreed on a deal that would keep Crumpler from becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Without a new contract, the Falcons might have been forced to use the "franchise" designation to keep him from leaving.</p><p>While Crumpler made the Pro Bowl last season, his value went up dramatically this season as he developed into Vick's favorite receiver. The 6-foot-2, 262-pound tight end leads the team with 43 receptions for 709 yards and six touchdowns.</p><p>Crumpler is averaging 16.5 yards per catch, far ahead of any other tight end in the NFL with at least 30 receptions and remarkable numbers for a player of his size.</p><p>Also, it's not as if the Atlanta receivers are drawing a lot of attention. Peerless Price has been a major disappointment with only two touchdown catches, and the Dez White has the only other TD reception by a receiver.</p><p>Clearly, Vick and Crumpler are the key players in the Falcons' offense.</p><p>"Guys like Alge and Gonzalez have shown that size along with speed and athleticism is a very tough matchup for any defense," coach Jim Mora said. "If you try to cover them with a linebacker, they're going to have a speed and athleticism advantage. If you try to cover them with a defensive back, who would typically have better speed, then the size becomes a mismatch."</p><p>Crumpler displayed all his attributes on the Falcons' game-winning drive. First, he found a seam in the middle of the Saints' zone and hauled in a 27-yard pass. On the very next play, while Vick was scrambling, Crumpler jostled for position at the goal line with cornerback Jason Craft, who is 4 inches shorter and 75 pounds lighter.</p><p>Boxing out Craft like a basketball player going for a rebound, Crumpler easily made the catch when the defender fell down.</p><p>"I always said the best hands I ever saw belonged to Cris Carter," Mora said. "Well, those are the kind of hands that Alge has. He just swallows the ball. He engulfs it. You're not going to see a big man catch the ball like that very often."</p><p>Crumpler's blocking ability also plays a vital role in the Falcons' running game.</p><p>"I think he's the best football player in the NFL," said teammate T.J. Duckett _ high praise indeed, considering Vick shares the same locker room. "Just look at the difference he makes in the game. There's a lot of great tight ends, but he's the full package."</p><p>Crumpler, who played his college ball at North Carolina, was a second-round pick in 2001 _ the same year the Falcons took Vick with the first overall selection.</p><p>Then-coach Dan Reeves was criticized for using such a high pick on a tight end, but Crumpler turned out to be one of the best bargains of the draft.</p><p>Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Crumpler was adamant about getting a new contract that wouldn't hinder the team's efforts to field a competitive team.</p><p>"One of his concerns was structuring the contract so we could keep the good players we have here," Blank said. "You don't see that a lot. Most of the time, it's what can you do for me."</p><p>The 26-year-old Crumpler said his main goal is helping the Falcons win their first Super Bowl.</p><p>"I have accomplished a lot of things individually," he said. "But I've never been on a championship team. I want to be the type of guy that the other guys lean on."</p>
