Chiefs Covitz: In second year, Jalil Brown turns a corner for the Chiefs - Page 4

**Tribal Warfare** · 08-09-2012, 02:05 AM

In second year, Jalil Brown turns a corner for the Chiefs
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
A year ago, Chiefs cornerback Jalil Brown wouldn’t have been ready for this.

Because the lockout kept teams from holding offseason programs or minicamps, Brown, like most of last year’s rookies, was not prepared for the demands of an NFL training camp, much less seeing substantial playing time at the start of the preseason.

But one year later, Brown is playing with confidence and moxie. A foot injury to Brandon Flowers early in camp elevated Brown to the starting left cornerback position.

When Flowers lined up at left corner during the Tuesday morning walk-through, Brown slid over to right cornerback in place of Stanford Routt, a free-agent acquisition. But Flowers was back on the sidelines on Wednesday, so it appears Brown will start at left corner on Friday night in the preseason opener against Arizona.

“Jalil has some flexibility,” head coach Romeo Crennel said. “He’s made some plays in practice. We’ll probably roll him in just a little bit more so we can get a better look at him. I would have to say that what he’s done deserves more look.

“He’s more confident because I think he understands the system. He understands what it takes to play the game. Last year, he didn’t really know what it took to play the game. I saw improvement toward the end of the year, particularly on special teams. That’s where his improvement showed up … his effort, his toughness, as well.”

Brown, the Chiefs’ fourth-round pick from Colorado in 2011, discovered it took more than raw athletic ability to play cornerback in the NFL.

“Last year, I didn’t realize it at the time, but without having the OTAs and minicamps, that definitely set me back a ton,” Brown said. “I didn’t realize how much I was at a disadvantage.

“I had to learn how to be a professional going through the year, and going through OTAs, I learned what it takes to go in the training room and get ready and how to spend extra time in the film room.”

Brown, who is from Phoenix, is especially looking forward to Friday night’s game against his hometown Cardinals. He matched up against Cardinals superstar receiver Larry Fitzgerald in the teams’ joint practice on Tuesday and could be defending Fitzgerald on Friday, depending on how much the Arizona starters play.

“When you go against a receiver of that caliber, you learn what you have to do to compete with him,” Brown said of Fitzgerald. “I’ll be ready to go. I know now the coaches have me playing both sides. They throw me in left or right, whichever will help the team, I’ll do it.”

Fitzgerald took notice of Brown during Tuesday’s practice and was surprised to hear he had so little experience at the NFL level.

“He’s in his second year?” Fitzgerald said. “He’s physical, he has good ball skills … he broke up a couple balls on me. He’s an impressive athlete.”

Brown, 6-1, 204, honed his coverage skills at Colorado, facing the likes of Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin and Denario Alexander, Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon, and Texas’ Jordan Shipley, among others.

But at Colorado, he was the other corner. Most attention was focused on the Buffaloes’ Jimmy Smith, who was taken in the first round by Baltimore. That worked to Brown’s advantage.

“We came in the same year, so we were competing since day one and working our way up to our senior year,” said Brown, who made 28 starts in his college career and intercepted six passes, including a team-high three in 2010.

“It helped me to play with a little chip on my shoulder, because when we were playing, I was trying to be the best out there, and he was doing the same, so to see him get some recognition made me want to try harder, and that, in turn, helped me perform better and get some looks.”

Brown appeared in 14 games as a rookie with the Chiefs last year and ranked second on the team with eight special-teams tackles, plus he recovered a fumble on a kickoff return against the Jets.

“Early on, there’s no telling when you’re going to get out there on offense or defense as a rookie, so your first mark is to get out there on special teams, and that’s exactly what I was trying to do,” Brown said. “Fortunately for me, at the end of the season, I started to figure out things a little bit and started to come along. Special teams helped me perform better and get some confidence.”

Brown also was a quick study behind Flowers and Brandon Carr, the Chiefs’ starter at right cornerback who signed with Dallas as an unrestricted free agent this year.

“It was great to play behind them,” Brown said. “There were little small things I watched and learned from them, talked with them … little tips they gave me, how to align, how to stay square, how to play different receivers different ways.

“You can’t go out there with the same technique against every guy because every technique has a weakness, so you have to have multiple (skills) to use against them.”

saphojunkie · 08-09-2012, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Those guys just aren't carryovers, though. They're the CORE of this team. Who are Pioli's seven best drafted players?

Eric Berry
Jon Baldwin
Tyson Jackson
Tony Moeaki
Kendrick Lewis
Jon Asamoah
Jovan Belcher

Berry's a worthy franchise cornerstone. And I'm going to go ahead and put Baldwin in that category as well- I'm convinced. Everybody else... meeehhhh

And yes, I know Belcher wasn't drafted

Dude. - Rodney Hudson and Justin Houston?

And once again, I will have to make the argument that DJ and Hali under the Pioli regime and Romeo's defense are light years beyond the Carl Peterson years.

Peterson might have bought the groceries, but Pioli hired the chef. I'm calling those two guys a wash.

Bowe? No, he's always been awesome.

saphojunkie · 08-09-2012, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Then it only further proves my point that whatever success Pioli has enjoyed in Kansas City can be chalked up to Carl Peterson's/Bill Kuharich's drafts

This is reeruned.

Everyone was calling Derrick Johnson a bust until the regime change. Tamba Hali was on the historically worst pass rush before the 3-4 changed his career.

When it came time for Peterson to pay his leading pass rusher, he traded him to Minnesota. Pioli paid his.

Jamaal Charles exploded after Pioli got rid of Larry Johnson. Yeah, let's all just gloss over Peterson drafting Larry Johnson. And why? To keep from paying Priest Holmes.

Pioli has had nothing close to the epic abortion that was Ryan Sims. Or Junior Siavii. Or any of the litany of busts that Peterson drafted.

Quit saying that Pioli has only turned this team around based on 7 guys that happened to be good players after a decade of Peterson drafts. I guarantee that, if Tony Gonzalez weren't desperate for a ring, it would have been 8 players. Fine.

But come on, this is getting silly. Carl Peterson ALSO had a defense with Dorsey, DJ, Hali, and Flowers. He had an offense with Bowe, Charles, and Albert. Guess what? THEY ALL SUCKED.

mcaj22 · 08-09-2012, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

I've seen you bitching about how Travis Daniels is still on the team, and how we need an upgrade from him ASAP.

being that Travis Daniels is the only guy that can play the outside if Flowers or Routt go down. I wouldnt mind an upgrade over Jalil Brown or Jacque ****ing turd stain Reeves.

This is evident by the fact if Eric Berry has to or wants to take reps going outside to the LOS and cover a teams best WR in Larry Fitz, then we are in trouble for outside cover guys.

It's very Charles Woodson-like. He had to do that on the Packers for years because their CBs couldnt cover

**RealSNR** · 08-09-2012, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

Dude. - Rodney Hudson and Justin Houston?

Bowe? No, he's always been awesome.

Hudson/Houston and everybody else is still an unknown. If you want, go ahead and replace Mobukakke with Houston. The list comparison still doesn't change.

And I think it was patteeu who was talking about Peterson's picks being older and thus enjoying more production. Well, it takes time for draft picks to produce, but even in their "shitty" stages as players, all of those guys were at least starting and making significant contributions to the team.

And yes, Bowe always HAS been awesome. You are correct.

**RealSNR** · 08-09-2012, 05:12 PM

Also, can you imagine Pioli drafting any of those guys besides Hali?

Bowe? Flowers? Albert? The guard with the size and technique to play tackle but needed to make a big adjustment? Dorsey? Pioli would have passed on all of them. He would have passed on Derrick Johnson, too, but the one player he could have drafted instead (Aaron Rodgers) very likely would not have even been considered. Pioli probably would have traded for Drew Bledsoe.

None of those players are Patriot Way. It's taken ****ing years for Pioli to warm up to them and realize that they are quite valuable to the team.

Marcellus · 08-09-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

This is reeruned.

Everyone was calling Derrick Johnson a bust until the regime change. Tamba Hali was on the historically worst pass rush before the 3-4 changed his career.

When it came time for Peterson to pay his leading pass rusher, he traded him to Minnesota. Pioli paid his.

Jamaal Charles exploded after Pioli got rid of Larry Johnson. Yeah, let's all just gloss over Peterson drafting Larry Johnson. And why? To keep from paying Priest Holmes.

Pioli has had nothing close to the epic abortion that was Ryan Sims. Or Junior Siavii. Or any of the litany of busts that Peterson drafted.

Quit saying that Pioli has only turned this team around based on 7 guys that happened to be good players after a decade of Peterson drafts. I guarantee that, if Tony Gonzalez weren't desperate for a ring, it would have been 8 players. Fine.

But come on, this is getting silly. Carl Peterson ALSO had a defense with Dorsey, DJ, Hali, and Flowers. He had an offense with Bowe, Charles, and Albert. Guess what? THEY ALL SUCKED.

I condone this message.

Marcellus · 08-09-2012, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Also, can you imagine Pioli drafting any of those guys besides Hali?

Bowe? Flowers? Albert? The guard with the size and technique to play tackle but needed to make a big adjustment? Dorsey? Pioli would have passed on all of them. He would have passed on Derrick Johnson, too, but the one player he could have drafted instead (Aaron Rodgers) very likely would not have even been considered. Pioli probably would have traded for Drew Bledsoe.

None of those players are Patriot Way. It's taken ****ing years for Pioli to warm up to them and realize that they are quite valuable to the team.

Wildly speculate much?

You are steeeeeeetching some shit paper thin here.

**RealSNR** · 08-09-2012, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Wildly speculate much?

You are steeeeeeetching some shit paper thin here.

Technically all hypothetical conjecture is speculation. I have to speculate if I want to arrive at a conclusion on this topic.

Marcellus · 08-09-2012, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNR

Technically all hypothetical conjecture is speculation. I have to speculate if I want to arrive at a conclusion on this topic.

You missed the wildly part. I mean really dude there's not much evidence to support your claims or vice versa, its simply opinion based off thin air.

**RealSNR** · 08-09-2012, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcellus

You missed the wildly part. I mean really dude there's not much evidence to support your claims or vice versa, its simply opinion based off thin air.

Yeah. Pioli would totally draft Dwayne Bowe

Sorter · 08-09-2012, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcaj22

being that Travis Daniels is the only guy that can play the outside if Flowers or Routt go down. I wouldnt mind an upgrade over Jalil Brown or Jacque ****ing turd stain Reeves.

This is evident by the fact if Eric Berry has to or wants to take reps going outside to the LOS and cover a teams best WR in Larry Fitz, then we are in trouble for outside cover guys.

It's very Charles Woodson-like. He had to do that on the Packers for years because their CBs couldnt cover

Charles Woodson is a CB, dumbass.

mcaj22 · 08-09-2012, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorter

Charles Woodson is a CB, dumbass.

He plays freelance safety, idiot

Brock · 08-09-2012, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sorter

Charles Woodson is a CB, dumbass.

LOL

Sorter · 08-09-2012, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcaj22

He plays freelance safety, idiot

No, he plays corner in their base 3-4. They rotate him to safety occasionally but typically play him out of the nickel in their sub sets. Do you watch football games?

Sorter · 08-09-2012, 05:49 PM

And the reason he got as many reps at safety as he did last year was due to Nick Collin's neck injury.

08-09-2012, 02:05 AM
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2787187	Covitz: In second year, Jalil Brown turns a corner for the Chiefs In second year, Jalil Brown turns a corner for the Chiefs By RANDY COVITZ The Kansas City Star A year ago, Chiefs cornerback Jalil Brown wouldn’t have been ready for this. Because the lockout kept teams from holding offseason programs or minicamps, Brown, like most of last year’s rookies, was not prepared for the demands of an NFL training camp, much less seeing substantial playing time at the start of the preseason. But one year later, Brown is playing with confidence and moxie. A foot injury to Brandon Flowers early in camp elevated Brown to the starting left cornerback position. When Flowers lined up at left corner during the Tuesday morning walk-through, Brown slid over to right cornerback in place of Stanford Routt, a free-agent acquisition. But Flowers was back on the sidelines on Wednesday, so it appears Brown will start at left corner on Friday night in the preseason opener against Arizona. “Jalil has some flexibility,” head coach Romeo Crennel said. “He’s made some plays in practice. We’ll probably roll him in just a little bit more so we can get a better look at him. I would have to say that what he’s done deserves more look. “He’s more confident because I think he understands the system. He understands what it takes to play the game. Last year, he didn’t really know what it took to play the game. I saw improvement toward the end of the year, particularly on special teams. That’s where his improvement showed up … his effort, his toughness, as well.” Brown, the Chiefs’ fourth-round pick from Colorado in 2011, discovered it took more than raw athletic ability to play cornerback in the NFL. “Last year, I didn’t realize it at the time, but without having the OTAs and minicamps, that definitely set me back a ton,” Brown said. “I didn’t realize how much I was at a disadvantage. “I had to learn how to be a professional going through the year, and going through OTAs, I learned what it takes to go in the training room and get ready and how to spend extra time in the film room.” Brown, who is from Phoenix, is especially looking forward to Friday night’s game against his hometown Cardinals. He matched up against Cardinals superstar receiver Larry Fitzgerald in the teams’ joint practice on Tuesday and could be defending Fitzgerald on Friday, depending on how much the Arizona starters play. “When you go against a receiver of that caliber, you learn what you have to do to compete with him,” Brown said of Fitzgerald. “I’ll be ready to go. I know now the coaches have me playing both sides. They throw me in left or right, whichever will help the team, I’ll do it.” Fitzgerald took notice of Brown during Tuesday’s practice and was surprised to hear he had so little experience at the NFL level. “He’s in his second year?” Fitzgerald said. “He’s physical, he has good ball skills … he broke up a couple balls on me. He’s an impressive athlete.” Brown, 6-1, 204, honed his coverage skills at Colorado, facing the likes of Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin and Denario Alexander, Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant and Justin Blackmon, and Texas’ Jordan Shipley, among others. But at Colorado, he was the other corner. Most attention was focused on the Buffaloes’ Jimmy Smith, who was taken in the first round by Baltimore. That worked to Brown’s advantage. “We came in the same year, so we were competing since day one and working our way up to our senior year,” said Brown, who made 28 starts in his college career and intercepted six passes, including a team-high three in 2010. “It helped me to play with a little chip on my shoulder, because when we were playing, I was trying to be the best out there, and he was doing the same, so to see him get some recognition made me want to try harder, and that, in turn, helped me perform better and get some looks.” Brown appeared in 14 games as a rookie with the Chiefs last year and ranked second on the team with eight special-teams tackles, plus he recovered a fumble on a kickoff return against the Jets. “Early on, there’s no telling when you’re going to get out there on offense or defense as a rookie, so your first mark is to get out there on special teams, and that’s exactly what I was trying to do,” Brown said. “Fortunately for me, at the end of the season, I started to figure out things a little bit and started to come along. Special teams helped me perform better and get some confidence.” Brown also was a quick study behind Flowers and Brandon Carr, the Chiefs’ starter at right cornerback who signed with Dallas as an unrestricted free agent this year. “It was great to play behind them,” Brown said. “There were little small things I watched and learned from them, talked with them … little tips they gave me, how to align, how to stay square, how to play different receivers different ways. “You can’t go out there with the same technique against every guy because every technique has a weakness, so you have to have multiple (skills) to use against them.”
Posts: 43,422

08-09-2012, 05:49 PM	#60
Sorter Caralho Join Date: Sep 2011 Casino cash: $9611474	And the reason he got as many reps at safety as he did last year was due to Nick Collin's neck injury.
Posts: 18,455