Mellinger: In the end, Jackson, DeVito do the dirty work for Chiefs’ defense

[suzzer99]

Sorry if Q

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/10/30...to-do-the.html

In the end, Jackson, DeVito do the dirty work for Chiefs’ defense

Johnson realizes Jackson and DeVito do a lot of the dirty work that enables him and outside linebackers Tamba Hali and Justin Houston to produce the highlight-reel plays for a defense that leads the NFL in sacks and fewest points allowed per game.

And he wants them to know it.

“If you had me miked up during the game,” Johnson said, “I’m talking to DeVito, (nose tackle) Dontari Poe and Jackson …” said Johnson, the Chiefs’ leading tackler. “I’m gassing up all the time, ‘Hey, good job, good job,’ because of what they do.

“They are pushing linemen back, linemen are double teaming ’em, and the outside guys and myself have an opportunity to make plays. I love ’em.”

The performances by DeVito, who was signed as an under-the-radar free agent during the offseason, and Jackson, who had to agree to a $10 million pay cut to stay with the Chiefs, have not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff.

After the Chiefs recorded nine sacks in their 24-7 win over Oakland a few weeks ago, the coaches awarded DeVito a game ball.

He didn’t lay a hand on Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor, but he was credited with five tackles in the run game, which put Oakland in second- and third-and long situations and thus allowed Hali to get 2 1/2 sacks, Johnson two and Houston one.

“It’s funny: To get a game ball in this defense, you have to get like 12 tackles or five sacks just to qualify,” DeVito said with a laugh. “I just want to be down there stopping the run and doing my job, playing my position and playing within the scheme.”

Both DeVito and Jackson are replaced in the Chiefs’ defensive packages in obvious passing downs by extra defensive backs, so they have to make the most of their opportunities on first down and in short-yardage situations.

DeVito made his five tackles against Oakland while on the field for just 39 snaps. The next week against Houston, he earned an off-the-charts plus-4.0 run defense score by Pro Football Focus on just 23 running plays.

Jackson has been able to get to the quarterback even on early downs. He has two of the Chiefs’ league-leading 36 sacks, two quarterback pressures and has batted down two passes.

“I will put my money on Jackson as being one of the smartest defensive linemen in the National Football League, just knowing what’s going on prior to the snap,” said coach Andy Reid in about as effusive a compliment of a player as he’s given this season. “I’m not sure I’ve been around one that quite has that feel that he has. He’s very intelligent.

“I don’t know what his GPA was or anything like that, I’m just telling you football-wise he is a sharp cookie. I enjoy both of those two and how they go about their business. Both of them are tough to block and love to play, which is important. Neither of them want to come out of the game … those guys are fighting to play and stay in the game. It’s neat to be around.”

Jackson, considered a bust for much of his career after being selected with the third overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, smiled when told of Reid’s comments.

“I promise you, my GPA was not that good,” said Jackson, who helped LSU win the 2007 national championship. “But it’s football. This is my craft. I take pride in it. I do a lot of film study during the week. I try to make the game more simple for me come Sunday. It helps improve my game a lot more … getting a quick step off the ball just knowing and anticipating what the offense might do.

“Outside the football world, people don’t pay attention … but for me personally, when we come back on Wednesday and watch the film, those guys give me a pat on the back and let me know they recognize what I’m doing. I take joy in my teammates … knowing out there busting my tail.”

After signing with the Chiefs last spring, DeVito, who spent six years with the New York Jets, played an important role in helping the club transition to the new scheme brought in from the Jets by new defensive coordinator Bob Sutton.

“These guys picked up the defense really fast,” said DeVito, 29. “You could see it. When we first got this defense in New York, it took us a while to get used to it. These guys, it’s like they’ve been playing in it for years.”

Jackson, 27, was a quick study. Though the Chiefs are still running a 3-4 front, he had to adjust from the read-and-react scheme of Romeo Crennel to Sutton’s aggressive style. In the old scheme, Jackson took on blockers but seldom made impact plays. Now, he does both.

“Everybody would like to be the guy that got the sack or the interception or whatever,” Sutton said, “but somebody has to do these other jobs … to go in there and bang heads and nobody knows what you’re doing.

“Tamba always says if you want to rush the passer, you have to be able to stop the run. That’s true; if you can’t stop the run, then it’s hard to go rush the passer. That’s the first order of business every week. (Jackson and DeVito) are tough physically, tough mentally, they have great awareness. Those guys are doing those hard jobs play after play after play, and they have done it on a highly consistent basis.”

This is an important season for Jackson, who will be a free agent at the end of the season after agreeing to a restructured contract from $14.72 million to a guaranteed $4.2 million for this season.

It’s a decision Jackson has not regretted.

“I’ve always enjoyed my time with the Chiefs,” he said, “and everything right now is on the up and up and I’m having a great time. I’ll continue to put in the hard work each week and see what comes out of that.”

Pretty cool to hear that Tjax is that dedicated and respected by Reid. I know we all hate Pioli, myself included. But I remember when he drafted Jackson he said he he hoped he'd be our Russell Maryland – a guy who's not flashy but anchors a great defense for a decade. That might actually be coming true.

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by Mavericks Ace

You are only looking at it from one side of the picture though.

Its no coincidence at all that Dorsey and Jackson are having the best seasons of their careers.

And the reason is simple. They were attacking d linemen in College, that were on attack mode every single play, and when they played in Kansas City, they were told to hold their blocks, and stop the run.

That was their job. Its phenomenal, what a difference it makes for players when their coaches put them in a position to succeed.

You have two defensive linemen that in college did nothing but attack, in Tyson, and Poe, and one who knows the role he is placed in. He plays in the Justin Smith elephant end spot. His job much like justins is to free up Hali to have one on one blocking like Justin Smith did for Aldon Smith.

Some times, way to much is placed on the PLAYER, and not paid attention to the situation he is being put into.

Was Tyson Jackson picked too high? Well yeah, if your entire idea for him was to be a run stopper.

That would be like Cleveland selecting Barkevious Mingo this year to be a tight end covering LB.

Its a waste.

Dude.....

You didn't even watch Tyson Jackson his first few years.

Poe and Jackson weren't even close to the same kind of player their rookie years. Poe looked promising, we were singing his praises LAST season.

Jackson was routinely getting blown off the LoS...sometimes by several yards. Jackson got the bust label because...well....he looked like a ****ing bust, scheme had nothing to do with his shitty play.

And Poe was "attacking" in college? The ****?

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Dude.....

You didn't even watch Tyson Jackson his first few years.

Poe and Jackson weren't even close to the same kind of player their rookie years. Poe looked promising, we were singing his praises LAST season.

Jackson was routinely getting blown off the LoS...sometimes by several yards. Jackson got the bust label because...well....he looked like a ****ing bust, scheme had nothing to do with his shitty play.

And Poe was "attacking" in college? The ****?

How much of Poe did you see in college?

He was constantly told to go get the passer. That was his job. He wasn't seen in college as a 3-4 nose. He was seen as a 4-3 1 technique.

He was compared to Warren Sapp for christs sake.

His ability as a nose tackle is just because he is special. He is Vince Wilfork when used correctly.

Tyson Jackson was never asked to be a run stuffer in college. He also didn't play the 5 technique in a 3-4 in college. He was much like Dorsey, a dt in the 4-3 where his job was to rush the passer.

He is playing more to that now. Not just looking to stop the run.

No matter how you look at it, he was overdrafted. Im not arguing that.

But, drafting a guy that high, and asking him to do something he was never asked to do, is asking for trouble.

period.

[ModSocks]

Originally Posted by Mavericks Ace

How much of Poe did you see in college?

He was constantly told to go get the passer. That was his job. He wasn't seen in college as a 3-4 nose. He was seen as a 4-3 1 technique.

He was compared to Warren Sapp for christs sake.

His ability as a nose tackle is just because he is special. He is Vince Wilfork when used correctly.

Tyson Jackson was never asked to be a run stuffer in college. He also didn't play the 5 technique in a 3-4 in college. He was much like Dorsey, a dt in the 4-3 where his job was to rush the passer.

He is playing more to that now. Not just looking to stop the run.

No matter how you look at it, he was overdrafted. Im not arguing that.

But, drafting a guy that high, and asking him to do something he was never asked to do, is asking for trouble.

period.

Really? You were watching C-USA football back when Poe was in College? Excuse me if i don't accept you as some Poe expert, it's a little hard to believe. The knock on Poe was that he was one of the least productive college players in recent draft memory and Crennel chalked that up to the variety of schemes and assignments he was expected to play in.

I don't care what scheme Jackson was accustomed to playing in, the guy was manhandled and looked bad. Period. End of story.

43 or 34, doesn't matter. If you're getting your ass blown off the line of scrimmage and being run on and unable to hold your ground 1v1, no scheme is going to change that.

You've been a Chiefs fan for 8 games. Please don't come in here and tell me about how players were playing 3-4 years ago.

[ILChief]

We are gonna have to sign Tyson Jackson to a long term deal.


I can't believe I just typed that

[WhiteWhale]

Originally Posted by rtmike

It sure makes a person wonder how long this defense has been hidden.

I think they were trending this way until last season.

They were solid before adding Houston and Poe. They were trending upwards and then 2012 happened and that was the least creative team I've ever seen. Both sides of the ball were incredibly vanilla and easy to beat up on. No deception. No theatrics... just playing straight up and getting their asses kicked the whole time. We were playing checkers against chess. Taking a knife to a gunfight. Romeo really is the worst HC I've ever seen in KC. There really is no reason the team should have been that bad.

I don't think they could have been THIS good until THIS season though.

[suzzer99]

For those of you saying Jackson was picked too high, who should Pioli have picked?

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

For those of you saying Jackson was picked too high, who should Pioli have picked?

QB of course /CP

[raybec 4]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

For those of you saying Jackson was picked too high, who should Pioli have picked?

Raji, Orakpo, Cushing,

[chiefsfan4life1978]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

For those of you saying Jackson was picked too high, who should Pioli have picked?

Exactly! The only players I think you could argue that he could/should have drafted instead would be Raji or Orakpo. Clay Matthews wasn't going to go that high. It really is turning out to be an ok pick.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by raybec 4

Raji, Orakpo, Cushing,

I'd say out of the choice of those 3 + Jackson versus the rest of the dreck in that draft – I'm okay with Jackson.

Did Pioli make the best pick possible? Probably not. Did he make one of the top two or three picks he could've made and avoid disaster? Yes.

[ILChief]

Cushing is the Moeaki of linebackers. If we took raji, probably no Poe. If we took orakpo, maybe no Houston

[ILChief]

Not to mention raji has gotten worse each year

[Strongside]

Really hoping that Jackson stays here. He and DeVito are a major reason that our Linebackers and Safeties, as well as the pass rushers, are able to make so many plays.

[mdchiefsfan]

Originally Posted by ILChief

Cushing is the Moeaki of linebackers. If we took raji, probably no Poe. If we took orakpo, maybe no Houston

Orakpo has been dealing with quite a few injuries recently too. I'm good with Houston.

[themanwithnoname]

Originally Posted by ILChief

Cushing is the Moeaki of linebackers. If we took raji, probably no Poe. If we took orakpo, maybe no Houston

By that logic maybe we would've ended up with Luck, RGIII, Kaepernick, or Wilson, or Jimmy Graham, and blah blah blah.

Tyson was not a great pick. Even with how he's playing he's not worth his salary, but oh well. He's turning into an asset so if they can sign him for fair value and he keeps from regressing then great.

Its a give and take without our excellent LBs, and good secondary, Jackson would be meaningless. Those guys would still make plays even if Jackson sucked (as evidenced by the fact they literally ****ing did that when Jackson did suck).