[kcpasco]

Originally Posted by milkman

Let me type this s l ow l l y, so you have at least a minimal chance at grasping this.

The DE's job in a 34 is to occupy blockers.

Understand?

Occupy blockers?

Let me try again.

The defensive end's job in the 34 is to occupy blockers.

Now Jackson is rookie, who played in a 43 in school.

See the difference?

34
43

Did that help you see the difference?

Okay, now again, he's a rookie.
That means he is his first season in the NFL.

With me?
He's not in school anymore, he's in the NFL now.

He's playing against guys who are stronger, faster, better coached than the kids he face in school.

He's learning a new position.

A position that requires him to occupy blockers.

There's these other guys on the defense.
They are called Outside Linebackers.

Still with me?

Now the defensive end (DE for short) in a 34 (remember we talked about this?) is asked to occupy blockers so that the Outside Linebackers (OLB for short) can run around and make plays, and get after the QB, in what is known as rushing the QB.

Tyson Jackson did occupy his blocker.
Sometimes, but not a lot, two of them.

Now remember, he's rookie (you remember what a rookie is, right?) so he's still learning.

As he learns, he will begin to require two blockers more often.

But even when he is at his best, he willl never make a lot of tackles, or a lot of sacks.

Did you manage to stay with me on all of this, or did you get distracted by a booger that you had to pick?

In short

Our LB's suck some serious ass