Chiefs’ Tyson Jackson links his production to the team’s success

[Hammock Parties]

This is a great article about Tyson doing his job. #stillnotworth3rdpick

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/16...roduction.html

Chiefs defensive end Tyson Jackson doesn’t have to look at the stats sheet or study the game tape to determine whether he had a productive game.

He watches how the linebackers behind him fared.

“If Derrick Johnson and Jovan Belcher had a real good game, I know nine times out of 10, I did a good job,” Jackson said of the Chiefs’ two inside linebackers.

“I’ve got to keep those guys free; I’ve got to let those guys run downhill to the ball. I know I’ve had a pretty good game if those guys are satisfied, and we won.”

A year ago, Johnson and Belcher had career seasons, were ranked 1-2 on the team in tackles, and Johnson earned his first Pro Bowl berth. So Jackson must have been doing something right.

But Jackson, the Chiefs’ first-round pick in 2009, is still trying to overcome the label of draft bust ever since his rookie season when general manager Scott Pioli made him the third overall pick in the draft.

To the casual fan, it doesn’t seem like Jackson even gets his uniform dirty. The only names they seem to hear are Johnson … Hali … Belcher … Houston …

“The glamorous part about playing defensive line is getting sacks,” said defensive line coach Anthony Pleasant. “And our defense is a linebacker defense.

“We’re just the grunt guys up front. Our job is to keep the linebackers free to make plays. It’s not a glorified position … if we stop the run, we give them a chance to rush the passer.”

In his three seasons, Jackson has but two sacks in 44 games, but he holds down the left side in the defense, which is critical because most teams are righthanded and direct their running game in that direction.

And according to Pro Football Focus, a website that tracks statistics, Jackson and right end Glenn Dorsey each accounted for more tackles than any 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL, including the Steelers, Ravens and Patriots, who are known for their 3-4 fronts. Jackson was credited with 38 stops on run plays, while Dorsey had 32.

“Tyson is a prototype defensive end you want on the left side,” said Pleasant, who spent most of his 14-year career playing end in that scheme. “He’s got the bulk, he moves well, he can transition from run to pass, so he’s the ideal player you want. A lot of runs go to the left side, so you want someone stout who can defend the run.”

Both Jackson and Dorsey played ends in a 4-3 system at LSU, so it’s taken a while for them to learn the intricacies of the 3-4. Dorsey was the fifth overall pick in 2008, the final year of the Herm Edwards regime, which ran the 4-3. But the Chiefs, in Pioli’s first draft, still took Jackson knowing that he and Dorsey would have to convert to new positions.

It may have taken longer than anticipated for Jackson to fulfill the Chiefs’ hopes, but they haven’t given up on him.

“When you’re picked that high, there’s so much expectation, and some of it is fair and some of it isn’t,” said Chiefs right tackle Eric Winston, who goes against Jackson every day in practice.

“Everybody figures it out at his own pace. Some guys come into this league, and the lucky ones have it figured out … I didn’t. It took me at least a half a year, probably a full year, to really figure out what this league was all about, and from what I heard, Tyson had a pretty good year last year, and you can see he’s building on that.”

When they drafted Jackson, Chiefs officials compared him to former Dallas Cowboys end Russell Maryland, who didn’t roll up a lot of sacks in the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme but helped win three Super Bowl rings.

“Coming from a 4-3 defense, it’s totally different technique-wise,” Jackson said of his first three years with the Chiefs. “From the outside looking in, it looks like football, but it’s a different type of world …

“I’m starting to pick up things, starting to understand the defense, starting to understand my technique better. I’ve still got some ways to go, but I can see myself getting there.”

So do his teammates. Winston, in his first season with the Chiefs, has been impressed with Jackson’s work ethic.

“The thing I like is he’s working hard, but it’s never enough,” Winston said. “Even when he’s had a couple of good plays, it’s like, ‘Aw, I’ve got to make those faster, I’ve got to get there faster.’ He’s trying to improve his game, and that’s important.

“When you get in year four, year five, it’s easy to say, ‘Well, I’ve probably learned all I’m going to learn …’ He’s realizing there are always things to be learned, always advantages to be had, and that’s been impressive.”

It’s in Jackson’s best interest — as well as the Chiefs’ — for him to have a breakout season this year. During the offseason, Jackson agreed to restructure his contract. His base pay for 2012 dropped from $8 million to $4.25 million with $4 million guaranteed. In exchange, his salary would be $14.72 million in 2013 ($3.2 million guaranteed), so it’s likely that will be restructured again — or Jackson would be let go — depending on how he performs this year.

“I’ve just got to lay it on the line every play,” Jackson said. “Come out there like it’s the last play of my career, so I leave it all on the table and rely on what I’ve been taught over the last couple of years on how to play a 3-4 defense, and how to be strong inside, and how to control those offensive lineman …

“It’s up to us up front to hit those offensive lineman, and keep them flat on the line of scrimmage so the guys in the back can run around and make some plays.”

[Dante84]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

"Import dem hos!"

[MagicHef]

And according to Pro Football Focus, a website that tracks statistics, Jackson and right end Glenn Dorsey each accounted for more tackles than any 3-4 defensive ends in the NFL, including the Steelers, Ravens and Patriots, who are known for their 3-4 fronts. Jackson was credited with 38 stops on run plays, while Dorsey had 32.

This paragraph is wrong in so many ways it's hard to keep track. Calais Campell had more tackles than either of them, JJ Watt and Justin Smith both had more tackles than Dorsey, and the Patriots and Ravens were not listed as 3-4 defenses by PFF last season, meaning none of their players would count as the 3-4 DEs he is trying to compare Jackson and Dorsey to.

If he meant stops rather than tackles, Campbell still had more than either Jackson or Dorsey.

If he meant total stops by two teammates, Campbell and Darnell Dockett had more than Jackson and Dorsey.

I can't figure out a way to read that paragraph without it being completely false.

[O.city]

Maybe he compared them to the actual Pitt and Balt players?


Doubt it.

[themanwithnoname]

Originally Posted by MagicHef

This paragraph is wrong in so many ways it's hard to keep track. Calais Campell had more tackles than either of them, JJ Watt and Justin Smith both had more tackles than Dorsey, and the Patriots and Ravens were not listed as 3-4 defenses by PFF last season, meaning none of their players would count as the 3-4 DEs he is trying to compare Jackson and Dorsey to.

If he meant stops rather than tackles, Campbell still had more than either Jackson or Dorsey.

If he meant total stops by two teammates, Campbell and Darnell Dockett had more than Jackson and Dorsey.

I can't figure out a way to read that paragraph without it being completely false.

Based on run stops: http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog...efensive-ends/

But yeah the person that wrote the article didn't specify. Its typical KC media crap, and arguments beat to death a thousand times over.

[Hammock Parties]

Randy ****ed that up, but his heart was in the right place.

Jackson was #1 in run stop percentage last year.

He's come a long way from being dead last.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

5+ sacks, 20+ hurries a year.

That's what JJ Watt did last season. Brett Keisel, too, to name another 3-4 team.

Those are both 1-gap 3-4s.

Do I need to bump that thread again, delineating the difference?

[Direckshun]

I forget who said it in another thread, but Jackson is clearly not a bust.

The selection right before Jackson was Jason Smith, the #2 overall pick by the Rams who just lost his job to Barry Richardson.

That's a bust.

To label Jackson a bust is to stretch the meaning of the word so bizarrely that the word ceases to have any meaning.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

Those are both 1-gap 3-4s.

Do I need to bump that thread again, delineating the difference?

No, you don't.

Do I need to link you to the post in this thread where Scott Pioli and Todd Haley tell us they think Tyson Jackson can be a pass rusher?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

No, you don't.

Do I need to link you to the post in this thread where Scott Pioli and Todd Haley tell us they think Tyson Jackson can be a pass rusher?

And it turns out they were wrong about that dimension of his game.

Your point?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

And it turns out they were wrong about that dimension of his game.

Your point?

My point is to ever say he was worth that pick, he needs to post numbers like JJ Watt.

He's a bust as a #3 pick.

Not a bust as a player. Solid player.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by MagicHef

This paragraph is wrong in so many ways it's hard to keep track. Calais Campell had more tackles than either of them, JJ Watt and Justin Smith both had more tackles than Dorsey, and the Patriots and Ravens were not listed as 3-4 defenses by PFF last season, meaning none of their players would count as the 3-4 DEs he is trying to compare Jackson and Dorsey to.

If he meant stops rather than tackles, Campbell still had more than either Jackson or Dorsey.

If he meant total stops by two teammates, Campbell and Darnell Dockett had more than Jackson and Dorsey.

I can't figure out a way to read that paragraph without it being completely false.

Why does this make you so butthurt? Stick to sucking off marginal donkey talent.

[RunKC]

Wow look at the top 10 and how all the hyped up players have sucked. It makes Jackson look like a lot better of a pick in hindsight.

[OctoberFart]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

No, you don't.

Do I need to link you to the post in this thread where Scott Pioli and Todd Haley tell us they think Tyson Jackson can be a pass rusher?

Yes

[OctoberFart]

When they drafted Jackson, Chiefs officials compared him to former Dallas Cowboys end Russell Maryland, who didn’t roll up a lot of sacks in the Cowboys’ 3-4 scheme but helped win three Super Bowl rings.

That comment right there takes away any credibility from this hack writer. Dallas played the classic one gap attacking 4-3 defense. Jimmy Johnson was never a 3-4 guy or a 2 gap guy.

[Ace Gunner]

If this article (and every other article that claims a DL doesn't rush the passer) is true, Dorsey & Jackson are pretty good. But alas, this is more sugar for fat folks.

Neither player is a bust, just one demensional so far. I expect Tyson Jackson to have sacks this season. Hell, I expect doughboy Dorsey to get at least one sack this year.