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.”

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

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.

You are beating it to death and for no reason. Going into that draft, we as fans knew our options were extremely limited. Replace Albert at LT, take Raji, a pass rusher we were all skeptical of, or the safe pick in Jackson. We also knew we would like to have traded down, but it wasn't an option.

Given how things turned out for the other guys, and that draft as a whole, we did damned good.

You act as though all #3 overalls are equal in value they are not. That year, there weren't 10 players deserving of a top 10 pick, we were screwed. Whereas this past drafts #3 was extremely valuable b/c of the talent available. Hell, in 2010, 5th round picks were worth the moon.

STOP BLABBING ABOUT IT! HE'S NOT A BUST! No matter how you slice it. It was a solid pick and amounted to more than most picks in that draft did in relationship to their draft position.

[Hammock Parties]

Refuse to admit it was a good pick when there were literally 10-15 other players who were better picks in the first round alone.

[aturnis]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Refuse to admit it was a good pick when there were literally 10-15 other players who were better picks in the first round alone.

And every single team in the NFL and every member of their staffs blew every single draft pick they had before the 199th pick in the 2000 draft b/c Brady is the best player.

The 2000 NFL draft picks 1-198 = BUST!

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by aturnis

And every single team in the NFL and every member of their staffs blew every single draft pick they had before the 199th pick in the 2000 draft b/c Brady is the best player.

The 2000 NFL draft picks 1-198 = BUST!

Just talking about the first round.

Settle down. It's OK to admit he will never be worth that pick and there were several options that were better...quite obviously, even on draft day, I might add.

[aturnis]

?

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Just talking about the first round.

Settle down. It's OK to admit he will never be worth that pick and there were several options that were better...quite obviously, even on draft day, I might add.

Such as?

[Hammock Parties]

Brian Orakpo.

[DTLB58]

Crennel was asked in a TC Presser this week to evaluate TJ to this point and he said, "Tyson Jackson is a good football player for our team. That's the most important thing I think. He has grown since I've been here. He understands the system. I've seen improvement in his technique and overall ability".
"I think he will have a good year this year, now him having a good year for me, might not be a good year for some other people. It's the same thing I said about Poe the other day, If you can do what I want you to do for THIS defense then you are doing okay. And if what you do helps this team win, then everyone will be happy.

He was then asked to define a good year and he said "He does what I ask him to do on a consistent and regular basis, and that's a good year".

[Messier]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Brian Orakpo.

I'd rather have Orakpo or Raji, but that doesn't mean I'm disappointed in TJ, I think he's fine, and he's doing what he was drafted to do.

Almost every draft there are players that turn out to be really good to great after the Chiefs pick. In '05 the Chiefs could have drafted Aaron Rogers, I'm not unhappy they drafted DJ, it just happens.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Messier

In '05 the Chiefs could have drafted Aaron Rogers, I'm not unhappy they drafted DJ, it just happens.

Carl Peterson.

Scott Pioli.

It just happens!

[Messier]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Carl Peterson.

Scott Pioli.

It just happens!

What are you saying?

[Color Red]

Originally Posted by 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.

The reality is, it's best to view draft picks in the context of the whole draft, because there can always be a draft pick who doesn't perform as high as his place in the draft. It is not a perfect science. Sometimes not taking certain players at certain picks in the draft is a risk that teams don't want to take, and competitively cannot afford to take. Hopefully there are lower draft picks who perform at higher levels and it balances out, when someone drafted higher goes "bust". But no one bitches about the Justin Houston draft that appears to be a steal.

Chiefs identify Poe as the size and physique of a certain kind of player ideal to play NT. As such a prospect, and one that is rare, they risked a first round pick for a player whose collegiate performance is what it is. Everyone knows Crennell must coach him up or Poe will not bring the performance warranted for a number eleven. But the risk taken was to obtain a kind of rare and so highly desireable role player that the team felt they could not afford to hope to draft in a later round. We'll see how it turns out.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Messier

What are you saying?

Making excuses for shitty GMs and saying "it just happens!" is some bullshit, son.

[Messier]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Making excuses for shitty GMs and saying "it just happens!" is some bullshit, son.

I don't think either one was or is a shitty GM. Peterson became one, because he overstayed his welcome by about ten years.

So, DJ was a bad pick?

[Hammock Parties]

DJ was a decent pick for sure.

But good GMs make genius moves like picking Rodgers, and average to shitty GMs JUST HAPPEN to draft linebackers.

Yay!

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by Cassel's Reckoning

Brian Orakpo.

Chiefs are REAAALLLY lacking at OLB