D'Qwell Jackson: Overrated.

[DirtyDawg]

I like D'Qwell, he's a hard-working guy and a good tackler, but he's not much else.

He's given up two touchdowns passing today, one to a TE and another to a RB (neither of which has blazing speed or some other attribute that you would give a LB a break for getting beat by.)

I've been troubled by 52's pass coverage all year. He does not make huge plays; not a great pass rusher. Has trouble shedding blocks, but runs sideline to sideline and tackles great.

Honestly, if you ask me he's a glorified version of Kaluka Maiava.

Don't get me wrong, I like the guy and I'm not saying he has to go but he's not one of the best linebackers in the NFL as his tackles stat would suggest.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by DirtyDawg

I like D'Qwell, he's a hard-working guy and a good tackler, but he's not much else.

He's given up two touchdowns passing today, one to a TE and another to a RB (neither of which has blazing speed or some other attribute that you would give a LB a break for getting beat by.)

I've been troubled by 52's pass coverage all year. He does not make huge plays; not a great pass rusher. Has trouble shedding blocks, but runs sideline to sideline and tackles great.

Honestly, if you ask me he's a glorified version of Kaluka Maiava.

Don't get me wrong, I like the guy and I'm not saying he has to go but he's not one of the best linebackers in the NFL as his tackles stat would suggest.

I certainly understand your frustration but how many MLBers can cover Ray Rice in the flats on this planet? I've got a problem with ANY defense that expects it's MLB to cover the wheel routes in the flats.

If you doubt Jackson's meaning to our defense, rewatch the Pittsburgh game and you'll see he and our punter absolutely kept us in that game. He was getting us turnovers and making tackles at/behind the line of scrimmage. I used to be one of his biggest critics and felt he was overrated BEFORE this year. He's better suited for a 4-3 vrs the run; but he has room for improvement in pass coverage.

If one thinks Jackson is bad in zone pass coverages, what have we seen from Chris Gofish all year? And when people complained about Fujita after the TN game - Maiava hasn't been any better. IMO, our insufficient OLBers overtax Jackson. Even though Gofish plays well in goal line defense, I have yet to see the rationale behind his contract extension and tenure status.

[Solon16]

I did re-watch the pitt game and Dqwell still Blows! DO NOT RE_SIGN HIM @ HECKERT!(PLEASE)

[DirtyDawg]

The broadcaster illustrated exactly why Jackson messed up the coverage on that route to Ray Rice. He took a bad step and gave himself a poor angle. It's not like he just got outran by someone like Chris Johnson or Reggie Bush.

And Gocong has certainly had his bad moments, but he's had his star moments as well. Jackson rarely has star moments to me.

Fujita has was looking like a liability too, I won't disagree with that. Our LB group as a whole isn't very good.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by DirtyDawg

The broadcaster illustrated exactly why Jackson messed up the coverage on that route to Ray Rice. He took a bad step and gave himself a poor angle. It's not like he just got outran by someone like Chris Johnson or Reggie Bush.

And Gocong has certainly had his bad moments, but he's had his star moments as well. Jackson rarely has star moments to me.

Fujita has was looking like a liability too, I won't disagree with that. Our LB group as a whole isn't very good.

Jackson made a mistake with his first step; but how many MLBers can cover Ray Rice in the outside flats? It was a wheel route not a hook zone. Jackson was lined up outside next to the hip of a dlineman on the play; but he made a mistake and got beat. That simple. I'm not gonna say that makes him overrated during the best year I've ever seen from him. I was always his biggest critic in a 3-4 so I've seen an enormous difference in him vrs the point of attack. He's easily our best LBer.

Understanding Fujita came back from a brutal injury last year in his mid 30s today - MANY of our fans were writing he sucks when former WR turned NFL TE Jared Cook got behind Fujita and our Safety whiffed on the pursuit angle because he under-estimated Cook's speed. What everyone is missing about the change from a 3-4 to a 4-3 is how much it overtaxes the LBers in zone coverages and zone transitions. WAY more space, but your MLB is normally responsible for the inside hook zones that 2 LBers used to patrol in the old scheme. The wheel route location was right between an outside hook zone and flats (that's the zone transition I speak of. In a 3-4, that route Ray Rice scored on would have had a OLBer pretty much lining up in that. In a 4-3, we asked our MIDDLE LBer to handle it. Not for nothing, does anyone know WHERE Ray Rice ran wild on us in the first matchup? Off tackle and outside, so that's not because of D'Qwell Jackson folks.

I know EVERYONE has those highlight reel hits of Gocong in goal line defense embedded in their heads BUT where was he vrs the run vrs the Ratbirds the first time we played them? I'll answer that. He was getting a John Deere sleigh ride out of replay screens at warped speed.

There have been moments DQJ has looked bad covering for the OLBers. There's also been mistakes he's made. I'm not saying he's perfect. I'm saying I understand why every commentator that watches film of our defense to study for the telecasts on Sundays see why he's very important to our defense. I was a Titus Brown fan; but he blew out his knee last week so we gotta make the best of Gocong and Maiava.

Maiava hustles and I LIKE that. However, I can't tell you how many arm tackles and missed tackles I've seen from him on first contact in the opponent's backfield. He's left quite a few tackles for losses on the field. He's has GOT to learn how to tackle or all that hustle won't mean a thing. He HAS to be a little more under control so that he can square up and hit with the shoulder and wrap the arms while driving through the ballcarrier or QB.

Has anyone seen Gocong or Maiava intercepting or batting down footballs? I think this is a FAR bigger weakness than DQJ right now. 1 year ago, against Drew Brees, David Bowens jumped 2 different wheel routes and scored on BOTH INTs. Fujita had an INT in the same game. A few weeks ago Titus Brown came in to blitz off the edge and got a sack. I think Gocong had a sack recently as well; but for the most part I haven't seen Cocong or Maiava looking too impressive vrs the pass. We were lucky Dickson dropped 3 very catchable passes yesterday; but not so lucky when he caught the TD pass.

As for Gocong, I ONLY saw him looking brilliant in goal line defense. Jackson is a MLB in a 4-3 so it's hard for me to BLAME him when coverages break down in the flats. Having

[mario]

I don't know what tape you have been watching but Ray Rice is pretty quick and a hard cover for any linebacker. He is one of the best RB's in the NFL.

DQwell isn't Patrick Willis, but who is? He is sold. Get two other LBs along side him and lets play football.

[Sez.EJ]

Jackson is a solid but not spectacular MLB.. he's a run stopper.. but he's never been a coverage guy.. I'm glad he's finally had a healthy season and he certainly should be retained. usually the outside guys handle more of the coverage.. We should know better than to put him into coverage.. That's something Jauron needs to work out this offseason.... to figure out how to keep him out of pass coverage situations.

[Solon16]

Run Stopper...ha ha ha ha ha ha h aha ... thanks, that's the best laugh I've had in a while! Good stuff

Merry Christmas

[Sez.EJ]

I didn't say a GREAT run stopper..but if you catagorize him..that's where he would be.. It certainlly would not be pass rusher or coverage guy.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Sez.EJ

Jackson is a solid but not spectacular MLB.. he's a run stopper.. but he's never been a coverage guy.. I'm glad he's finally had a healthy season and he certainly should be retained. usually the outside guys handle more of the coverage.. We should know better than to put him into coverage.. That's something Jauron needs to work out this offseason.... to figure out how to keep him out of pass coverage situations.

Yaaa but freeze frame the VERY last play Jax had against our defense in the back center of the end zone. Jackson batted the pass away from the receiver. God only knows what would have happened if they threw to Jones-Drew facing only Gocong in plenty of open field outside. Something tells me we might have finished with only 3 wins.

For all of us that can only dream about Andrew Luck, try to imagine what it would mean if Indy wins next week. We would have been coin flipping Indy for the rights to Andrew Luck.

[Sez.EJ]

Luck is highly overrated and overhyped right now. He MAY be the real deal..but then again.. don't believe all the over-hype.. Last I heard.. he was human.. and just a college QB. Wait til the draft gets closer and they start picking him apart. I saw the same thing with this over-hyped nonsense with Sam Bradford.. he's just another guy in the NFL right now. Luck will still be stuck with the same sucky Cleveland Browns team around him.. THAT is what needs fixed. Look over the draft lists of the other overhyped QB's in the past decade.. Brady Quinn being another like that.. They said he was the most NFL ready QB in the group.. We all saw how that played out.

[jnuh]

Originally Posted by Flugel

I certainly understand your frustration but how many MLBers can cover Ray Rice in the flats on this planet? I've got a problem with ANY defense that expects it's MLB to cover the wheel routes in the flats.

If you doubt Jackson's meaning to our defense, rewatch the Pittsburgh game and you'll see he and our punter absolutely kept us in that game. He was getting us turnovers and making tackles at/behind the line of scrimmage. I used to be one of his biggest critics and felt he was overrated BEFORE this year. He's better suited for a 4-3 vrs the run; but he has room for improvement in pass coverage.

If one thinks Jackson is bad in zone pass coverages, what have we seen from Chris Gofish all year? And when people complained about Fujita after the TN game - Maiava hasn't been any better. IMO, our insufficient OLBers overtax Jackson. Even though Gofish plays well in goal line defense, I have yet to see the rationale behind his contract extension and tenure status.

I agree with this entire statement pretty much. Jackson is a good LBer not a great one. Our big problem isn't him though its the other 2. Gocong would be a nice back up/situational player IMO but doesn't crack it as a starter.