Jones, Hightower and Dennard make second year leap.

[AzorianPats]

Ninkovich has outplayed Jones so far this year.

No he hasn't. Don't get me wrong, Ninko has been great, but Jones has become almost unstoppable 1v1. Jones to this point has really taken his game to another level.

 

[Kontradiction]

Ninkovich has outplayed Jones so far this year.

Are you trolling?

What metric are you basing this on?

 

[JackBauer]

Ninkovich has outplayed Jones so far this year.

While Ninkovich has been great, Jones has been even better. At any rate, it's nice to have a starting defensive line with no liabilities out there.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

No he hasn't. Don't get me wrong, Ninko has been great, but Jones has become almost unstoppable 1v1.Jones to this point has really taken his game to another level.

What the hell?

No, he hasn't. He's gotten to the QB 1-2 times out of approximately 70 snaps per game.

I wouldn't say that's almost unstoppable. He isn't constantly harassing QBs all day long.


Stop overrating and being a homer. Jones also got pancaked badly a few times in the Bills game.

 

[JackBauer]

What the hell?

No, he hasn't. He's gotten to the QB 1-2 times out of approximately 70 snaps per game.

I wouldn't say that's almost unstoppable. He isn't constantly harassing QBs all day long.


Stop overrating and being a homer. Jones also got pancaked badly a few times in the Bills game.

While the author may have been hyperbolic...

1.) What part of 1v1 don't you understand?
2.) Sacks are not the only measure of "getting to the quarterback"
3.) Even players like JJ Watt, playing against the Patriots, aren't "constantly harassing QBs all day long." That seldom happens unless you have an elite player going up against a crap OT.

 

[Rob0729]

What the hell?

No, he hasn't. He's gotten to the QB 1-2 times out of approximately 70 snaps per game.

I wouldn't say that's almost unstoppable. He isn't constantly harassing QBs all day long.


Stop overrating and being a homer. Jones also got pancaked badly a few times in the Bills game.

Jones almost always wins the one on one battles all the time. He has gotten quite a bit of pressure.

But being unable to be blocked one on one doesn't mean he is going to get to the QB on every play. First. he is getting quite a bit of double teams. More than anyone else on the line right now. Second, he is being illegal held a lot when he does beat his guy which hasn't been called. Third, the QB can either roll out or get rid of the ball before Jones can get to him even if he beats his block.

 

[AzorianPats]

What the hell?

No, he hasn't. He's gotten to the QB 1-2 times out of approximately 70 snaps per game.

I wouldn't say that's almost unstoppable. He isn't constantly harassing QBs all day long.


Stop overrating and being a homer. Jones also got pancaked badly a few times in the Bills game.

Wtf??? Have you been watching the games?

 

[FoxWhiskey]

Dennard:
Playing great this year so far. Can he stay healthy?
And the biggest questionmark: Can he stay out of prison?
And i´m so sure, after this offseason, he can´t.

Hightower:
Make a big step up.

I´m not so high at Collins now, but time will tell.
I like Spikes, hes physical, hard hitting runstopper. I hope we bring him back next year.

Valuable Player Defense:

1. Wilfork( get well soon!), Mayo, Talib
2. Ninko, Jones, Dennard

 

[MrNathanDrake]

You guys are sounding like Jets fans with that kind of homerism.

Jones is unblockable 1v1... and will be DPOY if he continues at this pace.


LOL.... he's good but I wouldn't even consider him a game changer yet

 

[Brady6]

He has been good, but he hasn't been DPOY-good in the first 3 weeks.... so "if he continues" is irrelevant.

Thru 3 games Chandler Jones has:

• 14 tackles
• 3 sacks
• 6 QB hits
• 10 QB hurries

Which projected out over a 16 games season would be:

• 75 tackles
• 16 sacks
• 32 QB hits
• 160 QB hurries

If that wouldn't put some in the discussion for DPOY I am really not sure what would.

As far as him not being that good I am not sure what you’re watching but he has been the best defensive player on the football field every week so I’d suggest you go back and watch some game tape because you’re way off with that assessment.

 

[Kontradiction]

Thru 3 games Chandler Jones has:

• 14 tackles
• 3 sacks
• 6 QB hits
• 10 QB hurries

Which projected out over a 16 games season would be:

• 75 tackles
• 16 sacks
• 32 QB hits
• 160 QB hurries

If that wouldn't put some in the discussion for DPOY I am really not sure what would.

As far as him not being that good I am not sure what you’re watching but he has been the best defensive player on the football field every week so I’d suggest you go back and watch some game tape because you’re way off with that assessment.

J.J. Watt has 17 tackles and 3.0 sacks thus far. Jones is having a similar year to him.

 

[Rob0729]

Thru 3 games Chandler Jones has:

• 14 tackles
• 3 sacks
• 6 QB hits
• 10 QB hurries

Which projected out over a 16 games season would be:

• 75 tackles
• 16 sacks
• 32 QB hits
• 160 QB hurries

If that wouldn't put some in the discussion for DPOY I am really not sure what would.

As far as him not being that good I am not sure what you’re watching but he has been the best defensive player on the football field every week so I’d suggest you go back and watch some game tape because you’re way off with that assessment.

So in three games, he has basically pressured the QB 19 times. And people are arguing he isn't virtually unblockable one on one?

 

[Oswlek]

Thru 3 games Chandler Jones has:

• 14 tackles
• 3 sacks
• 6 QB hits
• 10 QB hurries

Which projected out over a 16 games season would be:

• 75 tackles
• 16 sacks
• 32 QB hits
• 160 QB hurries

If that wouldn't put some in the discussion for DPOY I am really not sure what would.

As far as him not being that good I am not sure what you’re watching but he has been the best defensive player on the football field every week so I’d suggest you go back and watch some game tape because you’re way off with that assessment.

And it is even more impressive when you consider that he accumulated most of those stats in the last two games. He's having a dandy of a season.

 

[Oswlek]

So in three games, he has basically pressured the QB 19 times. And people are arguing he isn't virtually unblockable one on one?

20, if you count the half sacks as two separate pressures

 

[Brady6]

And it is even more impressive when you consider that he accumulated most of those stats in the last two games. He's having a dandy of a season.

I am not sure if you boys saw this article but I thought it was a really cool concept put together by Bedard: Mario Williams, J.J. Watt lead NFL in new pass-rush statistic | The MMQB with Peter King

 

[Brady6]

20, if you count the half sacks as two separate pressures

I think what I have been most impressed with by Jones is what he been doing from the 3tech DT position, he has been unstoppable out of that role.

 

[Brady6]

Yep, Dennard has less than an inch over the likes of Jonathan Wilhite and even Ellis Hobbs. Isn't it funny how we stop talking about "smurf dbs" when the short guys are actually good at football?

Very true!

I will add that Dennard is a stalky 5’10, he weigh 205 Lbs. so I think that helps him be more physical with his 1on1 matchup.

 

[patsox23]

•Hightower has really come into his own, with Von Miller drugged out Hightower could potentially become the best 4-3 OLB in the NFL, on the season Hightower has 15 tackles and 1 stuff.

Absolutely, positively insane. Not only is Hightower nowhere in the same universe as Von Miller, he has done nothing LIKE "coming into his own," unless "his own" means a level of mediocrity that is extremely specific to Dont'a Hightower.

He is slow, disappointing and not yet even close to a playmaker. I want desperately for your post to be true. I don't disbelieve that it's possible the guy can improve, but he hasn't. This is ridiculous.

 

[supafly]

Hightower as been awesome! he's playing like a beast!

Absolutely, positively insane. Not only is Hightower nowhere in the same universe as Von Miller, he has done nothing LIKE "coming into his own," unless "his own" means a level of mediocrity that is extremely specific to Dont'a Hightower.

He is slow, disappointing and not yet even close to a playmaker. I want desperately for your post to be true. I don't disbelieve that it's possible the guy can improve, but he hasn't. This is ridiculous.

It's interesting to see two entirely polar opposites in regards to analysis of Hightower.

I do believe that he is progressing for sure, judging by his responsibilities alone. It's possible that it may take him awhile to fully "get" everything down pat in this scheme, much like it took Spikes the majority of the 2010 and 2011 season where he really didn't show up that much until down the stretch of our SB run. I don't think we can fully assess it at this point in time.

That said, I was not as impressed as some others with last year's rookie season. I do think that he is on the right track though.

 

[Oswlek]

It's interesting to see two entirely polar opposites in regards to analysis of Hightower.

I do believe that he is progressing for sure, judging by his responsibilities alone. It's possible that it may take him awhile to fully "get" everything down pat in this scheme, much like it took Spikes the majority of the 2010 and 2011 season where he really didn't show up that much until down the stretch of our SB run. I don't think we can fully assess it at this point in time.

That said, I was not as impressed as some others with last year's rookie season. I do think that he is on the right track though.

Ditto. If that exact same performance were put in by a 5th round pick, fans would be cautiously optimistic but no one would think he was headed for stardom. Personally, I think he still has a long way to go even with his improved play this year.