Jones quietly chopping away
Jarvis Jones was walking toward me with his most Marley-like outfit yet.
The Steelers鈥� young outside linebacker is a fan of the late reggae poet Bob Marley, and today, with a wide-brim hat and relaxed and loose clothing, Jones was looking particularly chill.
That鈥檚 his M.O., by the way. And he pulls it off with dreads that haven鈥檛 been cut since his senior year in high school and a laid-back demeanor that contrasts sharply with the violent hands, sudden inside bolt, and acrobatic body control he put on display while sacking Eli Manning in his first preseason game this year.
鈥淣ice sack,鈥� I told the chilled one.
鈥淭hanks, man. I really appreciate it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 tried to tell you guys I鈥檓 better than last year.鈥�
He did. He tried so hard to explain his improvement while at the same time trying to remain humble. And explaining anything to the media is not Jones鈥� preferred activity.
Not that he鈥檚 James Harrison about this. He鈥檚 just uncomfortable in the glare. You鈥檝e probably watched him perspire as interview sessions run too long. But as uncomfortable as he was, Jones repeatedly hammered home the same theme that day early in camp: I鈥檓 just going to keep chopping wood because I want my actions to come before my words.
Last Saturday night they did. Violently. Very un-chill of Jarvis, too.
鈥淗e鈥檚 gotten a lot better,鈥� Kelvin Beachum confirmed. 鈥淗e鈥檚 really understanding the game even more.鈥�
Beachum, of course, is the Steelers鈥� left tackle. He knows something about being a vital piece to a Steelers鈥� puzzle. He came in a year ago and stole one of the most important offensive jobs in football in his second season. Things have gone so well that few even noticed Beachum anymore. You like that in a left tackle.
But, Beachum noticed Jones鈥� increased strength and improved technique the first day of spring practice.
鈥淗e got a lot better with his hands. I was very surprised,鈥� Beachum said. 鈥淎t OTAs he got me with a double-arm swipe the first day. I was like, 鈥楢ll right, you鈥檝e got some new tricks in the bag.鈥�
鈥淲ell, we got here and he鈥檚 showing me some other hand usage. I鈥檓 like, 鈥極K, we鈥檝e got some stuff working.'鈥�
鈥淪o, it鈥檚 been a good battle when he鈥檚 in. Having him in there working the hand usage, him with the speed just presents a lot of different problems compared to other rushers because he鈥檚 fast enough and sudden enough to really make you look bad. You saw that in the game, very sudden. You didn鈥檛 think he was coming inside, but he was inside and the guy barely got his hands on him.鈥�
Jones didn鈥檛 beat some tight end or running back. He beat fifth-year tackle Charles Brown, the Giant鈥檚 starter. Jones smashed him with those 鈥渉eavy hands,鈥� bolted inside, was juked by Manning but recovered by twisting his body and grabbing Manning by the ankles.
It was the perfect start for a first-round pick who had only one sack in 14 games (eights starts) last season.
Defensive coordinator and eternal encourager Dick LeBeau begged the media to be patient, that Jones is struggling only because he was a rookie, and that rookies never, ever start in LeBeau鈥檚 complex scheme.
鈥淗e learned from those growing pains, especially as much as he played last year,鈥� Beachum said.
And Jones also learned that he needed to get to work, to chop wood.
It showed in the first preseason game. And if he can keep it up, the Steelers will have a giant piece of their revamped defense鈥檚 puzzle in place.
鈥淛oey鈥檚 making him so much better,鈥� Beachum said about new assistant coach Joey Porter. 鈥淗e鈥檚 making that whole outside linebacker group so much better. He鈥檚 instilling a great mindset in them, a great work ethic. The pass-rush moves that he had and when he played are kind of implemented, so there鈥檚 like a little Joey in all of them right now. It鈥檚 been real fun, real competitive.鈥�
Jones may not be able to have as much fun Saturday when the Steelers host the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason game. He鈥檚 been in and out of the lineup with a tight groin that the Steelers do not want to rush. They鈥檙e counting on him too much.
So until then, Jarvis will keep chopping wood. And staying chill.