Steelers linebacker Jarvis Jones beginning to reach potential
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Between his long dreads and the blinged out gold grill covering his bottom teeth, Jarvis Jones looked more hip-hop artist than Steelers linebacker on Wednesday. The appearance, however, belied the 27-year-old鈥檚 mood.
Jones, as approachable as anyone in the Steelers鈥� locker room, was still seething two days after his team鈥檚 loss to New England. Though, to be fair, not many are happy on the South Side as the Steelers enter their bye week at an underwhelming 4-3.
The 27-16 loss to the Patriots was the third straight game the Steelers failed to record an interception. The Steelers鈥� three picks this season are third-fewest in the NFL, or two less than Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters has alone.
It was the second straight game that the Steelers defense surrendered a 100-yard rushing game, a grotesque 362 yards the past two weeks. The run defense now ranks 16th, allowing 106.7 per game.
And it was the second game in a row the Steelers failed to register a sack. The Steelers鈥� eight sacks are fewest in the NFL or one fewer than Buffalo defensive tackle Lorenzo Alexander has.
The sacks, or lack thereof, has Jones most peeved. The Steelers invested the 17th overall pick on Jones in 2013 for his ability to get after quarterbacks but he has just five sacks in 43 career games and none in his last 15, a career long.
鈥淚t鈥檚 frustrating as hell,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淲e had almost 50 sacks last year (48) and now we鈥檝e got eight.
鈥淚 felt like the two sacks that I missed in the Patriots game could have been big game-changers, probably could have even won the game for us. It does matter and it (ticks) me off any time we leave a stadium and not get sacks. I know we鈥檙e very capable and I know we work extremely hard on the pass rush game, just haven鈥檛 hit home for us. We鈥檙e going to take this break, clear our minds and start fresh.鈥�
Indeed, Jones had a couple chances to bring down Patriots quarterback Tom Brady but couldn鈥檛.
Still, he also was the Steelers鈥� best player on the defensive side of the ball. Jones had seven combined tackles, one of which went for a loss, a QB pressure and he forced a Chris Hogan fumble on New England鈥檚 first possession that he also recovered.
It was the kind of game the Steelers would like to see more consistently from Jones, who鈥檚 27 tackles rank sixth, to go along with an interception. With Bud Dupree on IR, Jones has been playing 59.5 percent of defensive snaps, most of any in the outside linebacker rotation.
鈥淛arvis is going hard, he鈥檚 making a lot of plays,鈥� Dupree said. 鈥淚 know he鈥檚 had a lot of chances to get sacks. He鈥檚 been putting pressure on himself.鈥�
Admittedly, Jones says there鈥檚 still another level he can reach: 鈥淚鈥檓 doing all right, definitely could be playing a lot better.鈥�
Jones says he鈥檚 been studying film of himself, trying to pick up on his own tendencies to avoid becoming predictable with his pass rush techniques and taking them to the practice field so he can play faster.
Ultimately, he says, getting sacks comes down to want to.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to win our 1-on1- battles,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淲e have to have better technique, just got to get after it. I don鈥檛 think we鈥檝e done anything wrong, we just have to be more aware of our rush lanes, we鈥檝e got to work together up front. I think that鈥檚 what we got to do. Just got to win, that鈥檚 the biggest thing.鈥�
As Jones is all-too aware, a big second half of this season could lead to a big payday next season. Wherever that may be. Jones will be a free agent at season鈥檚 end after the Steelers declined to pick up their fifth-year option on him in May. While obviously humbling at the time, Jones says he鈥檚 moved on from it.
鈥淭hey made a decision,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 out of my control. I do everything on the positive. I鈥檒l find away to deal with that kind of stuff.鈥�
If this is the beginning of the end for Jones, it鈥檚 not exactly weighing on his mind. He says he prefers to stay in Pittsburgh and professed his love for the Rooneys and coach Mike Tomlin. But, again, it鈥檚 out of his control.
鈥淧ittsburgh will always be home,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey gave me my opportunity. Regardless of where I end up, I love Pittsburgh. It鈥檚 a great place. I love everything about the organization, great atmosphere in this locker room. These guys are like my brothers in the locker room and outside the locker room. I can depend on all them. It鈥檚 a beautiful place to be.鈥�