Jon "Big Hit" Beason Learns First Lesson

Here’s some comments from Jon Beason on something I noticed in the preseason. He had been making nice hits but at the expense of wrapping up and making the tackle.

Man, when I hit Steven Jackson, he always falls forward; he's such a big back," Beason said, grinning. "So I was not used to that, and wasn't happy about that at all. He didn't really go back when I hit him.
"A lot of times in college I could just tee off on a guy, I didn't have to wrap up (the tackle). I can't do that at this level. ... I'll try to do a little bit better.
"But we've got another big back this week."

Many rookie linebackers come into the NFL thinking they can knock running backs off their feet. Running into Steven Jackson will start to remedy that. I doubt there is a starting RB in the league that can be knocked off his feet. Ron Dayne certainly isn’t one and Ahman Green is no slouch though Green would be easier than Dayne.

"I was a little timid out there; I'd like to be more instinctive like I'm used to," he said.

"A lot of times, you see something and you just go; you read (the play) on the run. Sometimes what you see is not what the play is. So I'm trying to be as aggressive initially, and once I know 100 percent, let's go get it."

I give Beason credit for being willing to talk about it. It shows he has some humility about him and he’s a quick study. We’re taught to believe that LB’s must be maniacal, blood-thirsty hitting machines who are too dumb for self-evaluation. Fox said after drafting him in the first round that he had leadership qualities and would be a great locker room guy. I think we are starting to see the beginning of that.

"It's a pretty big jump; It's definitely a pretty big jump," he said of the move from the University of Miami into the NFL. "But you know what? That (preseason) New England game, that first couple series I got, to go out and make plays, I was confident that I could play at this level.

"I belong here, and I'm ready for it."

There's no doubt about that. The tough preseason schedule served its purpose. After one game Jon Beason know's he belongs and is playing with confidence. Now wrap up those tackles!