SB Nation - Vernon Gholston

Jets Flight Connections 120709

dvdvil — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:01:33 -0000

Does the AFC East actually go through Miami? The Dolphins beat the Patriots yesterday. Here is the recap and the play-by-play.

There were plenty of people who thought Miami would win that game.

Did Mark Sanchez make the Patriots secondary overconfident?

Maybe New England is just not as good as they used to be, or maybe Chad Henne is just getting better and growing as a QB.

This game and a few others helped the Jets' playoff push.

This article looks at the other teams vying for a post-season spot.

Some more connections after the jump.

Is the media too harsh on Mark Sanchez? Backup QB Kellen Clemens thinks it's good for the rookie to be playing.

The Jets' starting quarterback is a competitor, but this article shows why the Sanchize needs to protect himself.

Should we try to sign former Buccaneer QB Jeff Garcia?

Head Coach Rex Ryan is happy with the rushing offense, and Thomas Jones is quietly getting some media attention. He and Curtis Martin talk about each other in this article.

Strong men also cry.

JetsConfidential notes that Shaun Ellis is playing well lately, but Vernon Gholston, not so much.

The Vikings lost last night, but Jets players don't really care how well or how badly Brett Favre does in Minnesota. Steve Serby reminisces about him in this book, if you haven't read it yet.

The Ravens play tonight, and Batimore OC Cam Cameron says Ryan really had another reason for bringing in Joe Girardi.

It looks like Rex is a big fan of New York sports. This article briefly - very briefly - mentions that he is apparently also a New York Rangers fan.

If we plan to go after Charlie Weis next year, would he get along with former QB Mark Sanchez. He's certainly not a big fan of Pete Carroll, Mark's former coach at USC.

Gholston, Actually Injured?

David_Wyatt — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:28:58 -0000

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Scandal, pure speculation, and just something to mull over with your Sunday morning coffee.

Is Vernon Gholston actually injured?

Over the past week or so, I have quietly been thinking this to myself, only when I branched out and shared this idea did I realise that I was not alone in my superstition of the Jets franchise and the mysterious injury that Vernon Gholston acquired prior to the Jacksonville game.

If we think back to the Miami game (shudders), we will remember that Rex took a lot of heat post performance for selecting Vernon Gholston ahead of a special teams player that maybe could of prevented one or both of the Ginn touchdowns.

Prior to the game against Jacksonville, in talking with some Jaguars fans, I made the comment that I would not be surprised if some 'injury' occurred to Gholston that would take the selection headache out of Rex Ryan's hands. The very next day we hear that Vernon Gholston had sustained a hamstring injury, and that he was out for the game against Jacksonville, sustained a hamstring injury in a team 'walk through'.

Now lets look back on a comment that Rex made when he first took over as head coach of the New York Jets

If he can't do it for me and for this team, he's never going to do it."

Here we are in week 10 of the NFL season, and Gholston has 11 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 INT, 0 FF, so if he hasn't been doing it for Rex perhaps the 'bust' label can be firmly applied and concluded. However maybe Rex is not ready for that yet, but realises that right now, his place in the team is hurting rather than helping the performance on Sunday.

However Rex also understands that presenting Gholston as a healthy scratch pretty much seals that comment, admitting that he is not doing it for him and not doing it for the team. Which back handedly also admits that Gholston can't do it anywhere

Simple solution is to present him as injured while we are still sniffing the play-offs, if we lose today, and our play-off hopes go down the drain, don't be surprised to see a miraculous recovery by Gholston next week.

The odd thing is, that when Gholston was playing and starting, he was actually starting to improve, however once Pace returned to the line-up and Gholston was demoted to the bench he again became invisible, much like the entire 2008 season.

However if we are not ready to admit failure, then perhaps down the stretch, it's more beneficial to this team to have Gholston start in place of Bryan Thomas, after all Thomas is hardly lighting the stat sheets up either, 20 tackles and one sack in 9 starts, compared to Gholston's 11 tackles and 0 sacks in 4 starts. If Vernon starts the other five games, I find it hard to believe as disappointing as he has been, that he would not of accumulated similar of not better stats to Thomas.

So what do you think?

1) Is Vernon Gholston actually injured, or is it a face saving move by the franchise?

2) If the play-off hopes go down the drain today in NE, should we start Gholston in place of Thomas?

Could Jim Leonhard Play?

John B — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:49:48 -0000

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Jim Leonhard might be in the lineup against the Pats after all.

Leonhard, injured in last Sunday's loss to Jacksonville, returned to practice Friday and participated in individual drills as well as some team activities while wearing a cast on his hand.

Coach Rex Ryan said he'd consult with Leonhard and the team's trainers to see how he feels leading up to the game Sunday. Eric Smith would get the start opposite Kerry Rhodes if Leonhard can't play.

It sure would be nice to have the secondary at full strength against these receivers.

Vernon Gholston, on the other hand, will definitely sit the next one out.

Ryan also ruled out linebacker Vernon Gholston for the second straight week with a hamstring injury. Gholston was injured in practice last Monday in the team's first workout off the bye-week break.

Do you think the Jets may be milking this injury a bit so the man they invested so much in will not be listed as a healthy scratch?

Vernon Gholston Likely Out Sunday

John B — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:00:52 -0000

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It looks like injury is going to knock out Vernon Gholston for the game against the Jaguars.

Jets linebacker Vernon Gholston missed his second straight practice today with a hamstring injury -- which he suffered during Monday's walkthrough practice -- and it's highly unlikely he'll play against the Jaguars on Sunday.

Gholston, picked sixth overall in 2008, has been a disappointment on the field. He has no sacks in 24 career games and has been a non-factor in limited action on defense and special teams this season -- even though he started in the position vacated by linebacker Calvin Pace who was suspended for the first four games of the season.

He's quietly been getting a nice push lining up at tackle on obvious passing downs, but let's be honest. He wasn't making that big of a difference. Marques Murrell and Jamaal Westerman could see an increased workload as a result.

Would you like to see Gholston become a healthy scratch in favor of special teams contributors in the future?

Report: Mangini Picked Gholston

John B — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:33:06 -0000

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Rich Cimini says Eric Mangini was a driving force behind the team selecting Vernon Gholston.

So it has come to this for Gholston, the sixth pick of the 2008 draft: He's extra baggage. But he continues to play because sitting him would be a self-indictment for a team paying him $21million in guarantees. It's a cover-your-backside move, not uncommon in the NFL.

Here's the troubling part: Gholston's lack of progress isn't surprising to some in the organization. Now we're hearing he wasn't a popular choice to begin with. Opinions in the draft room were mixed on Gholston, but the Jets picked him because then-coach Eric Mangini lobbied hard, according to multiple sources.

"That one's on Eric," one source said.

Now they have a potential bust on their hands. Asked if Mangini was the driving force behind the Gholston choice, GM Mike Tannenbaum said, "On all draft decisions, I have the final say. But, organizationally, we felt good about Vernon. Although his rate of improvement isn't where we want it to be, we're still happy he's here and we feel good about his future."

It's not on Mangini. If Tannenbaum has the final say, it's on him. It's ultimately his responsibility to decide which advice to take and which to ignore. There were warning signs on Gholston.

With that said, you can't jump on Tannenbaum too hard. He's been right on too many major moves. Plus the Jets weren't the only team fooled by Gholston. He was a consensus top ten pick for a reason, a ton of scouts thought he was going to be a dominant force.

Should Vernon Gholston Have Been Active?

John B — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:08:54 -0000

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Pelzman asks that question:

Linebacker Marques Murrell, one of the Jets’ best special-teams players, was a healthy scratch Sunday, while Vernon Gholston was again active. Gholston has 12 tackles on defense this year, and one tackle on special teams, while Murrell has eight special-teams tackles. Gholston has only four tackles since Calvin Pace returned from suspension.

When asked why Gholston was up instead of Murrell, special-teams coordinator Mike Westhoff said, "That’s a good question. You’d have to ask the defense that, to tell you the truth."

It’s understandable that the Jets would want to get a return on their $21 million investment of guaranteed money in Gholston, the sixth overall draft pick in 2008, but they also must think about the bottom line of winning down the stretch, now that they are in a playoff battle. And if Murrell or someone else gives them a better chance to win that day than Gholston, then that decision must be made — no matter how it looks publicly or how it hurts in the wallet.

Nobody is more disappointed that Gholston has not developed into a defensive force as I am, but I don't think I agree with this thinking. Vernon has been solid against the run this season, and the biggest focus heading into Sunday was on stopping the run. We're not having this conversation if special teams standouts like Jay Feely don't kick a line drive, Wallace Wright takes a better angle, or Larry Izzo doesn't totally whiff on a tackle.

Prospect Watch: 2010 NFL Draft, Arthur Jones

David_Wyatt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:22:25 -0000

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So with it being a bye week and Rex ordering everyone to vacate the building by Thursday or else, we thought it might be time to switch gears. Start talking about the future potential Jets while the current Jets fly off to Cali (Rhodes) or anywhere else they might be jetting off to (no pun intended).

So this week I'm going to take a look at some of the prospects that the Jets may have their eyes on in 2010, because although the players are taking a welcome break, being a fan is a 24/7/365 job and well, we need something to keep our mind occupied until a week Sunday.

You may not agree with some of the players we profile this week, and obviously that's fine, just leave your comments with your opinions on the particular player being discussed.

So first up after the jump, it's a player close to home, Syracuse's Arthur Jones

I haven't been able to watch Syracuse all that much, and let's be honest who would want to if your not a fan. However scouts seem to really like Jones. Projected to be a mid-to-late first round selection, he should be available around where we will be picking.

Currently a 4-3 DT, but definitely more suited to a 3-4 DE in the NFL. Has good not great size, standing at 6-4 and listed at 294lb's. Although he is working to add a little bit of weight without losing any of his quickness that makes him so valuable to a team.

Looking at his basic stats, not many would be impressed, but over the course of the 2007-2008 season, he had 30.5 tackles for loss. He had three sacks in 2008 and currently has just the one sack,

In 2008 he was named as a first team all big East selection, as a Notre Dame fan he left a lasting impression on me after last season. That day he recorded 15 tackles, 4 for a loss of 24 yards in total and 1.5 sacks. He was the Big East defensive player of the week and earned himself a ESPN helmet sticker for his contribution.

At Syracuse he is doubled continuously and that partly explains why his sack totals are not higher, uses a good bull rush and is excellent at using his hands to shed blocks. Difference hear to Vernon Gholston, Gholston has a excellent bull rush, but he can't shed blocks, Arthur Jones manages to do this. Is quicker than his times suggest, and is continuously in the face of the QB making life uncomfortable.

However run defence is perhaps where he excels the most, which can be put to his penetration, moves down the line fluidly, protects the gaps and his tackles for loss shows that he gets excellent push off the line and has an explosive nature to him. His conditioning is above average and he has the motor to play until the whistle stops. Will be seen in the backfield and then seconds later down the field making the tackle.

One of the best attributes in Jones is his awareness, he knows where the ball is and his football intelligence is used to good measure to reveal where the likeliest path of the runner, which helps him bring down the ball carrier. For a defensive tackle he is a good open field tackler. He plays very low, and has the length to bring down the ball carrier, uses his hands to his benefit and rarely gets caught too high. Not often seen being pushed out of the play.

Another attribute that you won't find on any stat sheet but that is equally important to a system is attitude. Jones has a excellent never give up attitude which was probably developed through being on a team that has had very little success. His coaches love him, he comes in to play every single day, and has become a leader on the team, gave everything he had for Syracuse and I'm sure they are sorry to be loosing him.

His attitude, back-field presence, and high motor make me predict that he would be a excellent player in Rex Ryans system.

Below are the only highlights that I could find of him, so fast forward to the 3:36 minute mark

DraftParty's Week 1 Highlights/Lowlights Part 2 2009 (via ProDraftParty)

Far too early to slap Maybin with 'bust' label

Brian Galliford — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:45:24 -0000

In the NFL, there's very little room for such novelties as patience and perspective. Aaron Maybin is 21 years old. He entered the 2009 NFL Draft after his sophomore year in college, one in which he led the Big 10 with 12 sacks at Penn State. Throughout the entire pre-draft process, Maybin was labeled with such words as "light," "raw," and "weak" - labels that, for whatever reason, still surprise people when applied to him to this day.

Maybin has now appeared in seven regular season games with the Buffalo Bills. Playing perhaps the most difficult position on an NFL defense aside from cornerback, Maybin's statistical impact has been minimal - he has just four tackles in a rotational role. Naturally, when a first-round pick fails to produce immediately, the "b word" gets floated out there. Sal Maiorana of the Democrat and Chronicle is the first person of prominence that I've heard utter - or in this case, tweet - the "b word" in regards to Maybin.

Sal (and anyone else who's ready to apply the "b word" label as well): don't jump the gun on this kid. Consider the facts.

DE isn't generally an early-impact position
One of the big arguments for the Bills not to draft a defensive end this past April was that, for a team in need of instant impact from its early-round picks, a rookie DE wouldn't produce the way we'd need our first-rounder to produce. That argument was based on the rookie production of the much-heralded 2008 rookie defensive end class. Three ends were drafted in the Top 10 in 2008, and seven in total were taken in the first two rounds. Exactly zero of these players were high-impact, game-changing forces as rookies (and many of them have yet to ascend to that level in their second seasons):

Round-Pick-Player-Team-Stats
1-2: Chris Long, St. Louis Rams - 40 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1 FF
1-6: Vernon Gholston, New York Jets - 13 tackles
1-8: Derrick Harvey, Jacksonville Jaguars - 19 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PD
1-28: Lawrence Jackson, Seattle Seahawks - 29 tackles, 2.0 sacks
2-50: Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals - 29 tackles, 1 FF, 1 PD
2-52: Quentin Groves, Jacksonville Jaguars - 13 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PD
2-54: Jason Jones, Tennessee Titans - 31 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 3 FF, 2 PD

It's worth mentioning, also, that it's traditionally much easier for rookie pass rushers to make an impact in a 3-4 defense than it is to do so in a 4-3, where their responsibilities are more diversified. The only 3-4 player above is Gholston, whose rookie season, statistically and behind the scenes, was terrible under Eric Mangini. Jones, meanwhile, made the switch to DT in Tennessee's system, and his production can, in part, be explained by lining up next to Albert Haynesworth.

Otherwise, this group was highly average. In most cases, you're looking at Chris Kelsay or Ryan Denney numbers. For as much talent as this group has - and this year's group is more talented, by the way - the numbers are well below what we might call "average to above average" NFL defensive end production. It's the nature of the position to start your career slowly when you're a pass rusher, and particularly if you're playing in a 4-3, as most of the above players do.

Round-Pick-Player-Team-Stats
1-11: Aaron Maybin, Buffalo Bills - 4 tackles
1-13: Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins - 22 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 PD
1-16: Larry English, San Diego Chargers - 10 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PD
1-18: Robert Ayers, Denver Broncos - 7 tackles
2-43: Everette Brown, Carolina Panthers - 7 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 FF
2-46: Connor Barwin, Houston Texans - 7 tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 PD
2-52: David Veikune, Cleveland Browns - N/A
2-57: Paul Kruger, Baltimore Ravens - 1 tackle
2-63: Cody Brown, Arizona Cardinals - N/A

Again, the 3-4 vs. 4-3 principle applies. Of the first-round picks, English and Ayers play in 3-4 schemes. Orakpo, who played end at Texas, is now Washington's strong-side linebacker, and they use him in a hybrid LB/DE role out of their 4-3 alignment - which means he's doing much of his rushing from a standing position. Maybin is the only first-round rookie end to be used in a traditional 4-3 manner, and that's pretty easy to glean just by his stat line.

Situations can't define busts after seven games
All of that might come across as excuse-making for Maybin - and it's exactly what I'm doing. I'm making excuses for him. The expectation was unreasonably high to begin with, considering his pre-draft hype, and it grew to unmanageable proportions when it became apparent how Buffalo planned to use him after a lengthy training camp holdout (don't forget about that, either).

A small part of me likes the fact that Buffalo refuses to move him all over the field. It's the part of me that understands that Maybin's got the talent to be one of the best at the end position that likes the fact that the Bills are playing him exclusively at that position. All of his reps are taken there, and each week, he looks a little better than the last rushing the passer. His legs are fresh, and with any luck, he'll start making impact plays over the second half of the season.

But the biggest part of me (no anatomy jokes of any kind, please) is a bit perplexed by this decision as well. Buffalo's coaching staff, if they weren't in win-now mode before the season, is definitely at that level now. I find it difficult to fathom that they wouldn't try to find more ways to get Maybin onto the field and into advantageous situations. He's too good an athlete to limit to rotational end work, is he not? Everything that made him a top prospect - that lightning-quick first step, his being a tremendous worker and highly motivated, and with tons of potential - still applies. It's on the coaching staff (much more than it's on Maybin, by the way) for his paltry stat line.

Don't forget about Aaron Schobel, Kelsay and Denney, either. Whether you like them as players or not, these are veterans that have the nuances of the position down. All three have played well this season. That makes it more difficult to get Maybin onto the field - again, unless you start to put more on his plate schematically.

Considering his age, his level of development, the position he plays, and how the Bills are using him, it's literally unfathomable to me how anyone can be surprised about the lack of production we've seen from Maybin. I don't like making excuses for players unless they're valid, but I'll make any excuse for a player being labeled a bust after seven professional games. He's 21. We know his game needs polish. Give him time - the kid's still got the talent and the drive. Screw the "bust" label and apply a little patience for once, folks.

Bills 16 Jets 13 (Overtime): Searching for Answers

John B — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:58:44 -0000

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The Jets dropped a home game today to one of the worst teams in football. This is a team that lost last week to a quarterback who went 2 for 17. This is a team that lost to Eric Mangini's pathetic Browns. Every football team has at least one loss each season that just leaves you scratching your head. This one fits the bill for the Jets

More after the jump.

The Bad:

Mark Sanchez: This was as bad as it gets for a rookie. 10 for 29, 119 yards, no touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. He frankly looked lost out there. His decision making was terrible. His accuracy was way off. It seemed like the cold weather got into his head. It didn't seem like the California kid could grip the ball, the second time he was having trouble in two bad weather games.

Ok, we got that out of the way. Please go easy on the rookie. There's no tougher transition in the game than playing quarterback one year in college and in the pros the next. There are days he will look great like he did when he outplayed Tom Brady in Week 2 or when he led his team from a deficit twice in the fourth quarter in a road game on national television last week. Unfortunately there are also going to be days like today when the speed and skill of the pro game overwhelms him because he's not used to it. Even Peyton Manning had them. Don't act like one game defines his career.

Did you want Sanchez back in April? If you did, you had to know there would be days where his play would be miserable this year. That's just part of the deal. Don't call for his benching. He needs to learn. Baptism by fire. Doing that would be so short sighted. I still say he's better than Kellen Clemens.

The fake field goal or bad snap: This was just a really, really stupid call. With the game on the line, you can't ask Steve Weatherford to hit a 13 yard pass. He's not used to throwing it. That was a crazy risk on that spot on the field and one that wasn't going to work out. If it was just a bad snap and a field goal call from the bench, that's still not a great play. A 50 yard kick in the Meadowlands wind probably wasn't happening. The play is to line up with Feely holding and Weatherford as the kicker. Direct snap it to Weatherford, and let him pooch it with no returner deep. Flip field position and let your defense win the game.

Dustin Keller: A couple of drops. A killer penalty in overtime. Awful week in a quiet year for a guy who was supposed to break out this season.

Ben Hartsock: There's just no excuse for that holding penalty in overtime. Let Thomas Jones get tackled. Don't hold. It's still a shorter field goal try.

Calvin Pace: Bad penalty in overtime. Didn't do well in pass coverage. Cheap shot to take out Trent Edwards. I understand defenses take pride when they knock a quarterback out of the game, but that's only on a clean hit. He threw Edwards down when the play was over. That's a great way to put a target on Mark Sanchez's back in the second meeting.

James Ihedigbo: Cost the Jets 15 yards to start the fake field goal drive in overtime because he lost his cool and threw a punch. Don't you think the Jets could have used that yardage and kicked a 35 yarder instead of a 50 yarder. I really hate to call for a man's job, but Ihedigbo deserves to be cut tomorrow. He let down his teammates in a big way. When everything was on the line, he selifishly decided his own retaliation was more important than his 51 teammates. There's no room for that on the team. Nobody is bigger than the New York Jets. His job is to contribute on special teams. Today he showed that the team can't count on him. This wasn't a mistake on the field when he was trying to do his best like Mark Sanchez. This was a conscious decision. Nice story he made the team undrafted from UMass. He of all people should understand playing in this league is not a right.

Third quarter play calling: You're going into the wind. It's affecting your quarterback. He's got no confidence. He's throwing it up for grabs. He's inaccurate. Why throw it deep twice? That's asking for two interceptions.

The Defense: This is supposed to be an elite unit. You need to stop Ryan Fitzpatrick in a key spot in your building. You just have to.

The Good:

Thomas Jones: What can you really say? 22 carries for 210 yards. He carried the load offensively.

Leon Washington: 18 offensive touches for 145 yards.

The Offensive Line: They were consistently getting a push all game and winning battles. You don't run for 318 yards without a dominant performance by the offensive line. This unit is really rounding into form. They're starting to live up to their four first round pick billing.

Darrelle Revis: After a couple of early penalties, we didn't hear from Terrell Owens at all. Another man who went to Revis Island and was never heard from again.

Sione Pouha: He was controlling the point of attack before Kris Jenkins got hurt and consistently got a push after Jenkins left injured.

Vernon Gholston: I made it a point to focus on Gholston today. I really liked what I saw. He showed good power moves as a pass rusher. The Jets lined him up on the nose a few times in obvious passing downs. He flushed Ryan Fitzpatrick from the pocket a few times and generally made him uncomfortable. He understood his assignments on running plays and did a good job containing. It seemed like he really knew what he was doing, which was good considering how raw and lost he looked a year ago. Should we expect more from a top ten pick? Yes. Has he shown a lot of improvement? Yes.

Other Thought:

Dick Jauron never should have played for a long field goal at the end of regulation. That stadium is known for its crazy wind. He should have kept attacking. He almost cost them a win in the Meadowlands for the second straight year.

This obviously stinks, but it's important to keep it in perspective. The Jets are 3-3. They're still in the thick of the race in the division. They have a better record than the Bills and Dolphins. They are a game behind New England with a head to head win. You may not feel good about the way the team has arrived here. Would you feel better if the club started 0-3 and won three straight? Maybe, but the Jets would be in exactly the same spot.

Well go crazy and let this sink in. No team is ever as good as it looks at its best or as bad as it looks at its worst. Not everything will always click like it did today.

I wrote that after the Week 1 domination of the Texans. The same applies today in terms of the Jets not really being as bad as they looked. This team is better than it looked today. Things won't stay like this all year. Just remember it's a long season. It ebbs and flows. How many times did your perception of last year's team change? This team has the potential to play with anybody in the league like it did with the Pats Week 1. It has the potential to lose to anybody like it did with the Bills today. Just because the Jets look one way one week doesn't mean they will look that way the rest of the year. The Jets are still in decent shape and can turn this around.

I get it. This was a bitter loss, but there's a lot of season left.

Pettine: "Gholston Gets Job Done"

David_Wyatt — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:17:36 -0000

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I came across some interesting quotes from Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine today on the often talked about rarely seen play of Vernon Gholston. I'm one of the biggest Gholston supporters you are likely to find, I like the guy, I think he still has a ton of potential, and nobody can say that he has not made improvements over the summer.

The plays that he’s gotten, especially when he got in more in the last game, he’s graded out well. Vernon’s not a guy that you’re going to see a lot of flash from, but he’s strong. He’s a lot stronger than most guys at his position and does a real nice job. If you go back and look at come of the quarterback pressures we got, a lot of them happened because Vernon kind of collapsed that side of the defense and had taken up two blockers and the running back and the quarterback. Vernon has really taken it upon himself to get better and he’s really done it out in practice. We were planning last week to have some different packages and mix it up so a guy like Vernon wasn’t going to have to play the entire game. As it turned out, he had such a good week of practice that we took the mindset of, ‘Let’s go ahead and up his reps and bump down the other guys strictly because he looks so good in practice.’ It showed in the game. He made some really nice plays. He’s getting better using his hands and digging of blocks. He made the one real nice hustle play that might have ultimately saved a touchdown on the one run that broke late in the game by Chris Johnson. He tackled two blockers and ended up coming out of it and ran him down. Kerry (Rhodes) missed a tackle and Vernon was there and had run him down. It was a real nice hustle play.

Out of the 6th overall selection you are probably asking for a lot more, I hear you all who say that, understandable. However right now, you take what you get, and he does use the bull rush very well, and he has over powered players numerous times, he is getting off blocks better. Last year he just could not do that, at no point last year can I remember him shredding a block. It was a nice hustle play to run down Johnson, not something a lot of linebackers can do.

He has one more week starting, Calvin Pace returns from his suspension in week 5 and Gholston will go into a more situational role, which could benefit his development, more chances to focus on rushing the passer, and his confidence is only going to increase if he starts getting sacks. A lot of fans are down on Gholston and some in my opinion even hope that he fails so they can triumphantly say they were right about him being a bust, but I still have a great deal of belief in the man.