Post by lazarus on May 19, 2003 12:18:20 GMT -5
Posted on Mon, May. 19, 2003
Maslowski at the center of Chiefs' LB improvement
By IVAN CARTER
The Kansas City Star
It didn't take a football guru to notice a difference in the Chiefs' defense at their three-day minicamp.
The unit that took the field last week looked significantly faster, more aggressive and more enthusiastic than the one that was torched by opponents during the 2002 season.
At the center of the action -- literally -- was Mike Maslowski, who is re-acquainting himself with the middle-linebacker position after three seasons spent playing primarily on the outside.
Maslowski, who is entering his fifth season with the Chiefs and his second as a full-time starter, has been penciled in to replace Marvcus Patton as the defensive quarterback.
In addition to the fact that "Maslowski" is the perfect last name for a middle linebacker, the move makes sense to all parties involved.
"I guess you could say it's my natural position," Maslowski said.
Head coach thingy Vermeil said: "Maz is home inside there. That's where he belongs."
Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson said: "It's his natural spot. He's a great signal caller. He can direct traffic, which is what that guy has to do. He likes to get down and dirty and be in the middle of things. It's how he likes to play."
You get the point.
For a Chiefs defense that was sorely lacking in the big-play department in 2002, the move appears to be a good one because it actually improves two positions.
Free-agent signee Shawn Barber will man one outside position, and second-year man Scott Fujita -- who cracked the starting lineup in week six last fall -- will man the other.
While Maslowski broke Gary Spani's franchise record for tackles in a season -- with 162 -- while playing at weak-side linebacker, he also experienced his share of problems in pass coverage and had a tough time "playing in space" as football experts like to say.
Maslowski will now play "in the box," taking advantage of his tackling ability and knowledge of the game, not to mention his relatively good speed when he needs to get from sideline to sideline.
"Most times, as a middle linebacker, you are going to have someone outside you," Maslowski said. "You are protected on both sides. Playing on the outside a lot of times you are the last line of defense out there and you have to turn the runner back into the (middle linebacker) and the safeties. I'm going to be doing a lot of the same things but I'll be inside."
While Maslowski adjusts to life in the middle, the speedy tandem of Barber and Fujita will hold things down on the outside.
Fujita, who was a pleasant surprise as a fifth-round pick last season, looks bigger and stronger after an off-season spent in the weight room. During the minicamp, the 6-foot-2, 237-pound Barber looked a lot like a guy who used to wear No. 59 and play outside linebacker for the Chiefs -- Donnie Edwards.
Barber made interceptions, batted down passes and showed excellent closing speed on receivers, tight ends and backs. In fact, it might only be a slight exaggeration to say that in three days Barber got his hands on more balls than Chiefs linebackers did during the entire 2002 season.
Last season, Chiefs linebackers had five interceptions -- Maslowski got three of them -- recorded just eight tackles for losses and were repeatedly beaten for third-down pass completions.
"He does that every day," Vermeil said when asked about Barber after a recent practice. "He has great instinct, he studies the scheme and knows what's going on and he has the athleticism to react and move in the direction of that ball quickly."
"That's going to be a fast, very intelligent group of linebackers."
The task now will be for Maslowski, Fujita and Barber to jell as a group. Few positions in football have been affected by free agency as much as linebacker, mainly because teams are reluctant to overpay for those positions.
That's why Edwards is a Charger, Barber is a Chief, Junior Seau is learning to play with Zach Thomas in Miami and why Dwayne Rudd will be trying to keep his helmet on in Tampa Bay this season.
The days when a crew such as the Saints' Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills, Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson -- all of whom made the 1992 NFC Pro Bowl squad -- would play together for the better part of a decade are long gone.
Now, teams have to make changes and plug holes on a year-to-year basis, which explains why minicamps, off-season practice sessions and training-camp work is so critical.
Maslowski has to unlearn some of the things he picked up as a weak-side linebacker, nail down the intricacies of the middle and learn how to play with a new partner in Barber.
"The biggest thing right now for us is to be working together every day," Maslowski said. "The more we play together, the better Scott, Shawn and I are going to react to each other in games. For instance, I might see Shawn jump a route once in a while and know how to cover (for) him. That's when defenses get good, when guys are playing off of each other so they can fly around and make plays.
"That's the kind of defense we want to play this season."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To reach Ivan Carter, Chiefs reporter for The Star, call (816) 234-4744 or send e-mail to icarter@kcstar.com
email this | print this | license this
Maslowski at the center of Chiefs' LB improvement
By IVAN CARTER
The Kansas City Star
It didn't take a football guru to notice a difference in the Chiefs' defense at their three-day minicamp.
The unit that took the field last week looked significantly faster, more aggressive and more enthusiastic than the one that was torched by opponents during the 2002 season.
At the center of the action -- literally -- was Mike Maslowski, who is re-acquainting himself with the middle-linebacker position after three seasons spent playing primarily on the outside.
Maslowski, who is entering his fifth season with the Chiefs and his second as a full-time starter, has been penciled in to replace Marvcus Patton as the defensive quarterback.
In addition to the fact that "Maslowski" is the perfect last name for a middle linebacker, the move makes sense to all parties involved.
"I guess you could say it's my natural position," Maslowski said.
Head coach thingy Vermeil said: "Maz is home inside there. That's where he belongs."
Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson said: "It's his natural spot. He's a great signal caller. He can direct traffic, which is what that guy has to do. He likes to get down and dirty and be in the middle of things. It's how he likes to play."
You get the point.
For a Chiefs defense that was sorely lacking in the big-play department in 2002, the move appears to be a good one because it actually improves two positions.
Free-agent signee Shawn Barber will man one outside position, and second-year man Scott Fujita -- who cracked the starting lineup in week six last fall -- will man the other.
While Maslowski broke Gary Spani's franchise record for tackles in a season -- with 162 -- while playing at weak-side linebacker, he also experienced his share of problems in pass coverage and had a tough time "playing in space" as football experts like to say.
Maslowski will now play "in the box," taking advantage of his tackling ability and knowledge of the game, not to mention his relatively good speed when he needs to get from sideline to sideline.
"Most times, as a middle linebacker, you are going to have someone outside you," Maslowski said. "You are protected on both sides. Playing on the outside a lot of times you are the last line of defense out there and you have to turn the runner back into the (middle linebacker) and the safeties. I'm going to be doing a lot of the same things but I'll be inside."
While Maslowski adjusts to life in the middle, the speedy tandem of Barber and Fujita will hold things down on the outside.
Fujita, who was a pleasant surprise as a fifth-round pick last season, looks bigger and stronger after an off-season spent in the weight room. During the minicamp, the 6-foot-2, 237-pound Barber looked a lot like a guy who used to wear No. 59 and play outside linebacker for the Chiefs -- Donnie Edwards.
Barber made interceptions, batted down passes and showed excellent closing speed on receivers, tight ends and backs. In fact, it might only be a slight exaggeration to say that in three days Barber got his hands on more balls than Chiefs linebackers did during the entire 2002 season.
Last season, Chiefs linebackers had five interceptions -- Maslowski got three of them -- recorded just eight tackles for losses and were repeatedly beaten for third-down pass completions.
"He does that every day," Vermeil said when asked about Barber after a recent practice. "He has great instinct, he studies the scheme and knows what's going on and he has the athleticism to react and move in the direction of that ball quickly."
"That's going to be a fast, very intelligent group of linebackers."
The task now will be for Maslowski, Fujita and Barber to jell as a group. Few positions in football have been affected by free agency as much as linebacker, mainly because teams are reluctant to overpay for those positions.
That's why Edwards is a Charger, Barber is a Chief, Junior Seau is learning to play with Zach Thomas in Miami and why Dwayne Rudd will be trying to keep his helmet on in Tampa Bay this season.
The days when a crew such as the Saints' Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills, Pat Swilling and Vaughan Johnson -- all of whom made the 1992 NFC Pro Bowl squad -- would play together for the better part of a decade are long gone.
Now, teams have to make changes and plug holes on a year-to-year basis, which explains why minicamps, off-season practice sessions and training-camp work is so critical.
Maslowski has to unlearn some of the things he picked up as a weak-side linebacker, nail down the intricacies of the middle and learn how to play with a new partner in Barber.
"The biggest thing right now for us is to be working together every day," Maslowski said. "The more we play together, the better Scott, Shawn and I are going to react to each other in games. For instance, I might see Shawn jump a route once in a while and know how to cover (for) him. That's when defenses get good, when guys are playing off of each other so they can fly around and make plays.
"That's the kind of defense we want to play this season."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To reach Ivan Carter, Chiefs reporter for The Star, call (816) 234-4744 or send e-mail to icarter@kcstar.com
email this | print this | license this
