Seahawks push Jackson to take next step

Seahawks push Jackson to take next step
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER

RENTON -- Lawrence Jackson has shown quite a bit since the Seahawks made the defensive lineman from USC their first-round draft choice in April.

He slid inside to play tackle in the nickel defense on the first day of the first minicamp in May, and remains there as the team prepares for its nationally televised preseason game in San Diego on Monday.

Last week, he moved into the starting lineup at right end in the preseason home opener against the Chicago Bears, and he'll stay there against the Chargers.

But defensive coordinator John Marshall wants to see more.

"He's certainly not polished, but he did show pass-rush ability," Marshall said. "He showed the thing that he showed at USC, (which) was his awareness in certain situations against certain blocking schemes -- crossing faces, reading things.

"He does a very, very good job of that."

It was a good first start. But the second needs to be better as Jackson continues his battle with incumbent Darryl Tapp for the starting job.

"Consistency and a higher level of production," Marshall said when asked what he wants from the rookie against the Chargers.

Like, not just rushing the passer, but sacking the quarterback or at least hitting him.

"Instead of being two steps away when the ball is thrown, be a half a step. Or, be hitting the quarterback," Marshall said.

Jackson's performance against the Bears fell into the close-but-no-cigar category. While he showed a lot, he had little to show for it. Jackson was not credited with a tackle, after collecting three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble the week before in the preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

That will happen when you play against one team's backups and another team's starters.

"I know I'm a rookie. I have a lot of things to catch up on," Jackson said. "I've got to be a lot quicker in my reactions to certain things and a lot more aware on my visual keys.

"Then I should be OK."

One thing Jackson isn't concerning himself with is the competition with Tapp. While Jackson has better size (6 feet 4, 271 pounds) than Tapp (6-1, 270), Tapp has the edge in experience. He's been through this before. Last year, Tapp beat out incumbent Bryce Fisher for the starting job -- which led to Fisher being traded to the Tennessee Titans.

"That's something I don't have any control of," Jackson said. "I come out here and it's my job to get better as a football player to help the Seahawks. It's not my job to worry about Darryl or whatever's going on with that.

"After you guys (reporters) bring it up, I don't even think about it anymore."

Talk about knowing the right things to say. Jackson does have that part of the game within the game down.

Tapp's take? He declined to discuss the situation.

But he knows what Jackson is dealing with -- making the transition from being a dominant player at the collegiate level to a learn-on-the-fly rookie in the NFL.

"They weren't lying when they said it's definitely 80 percent mental," Jackson said. "You've just got to have that sharpness every day and pay attention to detail on every little thing.

"It has a way of humbling you. As soon as you think you've got one thing going, then bam, you figure you don't really have it and you've got to go back to the drawing board."

It doesn't help that Jackson is playing this transition game while often butting his helmet against the brick wall that is Walter Jones -- the Seahawks' Pro Bowl left tackle who has been stuffing the best pass-rushers the NFL has to offer since 1997, when Jackson was still in elementary school.

"Trying to work my technique and trying to beat Walter, it's a pretty big deal," Jackson said.

"What can I show Walter Jones that he hasn't seen before?"

You'd be surprised.

"He's doing a good job," Jones said. "He battles. He works hard. He keeps coming."

And he can't stop now.

"We've got to give him every opportunity to raise his level of production," Marshall said. "And one of the best ways to do that is to get him the best competition."

FOCUS ON: JORDAN BABINEAUX

Jordan Babineaux has built his career on that the-more-things-you-can-do attitude.

But Tuesday morning, the Seahawks' versatile defensive back went above and beyond even that adage. When free safety Brian Russell opted out of a closest-to-the-pin competition after practice, Babineaux was recruited to challenge Champions Tour member Tim Simpson.

All Babineaux did was get the best of Simpson, who is in town for the annual Champions Tour event at Snoqualmie Ridge.

Babineaux's best effort in an impressive series of shots landed 4 feet, 7 inches from the pin. Simpson was next (5 feet), with kicker Olindo Mare taking third (6-5).

After throwing down what turned out to be the winner, Babineaux threw down a good-natured challenge, offering, "No pressure. But you're the pro."

Countered Simpson, 52: "I'm getting old."

Cracked Mare: "I'm getting strokes."

Simpson is from Georgia, so he's a football fan in general and a huge supporter of the Georgia Bulldogs. But he also is a longtime follower of the Seahawks.

"I don't know why," he said. "I guess because we don't have a team in Atlanta."

On second thought, that might have been the best shot of the day.





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