Nov/13/08 08:04 AM Filed in:
Ray Lewis
First of all, a disclaimer:
What I've transcribed below can - and probably
will - be misconstrued as Ravens LB Ray Lewis
taking shots at Giants RB Brandon Jacobs. Having
been in the Giants' locker room for five seasons
now, I know they'll use these words as motivation.
But having been around all kinds of football players,
especially a prideful middle linebacker in Antonio
Pierce, I know what Lewis was saying and it wasn't
anything close to the shots the Browns were taking at
Jacobs.
With that said, here's what Lewis said on a conference
call with reporters a few minutes ago when asked about
Jacobs:
"He's a physical back. He plays the game very physical.
The only way to stop somebody like that is to run into
him full-speed. That's the game of football. The name
of football is hit or be hit. So the bottom line is I
don't care how big his size is, how big none of that
is. Football is football. And when you strap on your
chin strap, I don't care how big you are, deal with
whoever's got the ball and let life take care of
itself. You just know, as a middle linebacker, you
don't want to start letting them get into your
secondary like you see the Eagles and a lot of people
did, like big gaping holes to where he's getting up on
your corners and your secondary, I don't think that's
an even match. But when you're dealing with the front
seven where linebackers meet running backs and
fullbacks and things, then let it take care of itself.
Our job is to not let him get to our secondary because
he can be an imposing threat back there."
Again, when you look at the above, you might be tempted
to infer Lewis is saying he and the rest of Baltimore's
front seven can easily handle Jacobs. That's not the
case. And if anyone expected a guy like Lewis to come
on the conference call and even hint about how much
he's worried about playing Jacobs for the first time,
well, then you don't know Lewis, you don't know middle
linebackers and you don't know football.
When asked about Jacobs' size and the disparity between
him and the average back, Lewis displayed the swagger
I'm talking about and the cockiness you need to play in
the middle in the NFL:
"Okay, so what are you going to do? Run from it? You
just play football. I don't look at the schedule, look
at somebody's weight and say, 'Oh, guess what, he's
260. I can't run into him.' Hell no, I'm chasing him.
It doesn't matter. Size has never mattered in this
game. And the day you put size in this game, you lose
all your credibility on why you play the game. You play
the game for that. I remember these same stories about
how big Eddie George was - so big and so bruising.
Okay, let football take care of itself. That's what
it's always done and always will do.
Strong words? Sure. A shot at Jacobs? No way. Just a
guy who's confident in himself, as he should be.
(nj.com)