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Jones returning home a winner
(http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mulligan/91478,CST-SPT-mully11.article)
October 11, 2006
BY MIKE MULLIGAN Staff Reporter
Thomas Jones never will forget the first time he touched down in Phoenix. It was in April of 2000 after the Arizona Cardinals made the self-described ''East Coast guy'' the No.7 pick in the NFL draft. Jones' flight landed at midnight, and he stepped into 95-degree heat. Even in the cover of darkness, he could see the light brown color of the desert.
''I felt like I was in a Wile E. Coyote cartoon,'' Jones said with a laugh.
He might as well have landed on the surface of the moon. One small step for a man, a giant leap backward in a promising career.
''All we did was lift and lose,'' was the way Jones once described his years with the Cardinals, a downtrodden franchise that seemed to specialize in stalling careers, if not downright destroying them. There seemed to be massive doubt about everyone who put on a uniform.
Time and distance have given Jones a new appreciation of the experience, and though his return with the Bears on Monday night will mark the running back's first venture back to the Valley of the Sun since he left after the 2002 season, Jones says he'll buy a house and live there when his playing career is over. It's a beautiful place, after all, and one that always will have a special place in Jones' heart.
''I wouldn't change going there for anything because it made me a stronger person,'' Jones said. ''It made me really appreciate winning. It showed me how much I love this game.''
Bears reserve offensive tackle John St. Clair was Jones' roommate at Virginia as the two prepared for the 2000 draft. Jones was a sure-fire first-round pick, and the only question was whether he would go to Baltimore ahead of Jamal Lewis or slip out of the top five.
Lewis wound up as a central figure on the Ravens' Super Bowl championship team, while Jones struggled to make an impact on a terrible team that was ambivalent about him because many in the organization wanted to take Brian Urlacher, while others had their hearts set on Shaun Alexander.
''He could have gotten off to a great start in Baltimore, yeah,'' said St. Clair, who was taken in the third round by St. Louis. ''But if you look at the start he got off to, he's healthy now because of it. He hasn't taken all those hits other backs did, so that has prolonged his career.
''He's hit his stride now, and he's getting even better. He was an alternate to the Pro Bowl last year, and he's shown everyone he's a great player.''
Jones went into a situation much like the one Cedric Benson has found. He was a big-name, first-round pick who arrived on a team that already had a tougher, stronger running back who had earned the respect of teammates. Michael Pittman started ahead of Jones in both Arizona and Tampa, where Jones went to repair his career before signing with the Bears.
The difference between the two situations can be found in work ethic and attitude. Jones always has been a workout warrior who is completely devoted to the game, and he has been popular everywhere he has played because of the respect he gives teammates. One former assistant coach with the Cardinals said Jones' problem was that he wasn't aggressive enough in his battle with Pittman. He showed too much respect, and when he got on the field, he showed too much patience. He was perceived as dancing around in holes and needed a more direct approach in his running style and locker-room persona.
Jones said he struggled to fit in with everything, from the way he dressed to the way he talked to the way he played. The Cardinals, of course, have been a graveyard for running backs. Just ask Emmitt Smith or Edgerrin James.
Bears coach Lovie Smith faced the Cardinals twice a year as the Rams' defensive coordinator and says he's not sure why it didn't work out for Jones in Arizona.
''All I would say is that it not working there put him here, so we're happy about that,'' Smith said.
Offensive coordinator Ron Turner also said it's a head-scratcher.
''I don't know the circumstances, I just know since I have been here with him, he's been tremendous,'' Turner said. ''Thomas is a professional. He's always focused on the job at hand. He's a very smart player. He has a great attitude, and he's getting better every week.''
Jones can return to his once and future home knowing he's in a better place.
SACK MAN
Rookie defensive end Mark Anderson knows his place, so despite leading the team with 5½ sacks through five games, he laughed off the idea of moving into the starting lineup.
"I'm playing behind two great defensive linemen, with a great defensive line," Anderson said. "My role is to just go after the quarterback and make plays, and I'm doing what I am supposed to do."
There is no way Anderson is ready to take over for Adewale Ogunleye< or Alex Brown, but his production has been impressive and could lead to more repetitions in obvious passing situations.
Anderson has been remarkably productive in limited playing time. Not only is he the sacks leader, but he's also sixth on the team with 12 solo tackles. It helps being on the field with Tommie Harris, who demands double teams, and other rushers such as Ogunleye, Brown or Tank Johnson.
"No sack is easy," Anderson said. "Any one you can get, it's great. With those guys doubled up, it gives me a chance to go out there and do something."
DYNAMIC DUO
Muhsin Muhammad had only two catches for 10 yards against Buffalo, but with Bernard Berrian catching four passes for 97 yards, they are the top wide-receiver tandem in the NFC and third in the league with 747 yards. Berrian has 413 yards, third in the NFL, and his per-catch average of 21.7 is tops in the league.
Not bad for a team that many observer felt was at least one player short in the passing game. Berrian said the difference has been quarterback Rex Grossman.
"He's going to make people around him better," Berrian said. "He has trust in us, and we have trust in him. He's going to put the ball out there and let us make plays."
Just how many plays can the Bears make? Berrian said the general feeling among offensive players is that things haven't started to click yet.
"That's what we always talk about on the sidelines: It's going to be ridiculous when we really start making the plays we're going to make," Berrian said.
PAYBACK TIME
Coach Lovie Smith seemed amused at the idea that Arizona rookie quarterback Matt Leinart might be able to build on some of the success he had in a preseason game at Soldier Field. If nothing else, maybe the loss will give the Bears extra motivation against the Cardinals -- as well as another team they lost to in the preseason, the San Francisco 49ers, who come to Soldier Field on Oct. 29 after the bye week.
"We didn't play well in a couple of preseason games this year," Smith said. "We play both of those teams again. We're excited about the opportunity to play the Cardinals again."
© Copyright 2006 Sun-Times News Group | User Agreement and Privacy Policy
Jones returning home a winner
(http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mulligan/91478,CST-SPT-mully11.article)
October 11, 2006
BY MIKE MULLIGAN Staff Reporter
Thomas Jones never will forget the first time he touched down in Phoenix. It was in April of 2000 after the Arizona Cardinals made the self-described ''East Coast guy'' the No.7 pick in the NFL draft. Jones' flight landed at midnight, and he stepped into 95-degree heat. Even in the cover of darkness, he could see the light brown color of the desert.
''I felt like I was in a Wile E. Coyote cartoon,'' Jones said with a laugh.
He might as well have landed on the surface of the moon. One small step for a man, a giant leap backward in a promising career.
''All we did was lift and lose,'' was the way Jones once described his years with the Cardinals, a downtrodden franchise that seemed to specialize in stalling careers, if not downright destroying them. There seemed to be massive doubt about everyone who put on a uniform.
Time and distance have given Jones a new appreciation of the experience, and though his return with the Bears on Monday night will mark the running back's first venture back to the Valley of the Sun since he left after the 2002 season, Jones says he'll buy a house and live there when his playing career is over. It's a beautiful place, after all, and one that always will have a special place in Jones' heart.
''I wouldn't change going there for anything because it made me a stronger person,'' Jones said. ''It made me really appreciate winning. It showed me how much I love this game.''
Bears reserve offensive tackle John St. Clair was Jones' roommate at Virginia as the two prepared for the 2000 draft. Jones was a sure-fire first-round pick, and the only question was whether he would go to Baltimore ahead of Jamal Lewis or slip out of the top five.
Lewis wound up as a central figure on the Ravens' Super Bowl championship team, while Jones struggled to make an impact on a terrible team that was ambivalent about him because many in the organization wanted to take Brian Urlacher, while others had their hearts set on Shaun Alexander.
''He could have gotten off to a great start in Baltimore, yeah,'' said St. Clair, who was taken in the third round by St. Louis. ''But if you look at the start he got off to, he's healthy now because of it. He hasn't taken all those hits other backs did, so that has prolonged his career.
''He's hit his stride now, and he's getting even better. He was an alternate to the Pro Bowl last year, and he's shown everyone he's a great player.''
Jones went into a situation much like the one Cedric Benson has found. He was a big-name, first-round pick who arrived on a team that already had a tougher, stronger running back who had earned the respect of teammates. Michael Pittman started ahead of Jones in both Arizona and Tampa, where Jones went to repair his career before signing with the Bears.
The difference between the two situations can be found in work ethic and attitude. Jones always has been a workout warrior who is completely devoted to the game, and he has been popular everywhere he has played because of the respect he gives teammates. One former assistant coach with the Cardinals said Jones' problem was that he wasn't aggressive enough in his battle with Pittman. He showed too much respect, and when he got on the field, he showed too much patience. He was perceived as dancing around in holes and needed a more direct approach in his running style and locker-room persona.
Jones said he struggled to fit in with everything, from the way he dressed to the way he talked to the way he played. The Cardinals, of course, have been a graveyard for running backs. Just ask Emmitt Smith or Edgerrin James.
Bears coach Lovie Smith faced the Cardinals twice a year as the Rams' defensive coordinator and says he's not sure why it didn't work out for Jones in Arizona.
''All I would say is that it not working there put him here, so we're happy about that,'' Smith said.
Offensive coordinator Ron Turner also said it's a head-scratcher.
''I don't know the circumstances, I just know since I have been here with him, he's been tremendous,'' Turner said. ''Thomas is a professional. He's always focused on the job at hand. He's a very smart player. He has a great attitude, and he's getting better every week.''
Jones can return to his once and future home knowing he's in a better place.
SACK MAN
Rookie defensive end Mark Anderson knows his place, so despite leading the team with 5½ sacks through five games, he laughed off the idea of moving into the starting lineup.
"I'm playing behind two great defensive linemen, with a great defensive line," Anderson said. "My role is to just go after the quarterback and make plays, and I'm doing what I am supposed to do."
There is no way Anderson is ready to take over for Adewale Ogunleye< or Alex Brown, but his production has been impressive and could lead to more repetitions in obvious passing situations.
Anderson has been remarkably productive in limited playing time. Not only is he the sacks leader, but he's also sixth on the team with 12 solo tackles. It helps being on the field with Tommie Harris, who demands double teams, and other rushers such as Ogunleye, Brown or Tank Johnson.
"No sack is easy," Anderson said. "Any one you can get, it's great. With those guys doubled up, it gives me a chance to go out there and do something."
DYNAMIC DUO
Muhsin Muhammad had only two catches for 10 yards against Buffalo, but with Bernard Berrian catching four passes for 97 yards, they are the top wide-receiver tandem in the NFC and third in the league with 747 yards. Berrian has 413 yards, third in the NFL, and his per-catch average of 21.7 is tops in the league.
Not bad for a team that many observer felt was at least one player short in the passing game. Berrian said the difference has been quarterback Rex Grossman.
"He's going to make people around him better," Berrian said. "He has trust in us, and we have trust in him. He's going to put the ball out there and let us make plays."
Just how many plays can the Bears make? Berrian said the general feeling among offensive players is that things haven't started to click yet.
"That's what we always talk about on the sidelines: It's going to be ridiculous when we really start making the plays we're going to make," Berrian said.
PAYBACK TIME
Coach Lovie Smith seemed amused at the idea that Arizona rookie quarterback Matt Leinart might be able to build on some of the success he had in a preseason game at Soldier Field. If nothing else, maybe the loss will give the Bears extra motivation against the Cardinals -- as well as another team they lost to in the preseason, the San Francisco 49ers, who come to Soldier Field on Oct. 29 after the bye week.
"We didn't play well in a couple of preseason games this year," Smith said. "We play both of those teams again. We're excited about the opportunity to play the Cardinals again."
© Copyright 2006 Sun-Times News Group | User Agreement and Privacy Policy
