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Jets' Darron Lee ready to put disappointing 2016 behind him


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Jets' Darron Lee ready to put disappointing 2016 behind him

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FLORHAM PARK -- It's a crazy stat, and certainly one linebacker Darron Lee isn't proud of: In his first season with the Jets, he lost more football games than he had in his entire life combined.

Seriously. In high school, he lost six. In college, he lost two. Last year, the Jets finished 5-11.

And if it's up to Lee, the losing will come to an end pretty quick. One helping was all he needed.

"It pisses me off," Lee told NJ Advance Media at his locker Tuesday. "I don't like to lose. I wasn't born on this planet to lose."

Lee is one of the young players the Jets are leaning on to turn around a culture that, at least in recent memory, has become accustomed to losing. The Jets are in the midst of their longest playoff drought since 1992-1997, are 41-55 over the last six years, and have just one winning season since 2011.

And it seems unlikely things get much better this year. Many analysts believe the Jets could, once again, be among the NFL's worst. Lee says he and his teammates have heard the talk. They're not taking it to heart, but they are making note. 

"It motivates us for sure," he said. "But we're a much more close-knit group than we were in years past. I think it's showing. We've got a lot of young energy. A lot of guys are eager. That energy is going to pull through and show a lot more than those doubting expectations. 

"Which is fine. We hear them. We know them. It's not anything like we're sitting here worrying about. If we go out there and play our game and play fundamentally sound we'll be OK."

The formula for success isn't rocket science: If the Jets want to win more games, they have to get more from their players. Lee isn't an exception to this. While he flashed some his rookie year, there was more bad than good.

Lee had just 73 tackles and one sack in 13 games. He had a PFF grade of 38.3, which ranked 84th among inside linebackers. Adding injury to insult, Lee suffered a high and low ankle sprain in Week 6. It cost him three games, and Lee said it didn't get back to 100 percent until the "second or third week of March."

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But the most frustrating part of the year for Lee was his performance in coverage. As he watched the film this offseason, he saw himself in perfect position to make plays. He just didn't make them.

So, Lee spent this offseason studying route concepts. He excelled in coverage in college, but those offenses weren't nearly as advanced as they are in the NFL. He now feels confident in anticipating what a tight end, receiver or running back is going to run based on their split.

Through five organized team activity practices, his coaches are taking notice. Todd Bowles believes his rookie year lumps will only make him a better player going forward. 

"He gave up a couple of plays," Bowles said. "I don't think he struggled. I thought he played well as a rookie. I thought he made a mistake or two, here or there, but nothing that he didn't learn from."

Lee admits he's far from a fine-tuned product. Every day he's attempting to get better. He's not taking any rep at OTAs for granted. Even when he's not on the field, he's standing by with veteran David Harris or a coach asking questions.

He used to be able to get by with his speed and physical gifts. That's not the case anymore. For the first time, he's relying as much on his mind as athletic ability.

"I'm not here at OTAs trying to be perfect," Lee said. "I'm trying to get down those subtle clues. I'm doing it even when I'm not on the field. Now that I can apply that, I definitely look to turn the corner on that aspect of my game."  

 

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26 minutes ago, Ghost420 said:

Willis was like 240 lbs

Maybe even a little heavier late in his career and it was consistent.

Lee? He hasnt weighed over 220 since the combine where he fooled everyone and then promptly went back to being Smurphy Lee.

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3 hours ago, Integrity28 said:

What does 2016 and other teams TEs and RBs have in common? 

They are behind Darron Lee.

WOCKA ******* WOCKA BITCHES!!!!!

That snaggle-toothed b!tch behind Fozzy in your gif just might be the most hideous muppet I've ever seen. Yuck.

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20 minutes ago, glenn31 said:

That snaggle-toothed b!tch behind Fozzy in your gif just might be the most hideous muppet I've ever seen. Yuck.

lol, agreed... i've never actually noticed it before though

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Darron Lee regarding his performance in coverage.  "He saw himself in perfect position to make plays... he just didn't make them."

Doesn't that confirm what I have been saying about him?  Essentially Kyle Wilson at linebacker, neither turn their head around to locate the ball.  Something some of you have criticized me for btw...

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8 hours ago, RoadFan said:

Darron Lee regarding his performance in coverage.  "He saw himself in perfect position to make plays... he just didn't make them."

Doesn't that confirm what I have been saying about him?  Essentially Kyle Wilson at linebacker, neither turn their head around to locate the ball.  Something some of you have criticized me for btw...

Dude, he was a rookie. 

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6 hours ago, Jet9 said:

Dude, he was a rookie. 

Dude, High School kids turn their head to locate the ball.  Out of shape middle-aged men playing flag football turn their heads.   Kyle Wilson was once a rookie too.  Did he ever change?  Being a rookie is not an excuse for something so basic...

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10 hours ago, TnT said:

Wow...the same old posters in this place turned to unbearable repetitive c#nts. Way to go guys.

Ad hominem much?

Anyway... if the Willaims pick can be repeatedly lauded (deservedly)conversely the Lee pick deserves every bit of the negative comments.

 

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23 minutes ago, Kleckineau said:

Ad hominem much?

Anyway... if the Willaims pick can be repeatedly lauded (deservedly)conversely the Lee pick deserves every bit of the negative comments.

 

Ummmm, pick a topic, any topic.

Lets not act like half of this place wouldnt complain about how long it took to win the Super Bowl if we won it....it starts with some of the core posters here...it's a shame.

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44 minutes ago, TnT said:

Ummmm, pick a topic, any topic.

Lets not act like half of this place wouldnt complain about how long it took to win the Super Bowl if we won it....it starts with some of the core posters here...it's a shame.

Stop complaining about the complainers? ☺

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I'm confident in him as long as he doesn't get nicked up again.

Dude had a habit of being in the right position during pass coverage but still found himself unable to stop people from making grabs, it was nuts. Its far from impossible that he fixes that and becomes the LBer the Jets drafted him to be.

Health permitted I think he leads the team in tackles at least, he was on track for that early on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, T0mShane said:

Gonna make a coffee table book filled with these "[Awful Jets draft pick] says he's going to take his job seriously this year" articles. 

Its that time of year, everybody's feeling "better than ever" and ready to improve upon last year and every news outlet has nothing to report on. And so... we get things like this.

2 hours ago, Jet_Engine1 said:

"Darron Lee expecting growth spurt"

"New York Jets Linebacker shortest 6 foot 1 man in the world." :rolleyes:

 

 

 

Yes, his issue is his weight, I know.

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