Optimizing Kearse is a balancing act

Sporting News, The, August 30, 2004 by Dan Pompei

The trend is to go from right to left, regardless of what you think of John Kerry.

More and more of the NFL's best pass rushers are lining up at left end, a position traditionally held by blue-collar run stuffers. Of the NFL's 17 ends with the most sacks last season, nine lined up on the left side, including Michael Strahan of the Giants, Leonard Little of the Rams and Julius Peppers of the Panthers.

"It's kind of the in-vogue thing in the National Football League," Eagles coach Andy Reid says. So when the Eagles invested $66 million in Jevon Kearse, Reid followed the left end trend by putting his best pass-rushing end on the left side.

My left foot

As a rookie in 1999, Kearse told Titans coaches he was extremely uncomfortable playing on the left side. He was forced to play there, though, because Kenny Holmes was established at right end. It worked out pretty well for Kearse, who compiled 26 sacks at the position in his first two seasons.

Through his five-year career, 63 percent of Kearse's sacks have come from the left side of the field, according to STATS Inc. That doesn't necessarily mean he was lined up at left end on all of those snaps, however. Some could have come in pursuit from the right side.

While trying to play with a broken left foot in 2002 and a sprained left ankle in 2003, Kearse found it easier to line up in the stance he uses from left end because it put less pressure on his injuries. Now, Kearse says the ankle, which caused him to come out of a practice at one point in training camp, is "100 percent plus." He'd rather play on the left side because he prefers the left end stance.

"I am more comfortable with my inside foot back and working with my inside hand so I can do inside moves," he says.

The best part about playing left end is not dealing with left tackles, who almost always are the best pass blockers on their teams. Right tackles move like Frankenstein; left tackles move like Carly Patterson.

Against the Cowboys, for instance, Kearse probably will line up against Torrin Tucker, rookie Jacob Rogers or Andre Gurode, if he is converted from guard, instead of Pro Bowl left tackle Flozell Adams.

Playing the run is more important for a left end because more runs are directed that way. Even at 265 pounds, Kearse excels against the run because he's tenacious, gets off blocks and has good leverage. Play-action passes also tend to go to the defense's left, so recognition is critical.

With regard to run responsibility, Kearse's role with the Eagles will be different than it was as the Titans' left end. "Around here, we play the run first, then react to the pass," Kearse says. "That's different from what I did in Tennessee. We played the pass and reacted to the run. I have to get used to that."

The right way?

There are reasons most of the greatest pass rushers in history have been right ends.

The most significant advantage to playing there is most offenses normally line up a tight end on the left side of the defense, it's more difficult to double-team a right end than a left, though blocking schemes tend to find ways to pay more attention to the best pass rushers no matter where they are.

Bottom line: Kearse wouldn't get doubled any more if he were twins. "Playing left end probably will be a little tougher for him than playing right,' Eagles coordinator Jim Johnson says. "You'd rather have your best rusher on the open-end side, but I'd be surprised if we didn't get production."

The other advantage to playing on the right side is righthanded quarterbacks often don't see the right end coming. The left end usually is directly in the quarterback's line of vision. Some plays that are sacks for the right end might be only disrupted passes for the left end. "He's still going to get in the quarterback's face," Johnson says of Kearse. "He has those long arms, and he's hard to see over."

Eagles coaches say they might play Kearse on the right side on occasion for a changeup. The need might be greater now that projected right end N.D. Kalu is out for the season after a knee injury.

If the Eagles decide they need Kearse on the right side more, at least they know he has been there and done that. He primarily played the right side in 2001 and 2002. Last year, Kearse played about 50 percent of his snaps on the right side. On nickel downs, the Titans moved him to the left side, with Kevin Carter sliding inside to left tackle so the two could play off each other.

For the Eagles, Kearse should look spectacular at any position.

SPEED READS

* There is no doubt Deion Sanders could make an impact in the NFL at 37. He won't be as fast or as athletic as he used to be, but he still would be faster and more athletic than most third cornerbacks. It has been suggested that Sanders would tarnish his reputation if he returns. But if he joins the Ravens and helps them win games, he would enhance it, if you ask me.

* The Jets are looking more and more like a team that will make some noise this year. Having Chad Pennington, who was limited to nine starts in 2003, for the whole year should not be underrated. They have a number of young players who could step up, and the AFC East might not be as strong as it once appeared.