One-on-One With the Up-and-Coming Joe Staley

I recently sat down with one of my favorite NFL players, and a fellow Central Michigan alum, Joe Staley, Left Tackle for the San Francisco 49ers.

Mr. Staley may not be a household name just yet, but true football fans appreciate what he has accomplished and he will be an elite offensive lineman before you know it, if he isn’t one already.

Here’s how the interview went down:

 

You were a dominant Tackle in the MAC; how hard has it been to adjust to the NFL?

At first it was crazy. My head was spinning everyday.

I think the biggest adjustment at first is the speed the game is played at this level. After you get used to that, the mental aspect comes into play. The blitz schemes, all the different plays and various packages you run them out of, and just grasping what it is to be a professional every day.

I am still working on being more mentally strong, as well as technique and the physical aspect of the game.

 

In your rookie season you played with one of the all-time great O-Linemen in Larry Allen. What kinds of things did you learn from him?

Larry was a man of few words, but when he spoke everyone listened.

I learned how to approach practice, and as well as the physical nature you need to have to be successful. He was in his last season, and he still showed up everyday, would ask questions, and work on different little things.

That impressed me because he is one of the best to ever play and he was always striving to get better.

 

What is is like playing for Coach Singletary? What are the best aspects?

Singletary is a very focused and driven coach. He has the respect of every guy on the team, and I think that is huge for a head coach.

He has played the game at a high level and understands what it takes to be successful. He is very demanding and challenging, and I am really looking forward to playing for him.

 

Who is the toughest guy that you have had to block thus far in your career?

Michael Strahan my rookie season.

Although I really struggled against him, I learned a great deal from that game. I got a quick lesson on what it means to be completely prepared for an opponent and the mental makeup it takes every Sunday to succeed.

You must go into every game with the mindset that you are superior to anyone you play, and almost need to be cocky.

I have gone into everygame after that believing that if I do what I do best, no one in the NFL can beat me.

Restore The Roar: Fathomable Expectations For The 2009 Detroit Lions

I’m not one to beat around the bush, so here it is; The 2008 season for the Detroit Lions was a disappointment.

Shocking statement, I know.

But seriously, has there ever been a more talented team to go winless in a season?

I can’t think of one.

All of the jokes have already been made about the Lions’ historically bad season, so the rest of this article is going to be positive and optimistic.

The Lions have already gone a long way in improving their roster, and this offseason has been one of the better ones in recent history.

They added some nice veteran pieces, such as Larry Foote and Julian Peterson. They added, via the draft, Matthew Stafford, Brandon Pettigrew and a nice safety in Louis Delmas.

But as all of the experts said, the draft is only successful if the coaching staff can develop the talent that is brought in.

The Lions haven’t exactly been breaking any records in that category. But I feel confident that this year’s draft class will turn out to be one of the better classes in the past decade.

While the Lions’ management has put some pieces in play thus far, there is still a ways to go talent-wise. With that being said, here are some things the Lions must do to overcome the lack of superb talent at key positions.

 

Convert on Third Down

The Lions only converted on 28.7 percent of their third downs in 2008. At the same time, their opponents converted on 45.6 percent. This is going to sound obvious, but sometimes the obvious things are the most important; the Lions need to stay on the field more on offense and get off the field on defense.

To go along with third down conversions, the Lions were at a six minute disadvantage in time of possession. You can’t ask your defense to stay on the field that long no matter how good they are.

 

Take Care of the Football

It’s no secret that the Lion’s secondary was atrocious last season. But Leigh Bodden was the only Lions defensive back with an interception last season, and he only had one.

When you see that kind of statistic, you have to think that the turnover ratio wasn’t all that good. And it wasn’t. The Lions were minus nine in turnovers last season, which is actually not all the quarterback’s fault.

If the Lions can be opportunistic on defense this season and smart with the ball on offense, it could lead to better opportunities to rack up some victories this season.

 

Protect the Quarterback

The Lions surrendered 52 quarterback sacks last season, which averages out to over three a game. While the Lions didn’t directly improve their offensive line through the draft or free agency, the new regime has promised to focus more on running the football, which directly effects how the offensive line performs. 

If the Lions can establish Kevin Smith early in games and not get too far behind on the scoreboard, the pressure on the quarterback will be far less than we Lions fans are accustomed to.

This could be very important this season, especially if Matthew “$41.7 million” Stafford is under center.

 

Best case scenario, the Lions get out of the cellar and win seven or eight games.

Realistically, they are going to be looking at around four or five wins. The win-loss record this season isn’t as important as the eye test. If we, Lions fans, can see some improvement on the field, we can be patient another season before Jim Swartz gets hot under the collar.

I expect the Lions to play better at home this season as well. Lord knows Detroit needs it.

 

NFL Sport Channel Latest

• Just How Far Would You Go?
• Sorry Rex, But It Isn’t Happening
• Super Bowl Predictions: Five Stat-Free Reasons Why the Eagles Will Reach The Super Bowl
• Seahawks Attempt to Turn Corner With Heavy Pursuit of Pete Carroll
• Bill Cowher Unlikely to Coach in 2010