Saints’ Vaccaro making impact again
Kenny Vaccaro heard the criticism last year. How could he not?
The New Orleans Saints safety rode it out, just as he rode out the ankle injury that he never let on was bothering him.
“Last year was tough,” Vaccaro said in a phone interview. “They were saying, ‘Oh, this and that and how he was missing tackles after he didn’t miss any his rookie year.’ At the same time, I’m out there. But it doesn’t matter. I’m not one of those guys who goes to the media and says, ‘I’m hurt. I’m hurt.’ It was a thing where I had to play through it. When I’m healthy like I am this year, I can show how I can really play.”
I tried to play through it, and in this league it’s too hard. Guys are too good. You’ve got to have two legs out there to compete at the highest level.
Saints strong safety Kenny Vaccaro
The former Texas star had 79 tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble as a rookie, with Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan crowning Vaccaro the best safety in the league.
But he ended 2013 on injured reserve, fracturing his left ankle in a late-season game against Carolina.
Although doctors told him it would take 18 months for his ankle to completely heal, Vaccaro played 15 games last season anyway. It didn’t help that, with the Saints having so many injuries in the secondary, they modified his role, asking him to play a more conventional strong safety.
Vaccaro, who eventually lost his job in the base defense last season, graded 85th among 87 safeties, according to Pro Football Focus.
“It was difficult, but you want to tough it out for the team,” Vaccaro said. “We had multiple injuries already.
“I’m just not one of those guys to sit. I’m a little hardheaded, even though sometimes I probably should [sit]. I tried to play through it, and in this league it’s too hard. Guys are too good. You’ve got to have two legs out there to compete at the highest level.”
Now that he’s healthy, and back in the same role he was as a rookie, playing closer to the line of scrimmage, Vaccaro has returned to being a top performer in the Saints’ defense. He is second on the team in tackles with 22.
“I think this season we’re seeing a lot of the things that we saw from him in Year 1,” Saints coach Sean Payton said in a conference call.
Besides just being healthy, Vaccaro credits a natural maturation process that comes with being in the league a few years.
“I think it’s a learning process,” Vaccaro said. “I kind of came in as a rookie and had early success. When I got injured, I kind of had to go back to that, and I don’t think I did it as well as I should have, just preparing and taking care of your body and all the little things off the field that come with playing in this league mentally and physically. I’ve concentrated on that this whole past year.”
Keeping up with Jones
Colin Jones knew his one chance at sticking in the NFL was by becoming a core special teams player. That’s exactly what he’s done.
Now in his fifth season in the NFL, the former TCU standout plays on every one of the Panthers’ special teams units.
I love kickoffs. That’s the fun one. I can use my speed down the field, and it’s just if you want it more than the other guy, you’re going to win the majority of the time.
Carolina Panthers special teams standout Colin Jones
“It started with [TCU] coach [Gary] Patterson,” Jones said in a phone interview. “Even if you’re one of his guys starting on defense, he really emphasizes special teams. He always told us unless you’re a guy who’s going to be in the top two rounds, you’re going to have to play special teams to make it in the NFL, especially to have a long career. I took that mindset from Day One, and it’s the thing that’s kept me in the league and allowed me to develop on defense.”
Jones has nine snaps on defense and 65 on special teams this season.
“I love kickoffs,” Jones said. “That’s the fun one. I can use my speed down the field, and it’s just if you want it more than the other guy, you’re going to win the majority of the time.”
The 49ers traded Jones to Carolina before the 2012 season for a seventh-round pick in 2014. Since then, he has become a jack of all trades for the Panthers.
He can play safety and nickel cornerback after playing a hybrid strong safety position in the Horned Frogs’ 4-2-5 defense. Jones made two starts last season.
“They’ve put me in a role a little bit like coach Patterson did in the 4-2-5, essentially, when I go in the game,” he said. “… The more you can do to help contribute to a team, the better you feel. Anytime you can bring something else to the table, it always helps.”
Jones has helped the Panthers to a 3-0 start. Carolina has started 4-0 only once before, starting 5-0 in 2003 on the way to the team’s only Super Bowl appearance.
“I’m a firm believer in just taking it one week at a time,” Jones said. “We’ve got a little streak going here, and I think it’s very important to focus on Tampa Bay and try to get 4-0 heading into the bye week. Right now, that’s all we’re really focusing on.”
Charean Williams: 817-390-7760, @NFLCharean
My five cents
1 The Kansas City Chiefs won’t become title contenders until they get a new quarterback. They signed Alex Smith to a four-year, $68 million extension, which included $45 million in guarantees, last year. Yet, he currently doesn’t rank among the top 15 quarterbacks in nine of the 10 statistical categories the league publishes each week. Smith has not even been a bus driver. He has thrown three interceptions, two of which resulted in 14 points for the other team.
2 The Cincinnati Bengals have a chance to start 4-0 for the only the fourth time in team history, and quarterback Andy Dalton stands as a big reason. He has completed 66.3 percent of his passes for 866 yards, eight touchdowns, one interception and a 121 passer rating. The former TCU star credits a new-found comfort level and a stronger arm for his improved numbers.
3 Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford has played poorly, ranking 29th in passer rating, but his receivers haven’t helped the cause. They have 11 drops, including three by leading receiver Jordan Matthews.
4 The New Orleans Saints reworked Drew Brees’ contract to clear salary-cap space — $2.6 million — for this season. But it doesn’t help for next season. In 2016, the last year of his deal, Brees will make $12.435 million in base salary and count a league-high $30 million against the cap. The Saints would gain $20 million in cap space by cutting him or trading him in the off-season, with Brees still counting $10 million in dead money.
5 The Carolina Panthers argue that officials don’t treat Cam Newton the same as other quarterbacks when it comes to protection. But since Newton arrived in 2011, he has drawn 30 personal-foul penalties against him, the most in the league, according to STATS, Inc. But he’s also run more than any quarterback in that span (498 attempts).
Who’s hot
Tyrod Taylor, in his first season with the Bills, has completed 74.4 percent of his passes for 714 yards and seven touchdowns. Jim Kelly ranks as the only other quarterback in team history to throw at least seven touchdown passes and have a completion percentage of at least 70 percent after three games. Kelly accomplished the feat in 1991. Taylor also has 17 rushes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Who’s not
Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell has 22 yards on 20 carries. In the loss to Denver last week, he had 10 carries for 6 yards and lost 2 yards on his only catch.
Number game
878 Penalties called in the NFL so far this season, a record through the first three weeks.
2016 NFL Draft
Dane Brugler of CBSsports.com and NFLDraftScout.com gives his top-10 senior receivers and top-five draft-eligible underclassmen at the position for the 2016 draft:
Senior receivers
1. Josh Doctson, TCU, 6-2, 195, 4.49
2. Braxton Miller, Ohio State, 6-1, 215, 4.42
3. Duke Williams, Auburn, 6-2, 224, 4.54
4. Leonte Carroo, Rutgers, 6-0, 205, 4.49
5. Mekale McKay, Cincinnati, 6-4, 195, 4.46
6. Sterling Shepard, Okla., 5-10, 192, 4.52
7. Tajae Sharpe, Massachusetts, 6-3, 200, 4.48
8. Nelson Spruce, Colorado, 6-1, 195, 4.56
9. Devon Cajuste, Stanford, 6-4, 229, 4.60
10. D.J. Foster, Arizona State, 5-10, 195, 4.52
Draft-eligible underclassmen
1. Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss, 6-2, 212, 4.52
2. Michael Thomas, Ohio State, 6-3, 210, 4.54
3. Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh, 6-2, 200, 4.47
4. Mike Williams, Clemson, 6-3, 210, 4.54
5. Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina, 5-11, 208, 4.52
Blitz
Falcons receiver Julio Jones has 34 receptions for 440 yards and four touchdowns. That’s the most receptions through three games in league history. The previous best was 31, which three players had, including Wes Welker in 2011.
Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has scored 38 touchdowns in the past 35 regular-season games, the most of any player in the league.
On Thursday night, quarterback Landry Jones dressed for the first time since the Steelers drafted him in the fourth round in 2013. The former OU standout backed up Mike Vick.
The Texans released kicker Randy Bullock last week after he missed a field goal and an extra point. The Texas A&M product, a fifth-round draft choice in 2012, converted 61 of 76 field goals — 80.3 percent — and 69 of 71 extra points in his career with Houston.
Only one Patriots player has played every snap this season. That’s undrafted rookie center David Andrews.
The Broncos’ defense has double-digit figures in sacks (11) and takeaways (10), the only team that can boast that.
Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, in his 12th season, is off to the fastest start of his career. He has 23 receptions for 333 yards and five touchdowns.
Mike Vick became the first left-handed quarterback to start for the Steelers since Allie Sherman in 1943.
The Cardinals lead the league in red-zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns on 11 of 12 possessions inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. The Bills rank second with five touchdowns on six red-zone possessions.
The Saints, Seahawks and Redskins stand as the only teams without an interception this season.
The Vikings and the Chiefs both have only five offensive penalties this season, the fewest in the league.
The Raiders’ 27-20 victory in Cleveland ended an 11-game road losing streak and a 16-game losing streak in the Eastern time zone that dated to 2009.
The Buccaneers held Houston without a sack last week, the first time Tampa Bay did that to an opponent since December 2012.
The Colts have won 14 consecutive AFC South games dating to the 2012 season.
The Chargers have led for only 12 minutes this season.
Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who signed a $114 million deal in the off-season, has seven tackles and no sacks. Miami’s defense is allowing 142 rushing yards a game and has only one sack.
Information from The Sports Xchange was used in this report.
This story was originally published October 3, 2015 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Saints’ Vaccaro making impact again."