Inside Out: Calvin Pace
Height: 6-4 Weight: 270
Age: 28
Born: 10/28/1980
College: Wake Forest
Experience: 7th season
2008 Season – Calvin Pace had a solid first season with the Jets, collecting 80 tackles, 7 sacks and an eye-popping 5 forced fumbles. Pace played on the outside, played on the right side of the formation, in Victor Hobson’s old spot and was the player on the outside that the team had been missing for two years in Mangini’s 3-4.
Strengths - Pace can play OLB in a four man front, but is a better player in the three man front. At his size, he can set the edge very well on running plays and funnel a runner to his help better than most linebackers and he has the speed to be an effective edge rusher. Pace is known for not quitting on plays and can make plays towards him and away due to his ‘never give up’ mentality. Pace showed a knack for making big plays via his ability to force fumbles on sacks or against runners.
Weaknesses – Coming from a background as a DE, Pace doesn’t excel in coverage, but can play underneath zones well enough, it’s when he’s forced into covering players on the edge of the field that he gets into trouble.
Analysis – Of the three big name OLBs, Bryan Thomas is best in coverage, but no one signed Calvin Pace to cover a slot receiver on a sideline route. Pace is better moving forward than backward. Still, Pace has proven over the past two years that with good coaching and scheming to his abilities, he can be a serious factor. I think that Pace’s numbers might come back a bit this year, but I don’t think it will because he’s not playing as hard, I think it will be because other players are making big plays along with Pace.
Use in the New Scheme – I am concerned/curious to see how the team will use Pace. He’s shown during the course of his career that he’s better with his hand up in a three man front, than with his hand down in a four-man. I still get the sense that the team will use more four man fronts this year and wonder where Pace then fits in because of it. I would expect that his coaches will be working with him on upgrading his technique in four man fronts, and I think that the team could use him here more this season. Still, Pace will be a great edge setter for this team, but he works better from wider angles where he can get more momentum than more narrow ones.
Other Inside Out Posts: Kris Jenkins, Shaun Ellis, Marques Douglas
Filed under: Main Page, Opinion
Pace had a solid year last year but compared to the money we gave him, we need him to do a little more and hopefully Rex’s system will help him.
The weaknesses is written so positively. This guy was HORRIBLE in coverage last year.
Pace will put up even better #’s with Rex. Yes while he was with the Cards before they switched to a 3-4 he struggled in a 4-3. Once they changed he really played well nad did last year too. I think Rex and his staff will put Pace in the best situations and play towards his strengths like they will with other players. I can see Pace having a 10 sack year this year and applying more pressure to the QB.
I remember Pace slipping in coverage in the 1st Pats game I think. Its cool though he is a good Linebacker that I can’t wait to see in Rex’s system.
Pace will have a huge year this year. He was dominate the first half of the year in 2008. B Scott being able to smother TE’s will be a big help to him.
Watching him get abused by the TE’s in the NE game was awful. You could see he wanted to choke Mangini and Sutton for not letting him rush the passer in the 2nd half.
Remember…. Parcells was dying to get this guy into Miami. I think he knows a thing or two about OLB’s.
C.Pace has potential to be a great linebacker .. Rex Ryan will bring his full potential out and don’t be suprised if he makes it to the probowl .. He’s bigger and faster then Tarell Suggs .. If he can get some strength .. He’ll be solid player for the next couple years .. He’s got the money .. He just needs to perform ..
remember the raves used suggs successfully in a 4-3 as an edge rusher. suggs may be more talented than pace, but he also doesn’t profile well as a classic 4-3 end but it worked.
i would think the problem with a classic edge rusher in the 4-3 is the run responsibility. gastineau used to rush so far upfield they would just run a draw into the space he vacated, p*ssing off the rest of the defense.
the end needs the freedom to rush and support behind him. if a scheme gets too caught up in responsibilities in run containment, i could see how that would hamper a guy like pace.
As Dr. Z said when he looked at Gastineau’s tape (Mark was a mainstay on Dr. Z’s “best of” team), “I keep hearing how teams run the draw in front of Gastineau, but all I saw on the tape was Gastineau spinning and tackling the RB for a loss.”
Maybe VG comes in and plays RDE with Pace as RLB? Also, do we know which ILB position Scott will play in the base 3-4? The MIKE or the TED? If he covers the TE (TED), then he’ll be on the strong side for most running plays and with his speed he is probably better suited for the weak side. But, how is Harris at covering the TE?
Per Rex Ryan, The DH and ODB are interchangeable, so they can disguise who has coverage responsibilities at certain times. It’s the MIKE and MIKE show!
Both have played both roles effectively in the past. Scott used to be a MIKE but played TED the last few years, whereas Harris was a MIKE when he first replaced Vilma, but reverted to TED last season.
I think we have a bunch of talent at LB and I gotta believe Rex will figure something out. I couldn’t care less who has the money….it’s not mine. Also, if we win….. nobody will care how much burn these guys get compared to money.
Am I wrong to think we can’t miss with this D ? kind of lke a bootleg Baltimore….
I think Calvin Pace is a great weapon and really hope that Rex finds a way to get the most out of him. IMO he’s the best edge rusher we’ve had since John Abraham was traded, so I hope he can do more of that and be used less in coverage than he was under Mangini.
I am wondering if they may use Calvin inside. If a certain second year player shows massive improvement at OLB, do you bring Pace inside. IMO he gives you great coverage as an inside LB, able to go one on one with the RB, or drop deep in a zone. In passing downs he is great position to blitz inside.
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