The Gildong Report (Oct. 10th, '00)
In light of many a fan being bamboozled and ga-ga over Jason Gildong�s 11 sacks in �98 --- despite only 2 being anywhere near "earned sacks" --- I devoted considerable time last season to monitor the work of the exceptionally average Jason Gildon. Jason has been famous enough with his coverage sacks, flop sacks, the QB-slipped-on-the-wet-turf sacks, the OT totally forgot his blocking assignment sacks, and so on, that the NFL designated a new statistic, called the "Dong Sack™", in honor of Jason Gildong. (Some fantasy football leagues are incorporating this into their point systems.) Again in '00, I'll take time to expose Jason Gildon for the fraud that he is.
In the season�s 5th game, versus the Jets, Gildon actually had an adequate game. At times, he actually resembled a starting linebacker in the National Football League, rather than a waiter at a fine French restaurant.
Gildon was credited with 5 solos and 2 assists, which in and of itself, is fairly adequate, especially for a man of Gildon's pedigree who sometimes fails to even show up on a stat sheet despite playing 50-plus reps in a game.
Everyone should be well aware of Gildon's hit on 'My Cousin Vinny' on the Jets' first play. This actually was a designed stunt, in which Gildon veered right & stunted up where the RG is. Kimo drew 2 blockers on this play, and Gildon spurted nearly untouched thru an enormous opening and laid a softee hit on Vinny as Vinny released a pass into the flats. Unbelievably, Vinny got hurt on this play. Of all the brutal shots we see NFL QB's take on a weekly basis, it's unfathomable how Vinny got hurt enough to leave for the rest of the game. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear this was a case of Vinny accepting gambling money in exchange for hastily leaving the game.
The very next play, Martin ran a draw up right tackle, and Gildon -- all riled up & gesturing wildly on the previous play -- was tentative and soft, allowing a 4-yard gain.
On the next Jet possession, Gildon got manhandled on 1st down. allowing a Martin counter to run up tackle for an easy 4 yards. The next play, Lucas dumped the ball to his safety valve in the flat (Martin), and Gildon made the easy stop for a 2-yard loss.
On the following possession, Lucas hit D. Ward with a short out on 1st down, and Gildon made the simple tackle on the 7-yard gain. The next play was, to me, the play of the game for Gildon. On a toss sweep toward Gildon, somehow Gildon blasted the blocker (Anderson, as I recall) with a good forearm shiver, something I have never, ever seen Gildon do in 5 previous seasons. But 3 plays later, the same Gildon was shield-blocked out with virtually no resistance, and Martin dashed up a GAPING hole for a 14-yard gain.
The next possession, which began with the start of the 2nd quarter, saw Gildon meekly chip in on stopping a reverse that gained 6 yards. 2 plays later, the Jets ran a fake reverse, with Lucas keeping the ball around his right end. Gildon was totally duped on the play, getting sucked in as though he was an alcoholic spotting a leak in a nearby beer truck. While Gildong was getting bamboozled, Lucas sauntered around end for a 17-yard gainer.
On the Jets final possession of the 1st half, Martin ran up an enormous hole up RT on a 1st down at the Pit 41. Gildon sadly whiffed on the attempted tackle of Martin, and the Jets gained 18 yards, which enabled them to boot a key FG just as the half expired.
In the 3rd quarter, Gildon did help string out a toss sweep to Martin, which allowed Lee to blast Martin and force the fumble.
In the ONLY play in which Gildon applied pass pressure after the softee hit on Vinny, Gildon gave Lucas some harassment as Lucas threw to Becht on a 1st down play at 5:27 of the 3rd quarter. Lucas did get the pass off, however, and completed it for 11 yards. This was the only harassment of Lucas that Gildon applied the entire day, as the Jets' RT Ryan Young, who was a SEVENTH round draft pick last year, had no problems at all in handling Gildon's Wide Loop Rush.
To his credit, Gildon actually blocked a FG. He slanted thru a crease in the Jets' line, and got a paw up on the FG attempt.
This game epitomizes Jason Gildon. The guy had a few nice plays in the 1st quarter, along with some wretched ones. After that, Gildon became the quiet ghost that he prefers being, performing an occasional disappearing act while doing little. Despite Cowher's absurd fawning over Gildon at today's press conference, that's the thing with Jason Gildon: like a restaurant with poor service, you continually get a half-cooked steak --- in some places it's done adequately, and in other places it's either burned or half-cooked and still oozing with blood. Yes, there were some signs that suggest that Gildon has some utility as a starting LB in the NFL. Unfortunately, there were also signs that he may have more utility serving as a ticket collector in the new Stillers stadium when it opens next fall. All in all, at least Gildon is, at times, doing something, and at times is not shying away from contact. Let's see how long this lasts.
Season to date totals for Jason, in 5 games:
Earned Sacks: 2
Dong Sacks™: 1
Strips, Jars, fumbles caused: 1
The Still Mill