Post by EagleGene on Dec 2, 2005 7:05:33 GMT -5
NO ADDED PRESSURE FOR COLE
December 1, 2005
By DAVE SPADARO
Rookie defensive end Trent Cole was stunned to hear the news. He was told that he had won both the Rookie Defensive Player of the Month Award and the NFL's Defensive Player of the Month Award for November.
It turned out that he only won the rookie award, but it's still something to celebrate. During the month, Cole became the team's starter on the right side and went on a sack spree, recording five in his first three games.
"At first, they said I got both," Cole said. "I thought it was the rookie award and they were like 'No, you got both.' Even though I didn't get the one, it's still nice. It's something to smile about, knowing you can keep going out there and do what you've been doing."
Telling Cole he won both awards might have been a prank, but what he's done to opposing quarterbacks has not been funny.
Cole's first starting job, against the Giants, resulted in two quarterback sacks, six tackles and five solo tackles.
A week earlier, Cole was all over Dallas quarterback Drew Bledsoe, recording two sacks.
Against Washington before that, Cole had his first NFL sack against Mark Brunell and also had four solo tackles.
"It's been timing," said Cole. "When it was my time to step up, I stepped up. That's basically what it was. I got the opportunity to step up and I had to step up."
Now that his name is out there, one would expect Cole to feel additional pressure of having to put up big numbers every week. But that's not the case with Cole.
"No, there's no pressure," he said. "I'm doing what I was brought up doing and I'm not going to change for anybody or anything. I'm going out there and I'm going to continue to play football like I always have."
Cole is going to have quite a test on Monday night against Seattle in a game the players acknowledge is a "must win." Cole will line up against Pro Bowl tackle Walter Jones. Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck leads the league's No. 1 offense and running back Shaun Alexander is the league's No. 1 running back.
"We just have to get at it. It's about doing everything right," Cole said. "If we don't make mistakes, we'll win the game.
"When it comes to Alexander, you have to treat him like another running back."
A fifth-round draft pick from Cincinnati, Cole has bulked up from 238 pounds in April to about 270 pounds, yet he has retained his remarkable quickness and his tenacity on every play. Even though he didn't record a sack last week against Green Bay, Cole pressured quarterback Brett Favre and was part of a defensive effort that pitched a shutout against the Packers in the second half.
Cole played sparingly early in the season, but stepped into the rotation more when left end Jevon Kearse suffered a shoulder injury against Denver. In that game, Cole had four tackles.
Then starting right end N.D. Kalu went down with a shoulder injury and Cole became the regular on that side. By the looks of it, he won't be losing his job any time soon.
December 1, 2005
By DAVE SPADARO
Rookie defensive end Trent Cole was stunned to hear the news. He was told that he had won both the Rookie Defensive Player of the Month Award and the NFL's Defensive Player of the Month Award for November.
It turned out that he only won the rookie award, but it's still something to celebrate. During the month, Cole became the team's starter on the right side and went on a sack spree, recording five in his first three games.
"At first, they said I got both," Cole said. "I thought it was the rookie award and they were like 'No, you got both.' Even though I didn't get the one, it's still nice. It's something to smile about, knowing you can keep going out there and do what you've been doing."
Telling Cole he won both awards might have been a prank, but what he's done to opposing quarterbacks has not been funny.
Cole's first starting job, against the Giants, resulted in two quarterback sacks, six tackles and five solo tackles.
A week earlier, Cole was all over Dallas quarterback Drew Bledsoe, recording two sacks.
Against Washington before that, Cole had his first NFL sack against Mark Brunell and also had four solo tackles.
"It's been timing," said Cole. "When it was my time to step up, I stepped up. That's basically what it was. I got the opportunity to step up and I had to step up."
Now that his name is out there, one would expect Cole to feel additional pressure of having to put up big numbers every week. But that's not the case with Cole.
"No, there's no pressure," he said. "I'm doing what I was brought up doing and I'm not going to change for anybody or anything. I'm going out there and I'm going to continue to play football like I always have."
Cole is going to have quite a test on Monday night against Seattle in a game the players acknowledge is a "must win." Cole will line up against Pro Bowl tackle Walter Jones. Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck leads the league's No. 1 offense and running back Shaun Alexander is the league's No. 1 running back.
"We just have to get at it. It's about doing everything right," Cole said. "If we don't make mistakes, we'll win the game.
"When it comes to Alexander, you have to treat him like another running back."
A fifth-round draft pick from Cincinnati, Cole has bulked up from 238 pounds in April to about 270 pounds, yet he has retained his remarkable quickness and his tenacity on every play. Even though he didn't record a sack last week against Green Bay, Cole pressured quarterback Brett Favre and was part of a defensive effort that pitched a shutout against the Packers in the second half.
Cole played sparingly early in the season, but stepped into the rotation more when left end Jevon Kearse suffered a shoulder injury against Denver. In that game, Cole had four tackles.
Then starting right end N.D. Kalu went down with a shoulder injury and Cole became the regular on that side. By the looks of it, he won't be losing his job any time soon.
