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What Can Brawn Do for You?
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Jansen, who received $10 million guaranteed as part of a contract extension after the 2006 season, has been motivated by the demotion. An emotional player, he ached to get this chance. To perform well -- especially against two tough defenses -- and then lose the job again would be doubly painful.
"I was upset about it then, and I'm still upset about it now," said Jansen, who, when healthy, had started every game before this season. "But that's the business, and if you let it affect your performance then you're not being a professional. If I said it didn't bother me, or it still didn't bother me, I'd be lying. But I'm going to go out there every chance I get and prove that the decision was not the right one, and that's all I can do."
Becoming a reserve was a blow to his ego, and looking like a novice lineman during some practices, trying to learn to be a depth guard or center on the fly, was "humbling."
"This is why I respect the man," Bugel said. "He didn't balk when I asked him to work on right and left guard. He jumped in right away."
For a while Jansen said he "didn't want to hear what anybody had to say," even Bugel, as he worked through his anger, then focused on showing that Zorn had made a mistake.
There is no disputing Heyer, an undrafted free agent out of Maryland last year, is younger, quicker and more athletic than Jansen, with better lateral movement in pass protection. Jansen's struggles in pass protection in the preseason led several scouts and NFL executives to reach the same conclusion as Zorn.
But Jansen was stout against the pass rush of Dallas and Philadelphia -- a blitz-heavy team that overloaded Jansen's side when possible -- and the running game has blossomed since his arrival. He is more aggressive in his drive blocking, opening lanes on the outside. Portis averaged 2.8 yards per carry to the right side in the opening three games, with just two carries of five yards or more, and four rushes for zero or negative yardage.
In two games with Jansen, Portis has averaged 5.1 yards per carry to the right side (15 carries for 76 yards), with nine runs of five yards or more and one for zero yards or less.
"It's up to the coaches to make that decision," Jansen said of who will start. "I've learned that the hard way. I'm not making that call. I'm going to take every opportunity I can to go out and prove that I should be the guy."
