DEL.ICIO.USDE Anderson ‘glad’ to record first sack
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The record will show that at long last, Jamaal Anderson visited some violence upon an opposing quarterback Sunday afternoon.
So, OK, it came in the 86th quarter of his career but the Falcons’ 22-year-old defensive end recorded his first sack. And he wound up doing much more than that as well, knocking down two straight Kyle Orton passes at one point. At times, he even seemed to dictate play.
Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com
Falcons defensive end Jamaal Anderson’s sack of Bears’ quarterback Kyle Orton came in 86th quarter of his NFL career.
Yes, Jamaal Anderson.
Lost in the last-second drama that somehow secured Atlanta’s 22-20 win over Chicago, the club’s first pick of the 2007 draft had his coming out party and if it came 22 games into his career, Anderson will take it.
“I’m glad it finally came,” Anderson said of sack No. 1. “There were a lot of expectations out for me. I was disappointed last year. I just knew I had to come out in one of these games and I’m glad it finally came. … When plays come, they come in bunches.”
This one came four plays into the second quarter, when the Bears had crossed midfield for the first time. Anderson had been a step away from grabbing Orton once in the second half but on a third-and-11, the Chicago quarterback seemed to wait a count too long for someone to open up downfield.
Anderson pulled him down for a 4-yard loss and the Bears were forced to punt. On the sidelines, the whole defense dropped by for a congratulations.
“He’s got people who were down on him,” Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jackson said. “The fans were down on him. I’m happy for him. It helps everybody. It’s a good thing.”
Orton grew to know Anderson more personally the next possession. On first down and then again on third, Anderson knocked down Orton passes almost as soon as he released them. Again, the Bears had to punt.
“I knew he was a quick thrower, so the first thing I wanted to do was try to get my hands up,” Anderson said. “I could get a few batted balls. It was just one of those games where I was in the groove and I’m glad it came. Now I’ve got to build off it.”
As they have since the preseason, the Falcons continue to use Anderson up and down the line and he took his shots when he could, finishing with four tackles, leading all linemen. Two of those tackles were for losses. He was also credited with a quarterback hurry, the only one recorded by the defense all day, just as his was the only sack.
“They were throwing the ball pretty quick,” Anderson said. “It was kind of hard to get to him. He started out holding it at first, but I guess after that first sack, he started letting it go real quick.
“I mean, I feel like I’ve been there this whole season, pretty much. I’ve always seemed to be one step away and this time, I was finally able to finish.”
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