Rookies get feel for pace of NFL

NEW ORLEANS — Jammal Brown felt the jitters in his first NFL exhibition game."The first drive, you are still a little nervous. But football is football, it's just a little faster," said Brown, a rookie offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints.The first-round pick out of Oklahoma played 21/2 quarters in the 34-15 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, teaming with both starters and reserves Friday night in the Superdome. - NFL Football -
He was called for illegal formation halfway through the first quarter when he lined up too far back."Besides the penalty, he did some good things," coach Jim Haslett said. "I have to look at the film, but I think he did a pretty good job."
Brown, 6 feet 6, 313 pounds, impressed his coach with his downfield blocking power. On one play in third quarter he drove Seattle linebacker LeRoy Hill toward the sideline 10 yards off the play."Back at Oklahoma, that's what everybody knew me for," Brown said. "I'm going to drive them until they hit the ground."The rookies found out quickly that the transition from the college game isn't as seamless as they would have hoped. - NFL Football -
"It was a fast-paced game," said safety Josh Bullocks, a second-round pick. "You've got to be patient."He committed one of several rookie gaffes. Defensive end Jimmy Verdon was called for a holding penalty in the red zone in the third quarter. Bullocks missed a tackle that led to a touchdown.
"Safeties can't miss tackles," Haslett said. "He's a young kid, he needs to keep working on that."After trailing 24-3 at the half, the Saints limited the Seahawks' reserves to a field goal in the third quarter.Sixth-round selection Jason Jefferson, a defensive tackle from Wisconsin, was a non-factor. - NFL Football -
"As rookies, we can't be a weak link," Bullocks said. "We can't play like rookies."Bullocks played both safety positions and was all over the place. On a third-and-1 late in the third quarter, he stuffed Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace on a rollout. Bullocks finished with three tackles.
Despite lining up behind a guard instead of the center on one play, fifth-round pick Adrian McPherson energized a scattered, silent crowd with several big-gain scrambles. The fourth-string quarterback completed 3 of 7 passes for 28 yards and rushed for 25 yards on four carries.

The Associated Press