INDIANAPOLIS – Jonathan Newsome had just finished dressing inside the visiting locker room at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, earlier this week when was asked about his strip-sack on Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
“Man, I hope Robert [Mathis] saw that,” Newsome said.
Mathis, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles, wasn’t at the game, but the odds are pretty good that he smiled after watching Newsome imitate his strip-sack move.
With Erik Walden out with a hip injury, Newsome got his most extensive playing time of the season. And the rookie out of Ball State didn’t disappoint, as he had seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
“I just went out there and played,” Newsome said. “I had to step up, nothing major. We had a good rotation with me and (Andy Studebaker) in the base and me coming in to sub. I was fresh out there. I just made plays whenever they were presented to me."
The veterans told the rookies that they’ve reached that point of the season that they’re no longer looked at as rookies. They’re expected step in and contribute like a veteran. Newsome has 14 tackles and three sacks this season.
“He’s got the ability,” coach Chuck Pagano said. “His sacks I believe he won his matchups, his one-on-one matchups. Again, we saw video evidence of that coming out. He’s got some slither to him, he can bend. He’s very powerful, he’s got burst and power in his body so he can win those one-on-ones.”
Newsome, who was selected in the fifth round, is in the same mold as Mathis and Bjoern Werner of having to make the transition from being a defensive end in college to playing linebacker in the NFL. Newsome started out as a strongside linebacker during training camp. He was moved over to rush linebacker for a few weeks and now he’s back on the strong side.
“I know he can be better at what he does but he’s had a little bit of a cross-training type thing going on and that can be a little bit heavy on a young guy coming in,” linebackers coach Jeff Fitzgerald said. “You have to be reasonable with what you expect and obviously (Monday) he exceeded those expectations. So I’m very happy about that, but understanding also that he’s still got a lot to learn and he’s at two different positions now, it makes it a little bit tough for him.”