Robertson right on nose

Jets' Robertson right on nose

BY RICH CIMINI
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Tuesday, August 7th 2007, 4:00 AM

Dewayne Robertson (l.) tangles with Nick Mangold during a morning training camp practice. Though Robertson's size is limited, the Jets feel he can revolutionize the nose tackle position.


When Bobby Hamilton talks about defensive linemen, you listen. The man has played the position for 11 seasons, a forever run in which he has won two Super Bowl rings and has lined up alongside two likely Hall of Famers, Warren Sapp and Richard Seymour. So, with that in mind, pay close attention to Hamilton's assessment of teammate Dewayne Robertson.

"I saw some stuff last year that I never thought a defensive lineman could do," he said recently of the Jets' nose tackle.

That's quite a verbal pat on the back.

In his first season as a nose tackle, Robertson didn't produce gaudy statistics - the big fellas in the middle rarely do - but he brought a different dimension to the position, one the Jets believe may revolutionize that spot in the 3-4 defense. Not a classic nose tackle, meaning he's not as wide as a doorway, Robertson relies on speed and explosiveness, not overwhelming size and power.

At 6-1, 310, Robertson is anywhere from 20 to 50 pounds lighter than some of the premier nose tackles, creating a perception that he's not Eric Mangini's kind of guy, that it's only a matter of time before he is replaced. That isn't true. If an expansion draft were held today and the Jets could protect only a handful of players, Robertson would be one of them. They value him that much.

"When you watch the tape, there's not a lot of times where he's getting knocked off," Mangini said. "Where he really compensates for that lack of mass is that first-step quickness. He's into the center so quickly that he gets the edge in terms of who has leverage, who has hand placement. So that quickness eliminates or offsets any lack of mass."

As an assistant in New England, Mangini coached Ted Washington, who is roughly the size of a subway car - an estimated 400 pounds. Nose tackles that big can clog two gaps, a must in a 3-4 front, and hold their ground against double-team blocking, freeing others to make the tackles. Robertson can do that, but he's better when penetrating gaps. That's why the Jets made him the fourth pick in the 2003 draft, but the change in coaches last year meant a scheme change, which meant a new world for him.

"When most people think of a nose tackle, they think of a 350-pound guy," Robertson said. "Me, I'm not as heavy, but I can play the nose with my speed, my quickness and my ability."

Robertson admitted that "on some plays I wish I was 350," but he maintained that he has embraced the position. He watches tape of the better nose tackles in the league - the Chargers' Jamal Williams, the Steelers' Casey Hampton and the Patriots' Vince Wilfork - looking for little things he can incorporate into his game. His goal is to improve his pre-snap reads, trying to decipher blocking schemes.

The Jets believe Robertson (62 total tackles, 2-1/2sacks) improved considerably as he got comfortable in the new defense. Maybe the coaches learned some things, too, providing a foundation for 2007. Because of his agility, he can be used on pass-rushing stunts, looping around another rusher in attempt to confuse the offensive line. He also can line up in the center-guard gap, creating a different look for the offense.

Obviously, there is a lot of work to be done, as the Jets finished 24th in run defense. Mangini believes the defense improved over the second half of the season - and it did in terms of points allowed - but it still yielded 4.9 yards per rush in that span, worse than the first eight games (4.4). Robertson took a lot of outside criticism for that, and he's determined to reverse the trend.

"That bothered us a lot," he said. "Part of my job is to make sure it doesn't happen again."

TIGHT FIT: TE Chris Baker, having an excellent camp, is eager to have a bigger role in the passing game. With a career-high 31 catches last year, his first full season as a starter, Baker believes he deserves a shot. He started to contribute toward the end of last season, and he started off nicely this summer with a six-catch, 77-yard day in the Jets' instrasquad scrimmage Sunday at Fordham. One catch came on a 30-yard seam route, showing he does have some downfield speed. "Hopefully, it translates into Sundays coming up this season," he said. "I'm looking forward to it." ... More will be known today on the status of CB/KR Justin Miller, who suffered an apparent hamstring injury in the scrimmage. ... QB Kellen Clemens, coming off an impressive scrimmage, is leading the competition for the No.2 job. ... RB Alvin Banks, a rookie free agent from James Madison, is making a strong bid to make the team. ... There was no practice yesterday. Jets resume two-a-days this morning at Hofstra. They also have two practices scheduled for tomorrow, the first time they're having back-to-back double sessions. They open the preseason Friday night against the Falcons at Giants Stadium.

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