Sione Pouha used an elementary approach to break down his progress at defensive tackle.
“Anything you’re good at, you like. I like eating — I’m good at it, so I do it. I’m not really good at long-distance running, so I’m not in the Olympics,” he said. “I enjoy things that I understand, and I think I’m starting to understand the 3-4 system and how I fit into it.”
Week 17: Jets vs Chiefs Game Release
Last Sunday, the 28-year-old Pouha received a lot of snaps against the Titans. He responded, tallying a career-high eight unassisted tackles as the Jets turned in another fine defensive performance.
“In terms of production, it was probably the best I ever had,” Pouha said. “I felt good this last game.”
Jets head coach Eric Mangini has liked Pouha’s play for a while, saying earlier this week that Pouha has been “outstanding” over the past month.
“Some of those were difficult plays where he was going one direction, had to shed and come off,” Mangini said of Pouha’s latest effort. “I've been really pleased with him.”
Pouha has adopted the motto of becoming more instinctive.
“That’s what separates the guy in the classroom and a professional athlete. That’s where I kind of crossed,” he said. “There are still a lot of things I have to work on in terms of making it more instinctive.”
Last season Pouha wasn’t able to make any impact on the field. He tore his ACL the fourth day of training camp.
“It was devastating that night, but after that I kind of assessed my situation and got a new game plan,” he said. “I had to get my knee back right.”
For inspiration, he looked at players like Bobby Hamilton — the former Jet didn’t let a torn ACL his rookie season prevent him from having a lengthy career. And when Pouha returned for camp this summer, he was ready to put himself to the physical test
“I feel like it was more picking up from where I left off,” he said. “That’s why it was important for me to come back at the weight I was at last year, kind of slim and kind of fit. Mentally I thought I was ahead of the game, but then again that’s only half the battle. The second half of the battle is turning that into action.”
While largely unnoticed the first half of the season, Pouha has become a familiar presence in the line rotation. He collected five tackles (three solos) in the Jets’ upset over the Steelers, made his first career start vs. the Browns on Dec. 9, and was very active against the unbeaten Patriots in Foxboro, registering six tackles (five solos).
“The most relevant [stretch] was probably before the Pittsburgh game right after the bye,” he said. “You have to sit and assess yourself, understand where you’re at and see where you fit in the scheme.”
Mangini delivered a message to Pouha that the Utah product is taking to heart: Keep working on your craft. Listed at 325 pounds in the Jets’ media guide, Pouha said he actually weighs in between 310 and 315. He’s pursuing better than ever from the nose and he’s still doing a good job eating.
“Seven-course meals, eight-course meals — I’m trying to dive in creating a nine-course meal,” he said. “For Christmas the other day, we had an 80-pound hog that we roasted for me and my family. I have to start my kids young and get them acclimated to the eating situation.”
Pouha joked that he ate 75 pounds of the 80-pound hog, but there’s nobody laughing off his play.
