Jared Allen: Their worst nightmare

Jared Allen might be the fun-loving, risk-taking type away from football, but the Pro Bowl defensive end leaves little to chance when it comes to his craft.

That doesn't mean Allen isn't above rolling his eyes and complaining about practice or any number of things players like to moan and groan about, but in a moment of truth, he fesses up.

"I'm pretty sure a lot of people take [the complaining] seriously. I should probably let them know I'm just kidding. I pretend like I don't want to be here, but I'm having a good time."

Actually, Allen is doing more than having a good time.

As he works on his various techniques in practice, or watches countless hours of film on his laptop, Allen is preparing himself to make game day the easiest day of his work week.

Allen did not have an NFL-leading 15 1/2 sacks last season and establish himself as a premier right end because he's more talented than everybody else. And the Vikings did not give up a first-round pick and two third-rounders to Kansas City last April to get Allen because he can simply show up on Sundays and dominate left tackles.

Allen, entering his fifth NFL season, got to this point in large part because of his preparation. No detail is too small to overlook -- whether that be an area of his own game that can be improved or a weakness in an opponent that can be exploited.

That's why when Allen arrived at Winter Park last April, he requested the Vikings put together a disc of all the plays he was involved in from the previous season.

"Look at Peyton Manning," said Allen, referring to the Colts' Pro Bowl quarterback. "Peyton Manning is a film fanatic. The game is won out there [on the practice field]. That's what a lot of people don't realize. You should practice to the point where Sunday is easy. That's why I like the fighting, when I do the MMA [mixed martial arts] training. Their cardio is so intense that this is easy. Running is easy. The stuff they do, like a fighter, if he's fighting five rounds, they train for 10 rounds."

The Vikings not only gave up draft picks to get Allen, they also made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history by giving him a six-year, $74.5 million contract that included $31 million in guarantees.

This was done with the belief that Allen could help make one of the league's best rushing defenses -- the unit has been ranked No. 1 in the NFL the past two seasons -- that much better against the pass.

The move, of course, didn't come without risk. Allen has been arrested for drunken driving three times since 2002, including twice while he was with the Chiefs. He was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of last season, a penalty that was eventually reduced to two games, after being arrested twice in a little more than four months in 2006.

Allen, 26, has said on several occasions he no longer drinks alcohol.

Karl Dunbar, Vikings defensive line coach, said Allen has gotten to the point of being an elite player not only by having great desire but also by realizing that the desire and energy he puts into the game must be toned down in some of the other aspects of his life.

"He's not stronger than anybody, he's not faster than anybody," Dunbar said. "He just loves the game. And I think that's the way he plays. That's the way he practices. I think for the first part of his career as a football player he lived that way off the field. Now, I think he understands that, 'Hey, it's great to do it on the field, but the stuff off the field catches up with you.'"

Those two games he had to miss in 2007 make his sack total all the more impressive, but Allen's success this season won't be judged on one statistic. That would be too simple.

Keep in mind the Vikings had 38 sacks last season, ranking a respectable eighth in the NFL. But what the team lacked was the consistent pressure from its front four that is needed in the Tampa-2 scheme.

Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier can scheme to send blitzes but would rather not rely on them to pressure quarterbacks. Allen's ability to provide an outside rush should mean that's no longer a necessity.

It also should mean offenses no longer have the luxury of abandoning the run -- thus helping to nullify Pro Bowl tackles Kevin and Pat Williams -- and going primarily to a passing attack.

Last season, teams threw for an average of 264.1 yards per game against the Vikings, putting the defense last in the league in that category. But foes also attempted an NFL-high 646 passes, while running the ball only 379 times.

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock, who worked Vikings preseason telecasts, expects Ray Edwards and Kevin Williams to be the primary beneficiaries of Allen's presence.

Edwards, who tied for the team lead with five sacks last season despite missing four games after being suspended for violating the NFL's policy on steroids, has moved from right end to left end and will face less athletic players at right tackle.

Williams, who had a career-high 11 1/2 sacks in 2004, could be in for a huge season, according to Mayock.

"Kevin Williams probably led the league last year being double-teamed in pass situations," Mayock said. "The addition of Jared Allen means teams are probably not going to be able to double Kevin."

Mayock pointed to a two-play sequence in the second quarter of the Vikings' preseason game Aug. 23 against Pittsburgh. On first-and-10 from the Steelers 38, Edwards sacked Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for a 6-yard loss. On the next play, Roethlisberger was sacked by Williams for a 9-yard loss.

"They brought five or six guys [on the second sack], but the point is the Steelers had to single up all the way across the front and Kevin Williams went on a twist stunt [meaning they switched roles] with Jared Allen. Who is more athletic than those two guys? Obviously I think people will look at Jared's sack production, but the more important overall concern is what he does to the front four."

Flexibility and reach

Watch Allen on a regular basis and the first thing that stands out is his lankiness. At 6-6, 270 pounds, he is the tallest of the Vikings' defensive linemen. When he gets in his four-point stance, Allen's flexibility is such that he bends at an angle that looks almost unnatural.

"It's not the lankiness" that helps him, Dunbar said, "it's the flexibility. He has great ankle and knee flexibility, so he can bend and do things. The thing as far as length are his long arms. That's what you love. Especially when you're rushing against [left tackles] like Bryant McKinnie, who is 6-8, 335. ... Look at [defensive ends] like Michael Strahan or Jevon Kearse. That's the kind of guys you look for, and Jared fits that mold."

Dunbar explained that Allen's long wingspan gives him the advantage of being able to get his arms on left tackles first and thus stop them from moving their feet. All the while Allen is still moving, enabling him to take control.

"If you ever get to the point where they are afraid of your long arms and they stay back, that means they are getting closer to the quarterback, so you're doing your job," Dunbar said.

Who needs a break?

While Allen takes great pride in his pass-rushing ability -- he has 43 career sacks -- he also doesn't want to be sold short as a run stopper.

"I love to play the run," he said. "It's man up. The passing game is finesse. The run game is what this sport was born off of. That's what it's all about. Guys back in the day. The badasses of this league were hard to run by linebackers because they blasted people in the hole. Dick Butkus wasn't known for his interceptions, he was known for absolutely murdering people. And that's why the run is so cool.

"I take it as a personal challenge. You're going to try to run my way? That means you're calling me a punk. That means you think I'm the weak spot of this defense. You're going to try to run my way? That's not going to happen. I take a lot of pride in shutting it down and letting you know you're not going to come my way and have success."

Allen's ability against the run and pass -- not to mention his paycheck -- means he likely won't be coming off the field often. Dunbar said he foresees Allen getting about 45 snaps a game, with second-year end Brian Robison entering to provide occasional rest.

"A good rotation is always good," Allen said. "Obviously, it's not going to be too much. I don't like coming off the field. I prepare myself to play every snap, and that's the way I feel. That's the coaches' job to determine the rotation, but I'm going to be prepared to play every single snap this year."