Each Sunday, Bengals first-round draft pick Levi Jones talks about life as an NFL rookie.

People are wondering if I feel like I now deserved to be the 10th draft pick. That part of my life, the draft, is over.

Now that I'm playing, I'm getting better as I go along. I'm showing improvement. I can't take steps back. Just like the team can't take steps back.

People can say they should have drafted Phillip Buchanon or Jeremy Shockey, but they drafted who they did. I'm here, and I have to deal with the situation I'm in. It's time to turn the program around.

I've learned that when you're a high pick and out there on the island - left tackle - they're going to come at you from every angle. They're going to pick on the rookie. So they're going to do anything they can to make you feel as uncomfortable as you can. They've attacked, and for the most part, I've held up and done a decent job.

Being in the situation I am, with us losing, it's hard. It's a lot of adversity to deal with. Everything seems to be going against us, so we have to stick close as a team.

It's a team sport, but you have to make sure of your end when things are going bad. I won't stop until I become the best left tackle in the league. I'm going to take care of my business.

There has been a lot of talk this week. I just stay out of the papers and the focus and the negative energy. Coach guaranteed a win, and I'm going to go do my best to help him deliver it.

It all comes down to Sunday.

People are always asking me about my maturity and focus. My mom raised me well, but I had a tough time as a child. There were things that happened to me in my life that - nothing that can happen here can affect me, I've already had the worst happen to me. They talk about my city, Eloy, Ariz., and all the drugs and traps. Nothing matters if the person in that situation wants to do the right thing. I could have fallen in a lot of traps, but I decided what I wanted to do. I didn't want excuses.

I didn't give up any sacks against Tennessee, which is the best thing a left tackle can do. Indianapolis was my best game, even though I gave up one sack.

- As told to Mark Curnutte