DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2015 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 24 49ers 10 Austin Pasztor Starting at LG over Erving

I read the Bitonio article, and maybe I'm being too naive, but it seemed like JB was saying the stuff he's going through is normal'ish. It reminded me of DeCastro's first year in Pitt, and how he was really disappointing after everyone said he'd be God's gift to the LG spot.

It seems like every rookie starting lineman has a strength issue their first year (to varying degrees) and it's just a matter of working that out.

Folks kinda lose perspective a bit because we've been blessed with two guys in Mack & Thomas who came in and played like stars as Rookies. They aren't the norm, they're the exception. Add in the freak happenstance of Bitonio looking really, really, really good as a rookie, too, and we kinda have unrealistic expectations when we've actually just been really stinking lucky.

Yea, that's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of being a Browns fan.

Hah! Touche

As a team, yeah... not so much, but with those players, yup, we have been very lucky.

Man, any time I think our OLine is bad, I just think back to the days when I first joined the original board (Fall of '02). The talent we have now is simply leaps and bounds above what we have trotted out in the past..... it just has some wrinkles & adversity to work through right now.

Yes, we have had a couple OL that have stepped in and been pretty good (to great) from day 1... unfortunately, so many other positions started slow then faded completely.

Just kind of a general comment to piggy back off of this...

Cleveland fans and media are too impatient to let anyone develop. I obviously can't prove this, but Big Ben, Flacco, Dalton, Brees, Newton, Stafford ... these guys would have been run out of town because they weren't good "right away".

It's a fundamental dysfunction with this organization.

I believe there is some truth to that... but, and this doesn't just apply to QBs, how many guys have we had come in and show flashes as a rookie then in years 2 and 3 either not really show signs of getting better or actually getting worse?

I think quite a few people on this board are rather guilty of that "weren't good right away" approach. Sorry folks, but it's true.

You don't have to prove it, Rish'; it's painfully obvious...

Just read that Austin is Canadian, eh. From Tillsonburg, Ontario. Glad to see a Canuck playing for the Browns!

Tillsonburg used to be known for tobacco picking. "Tillsonburg, my back still aches when I hear that word"

So that hoser's why my back is even worse than usual today?


Darn Canucks. He probably put on his runners and toque, grabbed a loonie or 3, and went out looking for some beavertail and poutine after the game to celebrate playing a pretty good game, eh.

Austin had a very nice game on Sunday.

Pasztor excited for first start with Browns

Left guard Austin Pasztor is excited for his first start with the Cleveland Browns.

10:48 a.m. EST December 13, 2015

BEREA, Ohio -- Austin Pasztor is a patient man, and that virtue has served him well in his time with the Cleveland Browns.

After serving in a reserve role through the first 12 weeks of the season, Pasztor will start at left guard for the injured Joel Bitonio for the Browns (2-10) in today's game against the San Francisco 49ers at FirstEnergy Stadium.

"I'm very excited for this opportunity playing behind such a great group here in Cleveland," Pasztor said. "It's about being patient, but the opportunity is here now and I look forward to taking advantage of it.

"I think I bring toughness and getting after these guys. I'm consistent and I'll be able to know what to do and do my job at a high level."

Although Pasztor, a 6-foot-8, 308-pound native of Tillonsburg, Ontario, Canada, has had to wait for his opportunity with the Browns, it is not his first time having to exercise patience while pursuing his NFL dream.

"I was undrafted and signed with Minnesota my rookie year," Pasztor said. "I got cut after camp there. I was on the practice squad at Jacksonville my rookie year. I started the last three games at left guard. Following that season, I moved to right tackle and started 12 games that year and eight games last year at right tackle.

"Last year, I was dealing with some injuries. That's why I missed eight games. Now that I have the chance to be healthy and play, I'm looking forward to taking advantage of the opportunity."

As a backup offensive lineman, Pasztor has had to learn several positions over his career, but moving inside from tackle to guard is not a new concept to him, as he did so during his rookie season with the Jaguars.

"It will help me tremendously," Pasztor said. "I've played against the 49ers before. It's a different group of people from when I played them, but I have an idea what their style of defense is, so it will be very helpful for me.

"I'm extremely comfortable. What are we, in Week 12, 13 here? I've had a chance to learn the system, been in the system for a while now, so I feel very confident in knowing what to do."

In addition to his previous playing experience and familiarity with the Browns' scheme, Pasztor will have the added benefit of being bookended by an eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle in Joe Thomas and a two-time all-star in center Alex Mack.

"What a great experience that's going to be," Pasztor said. "I have the utmost respect for both of those guys and I think it's going to help me tremendously, playing beside two such great talents. They communicate well, they teach well, so it should help to make it an easier transition for me."

link

Yeah, there were a few plays where I saw him getting beat badly, but for the most part, I think he held his own.

I like your point about the simplified blocking scheme. An issue that I have with most NFL coaches is that they want to implement these complex systems (both offense and defense) right away.

Year 1 should be the building blocks. Lay a strong foundation then add to it. The coaches want to jump right into the fancy stuff. It gets complicated. And it only takes one player to mess up an assignment for an offensive play to get blown up or one defensive player out of position to give up a big play.

I think Pasztor played well. He had a few issues, like the time he didn't pick-up an inside X by the DE, but he did a nice job of sealing his man in the running game and was not getting abused in the passing game. JM had all-day to throw for much of the game.

Unlike Cammy who was pushed back to the QB's lap too often. Start Big P! We had better run blocks with him.

I saw a number of times where he was wheeled backwards pretty badly against the pass (including the first play from scrimmage), but even a 50% player is better than what Erving has given us this year.

I watched Austin pull one play. He didn't destroy anyone, but it was nice to see the big man able to kick out and move around. Not everyone is successful at being able to pull. It's sick when I see Alex Mack pulling from the center position, really sick!

Austin had a few bad plays, but I saw him communicating often with Joe Thomas during the huddles. I thought overall, he did a good job. Much better than having watch Erving being nuclear exploded at time the ball is snapped!

All JMO

Oh Man, I don't know if we have anything there in Cam to think positive about other than he knows he got benched for playing poorly. Maybe he'll wake up. Dunno

He was also playing the 9ers.

Looks he needs to get stronger. Pushed around. I have no interest in a guy who can play every position badly on the OL. Needs to improve to stick for my money. Like me some Big P! They need work, but wow! We ran. That is all.

It's hard to ague with results.

Who is Hampton? Do you mean Heyward?

I'm really, really hoping Erving's issue is primarily a "speed of the game" thing in pass protection.

All rookies say the biggest adjustment in the NFL is the speed of the players. Bitonio said a big change for moving from tackle to guard is that everything happens quicker. While Erving did play his final few games at FSU at center (and play them very well) he primarily worked as a LT. That gives more time to react to the rusher (even though they are physically faster than the defensive tackles) than playing inside close to the DTs.

Erving is a strong guy. He put up 30 reps with those super long arms at the combine. He plays strong in the run game. He looks athletic too... you can see him getting downfield on runs and after the catch, almost always picking up the receiver after the tackle. I really think that in his passive stance in pass pro he lets guys get into his pads and is not getting set up fast enough. It's (being inside with quick DTs) still a different thing than what he is used to playing.

Everyone can see that Erving has been terrible in protection. I'm going to cling to hope that it's a rookie "speed of the game" issue and that it can be corrected with experience and (practice or live?) reps.

When it comes to strength, I would be more interested in his lower body strength than what he can bench. Do you what he squated? Or clean and jerk? Do they even measure a draftees clean and jerk?

no, but I hear Mayock's been lobbying for that for years.

What I did find is that he was an inch off the top mark for the broad jump:
http://www.nfl.com/combine/top-performers#year=2015-2016&workout=BROAD_JUMP&position=OL

and 12th in the high jump
http://www.nfl.com/combine/top-performers#year=2015-2016&workout=VERTICAL_JUMP&position=OL

I think that would be great for helping to evaluate oline and defensive front 7

So he has explosiveness with enough strength for his body weight, but he just might lack raw power. Of course, he often has really poor leverage, which can negate all kinds of strength - so, he may be plenty strong enough already, but just constantly puts himself in a bad position to where he can't leverage it.

I like how the posts evolved. I was going to make some of the very same comments, but you guys beat me to it.

3 months is a pretty short time to get 'coached up'... and games prob won't help that. All they'll do is show off a player's inadequacies.

Let's see how his technique improves over a full offseason.

By nature, I'm ready to give almost all rookies a pass. If he doesn't look any better next year, we'd have to suspect we've been "Farmered" again...