Let's assume for the sake of conversation that #1's will look 10-20% better than these guys.
Play #1: Maybe, he only blows up the C for 4 yds behind the LOS instead of 6. Play #2: Maybe he penetrates only collapses the pass pro to flush the QB- and not additionally get a hand on him. Play #3: Maybe he doesn't manhandle a double-team, and stands both up near the LOS, giving CLE a 11-10 numbers advantage.
I still like what Malik might do. I loooove that this guy is on the team. He's mauling on the D the same way Wyatt Teller is mauling on O.
Joey Porter, Steelers LB was a player I despised with a passion. As much as I loathed him, I couldn't argue with him when he once said in an interview: "Browns are soft." Today's Browns are anything but soft.
In the Atlanta game on the defensive plays I would just watch the ball and focus on the snap.
McDowell's get off was impressive. Then on his first hand strike and push he was penetrating.
To think he has not played in a professional game is amazing. Those interior guys go to war up front. Big guys in a head on collision. Balance, leverage and technique is so important.
Clearly he is a strong athletic guy. However, he must learn fast. He came to camp with no real experience at this level. I thought he was super long shot to make the roster. I was thinking "if" he got on the practice squad that would show he might have some potential.
Let's assume for the sake of conversation that #1's will look 10-20% better than these guys.
Play #1: Maybe, he only blows up the C for 4 yds behind the LOS instead of 6. Play #2: Maybe he penetrates only collapses the pass pro to flush the QB- and not additionally get a hand on him. Play #3: Maybe he doesn't manhandle a double-team, and stands both up near the LOS, giving CLE a 11-10 numbers advantage.
I still like what Malik might do. I loooove that this guy is on the team. He's mauling on the D the same way Wyatt Teller is mauling on O.
Joey Porter, Steelers LB was a player I despised with a passion. As much as I loathed him, I couldn't argue with him when he once said in an interview: "Browns are soft." Today's Browns are anything but soft.
Kind of my point that he should be able to play on equal footing with other "average" starters. And that is minimum. Maybe he does better. Only time and reps will tell.
No doubt that playing equal to means you win some, you lose some.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
Really intrigued by MM as well. A couple of questions though:
1. Does anyone know the players he was going against in the NY and ATL game? Are they players that will even make those rosters?
2. It is not always in the best interest of the defense to bull rush your olineman 10 yards up field. In fact sometimes the oline allows that by design...run yourself out of the play. Sometimes you just need to hold ground and wait in the hole. Have people seen him hold ground in the hole shed the block and tackle in the preseason?
Really intrigued by MM as well. A couple of questions though:
1. Does anyone know the players he was going against in the NY and ATL game? Are they players that will even make those rosters?
2. It is not always in the best interest of the defense to bull rush your olineman 10 yards up field. In fact sometimes the oline allows that by design...run yourself out of the play. Sometimes you just need to hold ground and wait in the hole. Have people seen him hold ground in the hole shed the block and tackle in the preseason?
Yes, one instance nearly resulting in a strip sack after a play-fake.
2. It is not always in the best interest of the defense to bull rush your olineman 10 yards up field. In fact sometimes the oline allows that by design...run yourself out of the play. Sometimes you just need to hold ground and wait in the hole. Have people seen him hold ground in the hole shed the block and tackle in the preseason?
My assumption is that with preseason games being a critical portion of "try-outs", players want to stick out (in a good way) to coaches. A "you wanna see something, ok I'll show you something" situation.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
It is not always in the best interest of the defense to bull rush your olineman 10 yards up field. In fact sometimes the oline allows that by design...run yourself out of the play. Sometimes you just need to hold ground and wait in the hole. Have people seen him hold ground in the hole shed the block and tackle in the preseason?
Seems like a pretty simple coaching technique, if you're able to dominate that well.
I am happy for him, and I wish him the best as a Brown.
He made the most of his second chance.
There will be no playoffs. Can’t play with who we have out there and compounding it with garbage playcalling and worse execution. We don’t have good skill players on offense period. Browns 20 - Bears 17.
It is not always in the best interest of the defense to bull rush your olineman 10 yards up field. In fact sometimes the oline allows that by design...run yourself out of the play. Sometimes you just need to hold ground and wait in the hole. Have people seen him hold ground in the hole shed the block and tackle in the preseason?
Seems like a pretty simple coaching technique, if you're able to dominate that well.
I believe last year the defense was primarily a 1-Gap penetrating scheme where each DL was responsible for a gap and geting interior pass-rush was highly valued. Nothing I have seen or heard changes that notion. It sounds to me as if you're describing a 2-gap technique that will be utilized by the defense in certain situations. I think Billings is better suited for this kind of technique. But IMO it won't be the primary technique our DL will be expected to play.
I am not discounting McDowell's ability to play 2-gap though.
At MUS McDowell also lined up at 1-tech (nose) So he can actually play any position along the DL. This is going to add another dimension to the defense. And Malik Jackson can play DE so the array of fronts and the ability to stunt with our front is going to be hard to handle.
Don't know the "offical types of D fronts", but would love to see McDowell in Mean Joe Greene's spot...blowing thru center and guard....causing heck....Love his story, love HC and GM thinking outside the box and MAYBE finding a diamond on the scrap heap.
Hope he helps Browns and himself...GO Browns!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
I didn't intend to be overly technical with my last response. It can actually be much more intricate than what I described. Apologies.
Something you mentioned though. Mean Joe lined up between center and guard. That fits where I see McDowell being very effective. That's more of a 1-tech or under tackle position. This is the same place where I think Billings will play a lot. In any event, I'm excited to see McDowell get some great pocket push from this spot.
If not right away, in time I hope McDowell gets moved around to the other line positions too. In his college career, he played all of the Dline positions. If he can do that for the Browns, along with our other studs upfront it will be a problem for opposing offenses.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
SMART? He's done some dumb things in the past, but smart is walking away and realizing there's a different path. TOUGH? Knowing full well that you made it a very hard path but still working your way back, step by step... through pain, shame and rejection. ACCOUNTABLE? He owns his past. Not as a scarlet letter, as a catalyst for change. It's always easy to tell someone has moved forward when they respect previous mistakes... almost as if they were a gift.
That was great to watch. I'm definitely now a fan. Thanks for posting that.
There is no level of sucking we haven't seen; in fact, I'm pretty sure we hold the patents on a few levels of sucking NOBODY had seen until the past few years.
Malik McDowell’s redemption story enters the next chapter Browns defensive tackle earns roster spot, eyes first regular-season game since being drafted in 2017.
The Cleveland Browns signed defensive tackle Malik McDowell in May to the type of “low-risk, high-reward” contract that fans love but that rarely pays off in the end.
Following Tuesday’s initial roster cutdown, it looks like McDowell might turn out to be the exception.
McDowell showed enough potential at Michigan State to be a second-round selection in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. A series of off-the-field incidents, including crashing a Yamaha 4-wheeler that resulted in a head injury, being arrested four times, being suspended by the NFL, and being sued by the Seahawks for failing to repay his signing bonus, means that McDowell is still waiting to play in his first regular-season game four years after being drafted.
That should change on September 12 when the Browns open the season against the Kansas City Chiefs as McDowell earned a roster spot after a solid training camp and preseason.
It took hitting rock bottom for McDowell to realize what he was on the verge of losing, he said on Tuesday (quotes via team-provided transcript):
“While I was in jail, it gave me a lot of time to think about what I wanted to do in life and where my life was heading. That really gave me the motivation and push to try to fight back to get back what I lost. I was telling everybody I was in there with that is what I am working toward. ‘When I get out, I am going back to try to play football.’”
This past offseason the Browns were the lone team to invest the time in McDowell after all of his troubles. McDowell said he is now looking to repay general manager Andrew Berry for giving him a chance (quotes via cleveland.com):
“I told them how much I wanted it and how much I wouldn’t let them down giving me this opportunity even though I had chance after chance. And this being my last chance and everything, you all giving me this opportunity, I won’t make you look bad. (Andrew Berry), in particular, giving me this opportunity, bringing me in here, sticking his neck out for me and everything. So definitely don’t want to let nobody down.”
McDowell has cleared the first major hurdle in his comeback by making the Browns roster. The next obstacle comes in the regular season when he will consistently go up against starters across the line from him.
Redemption stories do not always play out well in the NFL, but McDowell is off to a good start in rewriting his story.
Good for him! Praying he does well... but man... sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders and hopefully has himself going in the right direction....
Not a kid, he's 25 and spent time in PRISON. He probably grew up lots in there. Hope the man has turned the corner and has 'real gainful employment' with the Browns for many Productive Years....Go Browns!!!
"You've never lived till you've almost died, life has a flavor the protected will never know" A vet or cop
Not a kid, he's 25 and spent time in PRISON. He probably grew up lots in there. Hope the man has turned the corner and has 'real gainful employment' with the Browns for many Productive Years....Go Browns!!!
Compared to me, he's a kid.... But yeah, I'm sure hoping his time in the can will help him appreciate what he has in front of him.. Clearly, he didn't get it before...
Picture this, Berry picks this kid up off the scrap heap of Football.. and look at this, he's got a job. A job that he had to earn....
I like a good story,, and this is one of those.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
Not a kid, he's 25 and spent time in PRISON. He probably grew up lots in there. Hope the man has turned the corner and has 'real gainful employment' with the Browns for many Productive Years....Go Browns!!!
My four kids are all in their 30s. At 25 you are more kid than adult IMHO.
Your feelings and opinions do not add up to facts.
This will be an incredible story to follow this year.
I am excited to see how he develops over the season.
KS saying he could play end. That means alot. It speaks further to his physical talent.
We now have Clowney, Myles, and McDowell who can swing inside. Woods will have the ability to attack any place on the line to bring pressure.
The Browns pass rush could be crazy good.
I have watched football most of my life and I have never seen a man take on a center and plant him in the QB's lap then when they double team him he works the double team over as well. These guys he went against might not make an NFL roster but man alive this is someone with some schooling who can be an unbelievable force right up the gut. This man is very special I guarantee it and I could give a squat who he did it against and he did it again and again... He was so dominate in a game where teams NEVER make adjustments the Falcons had to double team him he was so disruptive.
This guy has monster written all over him. I promise you with Garret and Clowney and this McDowell on the inside QB's are going to have about 1. to 1.5 seconds to get rid of the ball or they are going to be faced with some punishment. I am so excited to see this guy in a game I salivate at what is about to unfold.
We are in for a treat and this cat is going to be a big part of this team this season. Imagine Clowney and Garret on the outside and JOK coming from God knows where all at once QB's are going to get lit up and it starts week 1 in KC.
BTTB
AKA Upbeat Dawg
Can't believe I am in a group that is comprised of the best NOT just fans but people on the planet.