Mack's Loss is the Difference... Bito to Center is the Fix...

gftChris

@manzier said:

(in my best Mr. T voice)....I pity the fool who moves a Hall of Fame Left Tackle to center.....(period.)

Hoyer's also been making protection calls, maybe we should move him to center?

WalterWhite

We were fine in the 2nd half the Steelers game without Mack, I honestly don't know whats caused this.

Tour2ma

@walterwhite said:
We were fine in the 2nd half the Steelers game without Mack, I honestly don't know whats caused this.

That we've played two games since?

For grins I added up the individual line grades each week.

Week Total O-line Score

- 1- +148 -51 net +97

- 2- +154 -57 net +97

- 3- +112 -62 net +50

- 5- +107 -49 net +58

- 6- + 69 -40 net +29 <--- Mack Injury

- 7- + 72 -96 net -24

- 8- + 65 -60 net + 5

tiamat63

@walterwhite said:
We were fine in the 2nd half the Steelers game without Mack, I honestly don't know whats caused this.

Playing one half of football on an emotional high. Then given an opposing D-cord a week to prepare with a pretty good front 7.

You keep thinking that Mack isn't the issue.

TypicalBrowns

Mcdonald looked "ok" at parts, tour I'm sure you would agree when referring to your O line breakdowns, that Mcdonald did decent on passing downs. But running the ball was different, looked shaky there.

Id rather keep Mdconald and hae 4 of our other lineman play consistent at spots they are cozy at. Cant shake up too much.

tiamat63

McDonald is going to take some time. However, from what I saw, he was routinely bullied in pass protection.

jcam222

Great post Tour2MA. If you aren't a sports journalist you should reconsider your career choice!

Mudfly

@jcam222 said:
Great post Tour2MA. If you aren't a sports journalist you should reconsider your career choice!

I'll +1 that......nice stuff, as usual....

Westside Steve

It was a good post but I would ask this... Isn't one of the keys to the line the reads from the center position? And those reeds come from experience right?

WSS

Tour2ma

@typicalbrowns said:

Mcdonald looked "ok" at parts, tour I'm sure you would agree when referring to your O line breakdowns, that Mcdonald did decent on passing downs. But running the ball was different, looked shaky there.

Id rather keep Mdconald and hae 4 of our other lineman play consistent at spots they are cozy at. Cant shake up too much.

All things being equal I agree... fewer moves the better. But I'm not sure all moves are equal here. This week should tell. If gelling continues and improvement is seen, then roll with McD. Conversely Painter might not be up to stepping in at LG. All I know is that Painter showed faster and stronger than McD (combine vs. Pro-day) and Painter's agility approached Bito's (combine shuttle and cone drills).

Nick was net -2 on run and -1 on pass plays so fairly balanced there. One thing I've learned about line play doing this... D-linemen take a lot of pass plays off, especially big guys in the middle... that or our opponents often assign 300+ lb, spies to Hoyer...

@tiamat63 said:
McDonald is going to take some time. However, from what I saw, he was routinely bullied in pass protection.

You saw correctly... His strength/ leverage appears to be an issue.

@jcam222 said:
Great post Tour2MA. If you aren't a sports journalist you should reconsider your career choice!

lol... I'm not coming out of retirement for nothing... but thanks...

@westside-steve said:
It was a good post but I would ask this... Isn't one of the keys to the line the reads from the center position? And those reeds come from experience right?

Centers normally call the blocking, but the QB can and Greco could from RG as well...

LBC mike

So the rookie will get the starton Sunday?

tml1138

@tour2ma said:

Agree...

While Joe is probably our best option at Center and Bito is our best option to back-up LT... I can't see moving Joe.

And to me, basic logic says minimize the moves. Fewer linemen that have to adjust to a different position, the better.

bbedward

I hope the coaching staff is listening. If my last name was Tate, west, crowell, or hoyer I'd be prepared to eat Atkins jock all day.

Tour2ma

@tml1138 said:
And to me, basic logic says minimize the moves. Fewer linemen that have to adjust to a different position, the better.

@tour2ma said:

All things being equal I agree... fewer moves the better. But I'm not sure all moves are equal here. This week should tell. If gelling continues and improvement is seen, then roll with McD.

Conversely Painter might not be up to stepping in at LG. All I know is that Painter showed faster and stronger than McD (combine vs. Pro-day) and Painter's agility approached Bito's (combine shuttle and cone drills).

tml,

See anything Sunday that told you all McD needs is one more week of practice?

hoorta

@tour2ma said:

tml,

See anything Sunday that told you all McD needs is one more week of practice?

Yeah- McCoy blew him up and steamrolled him more than once.

nickers

I just don't think now is the time to get cute, and put that kind of responsibility on Bito right now.. He's a rook and that's tough enough.

gftChris

@hoorta said:

Yeah- McCoy blew him up and steamrolled him more than once.

All good practise for Geno Atkins. If McCoy is 'arguably the best DT in the league' then Atkins is probably in the argument.

tiamat63

@gftchris said:
All good practise for Geno Atkins. If McCoy is 'arguably the best DT in the league' then Atkins is probably in the argument.

Fortunately for the Browns, Geno has been slow rounding back into form from his injury.

tml1138

@tour2ma said:

tml,

See anything Sunday that told you all McD needs is one more week of practice?

Lol, I'm an echo.

McD getting planted firmly on his ass says enough.

For anyone who might need a painful reminder.

Now will Pettine make adjustments more to your liking? We can hope. Got a short week of practice and into Thursday night at Cinc, so McD gets what, about 3 days to improve in dealing with Geno Atkins?