Mickey: Mazi needs to step forward

[Flamma]

Davis looks like a “bust”. He should done what Smith did, lose weight. Carter had a solid rookie season. Cowboys would have been thrilled if Mazi had produced what Carter did.

Agreed. But Carter is going to be a lot better in the next year or so. I don't know about Davis. This is his make or break year.

 

[Ring6]

let Zgonina cook

 

[Stash]

The new scheme fits him better. Hopefully healthy now. A DC and position coach that seem to know what they are doing better than last year. The weight issue finally resolved (no clue what they were trying to do last year).

There are many positive signs going into this season with Mazi. Clearly the Cowboys are really counting on him. Let's keep our fingers crossed he can get on the field and start making some plays!

And here’s what I think is more encouraging information.

“Many will lament Smith's delayed get-off as a reason to deflate his draft stock, but that ignores the fact that Smith was playing a read-and-react role as a head-up defender on a majority of his snaps. Instead of firing out of the ball and penetrating his gap as a shaded defender, he was tasked with mirroring and controlling blocks to help Michigan fit all the necessary gaps while playing with light boxes.”

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2023...an-nt-mazi-smith-fits-with-the-dallas-cowboys


I agree with what you and Coach Zgonina are saying about being better suited to this scheme.

 

[gimmesix]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/spagnola-guy-called-the-maz-please-step-forward

Nice article from Mickey about Mazi needing to be the player that Dallas expected when they drafted him.
How the new DL coach and Zimmer and his scheme will benefit Mazi. However Mazi needs to step up as well.

Mickey did not tow the company line on this one.

Weight loss, played out of position than he played in college. Shoulder injury hampered him as well the last part of the season.
Only played 4 snaps in the GB playoff game nd only 25% of the regular season snaps. How much is that on DQ and the injury.

Zimmer and the new DL coaches, Zgonina and Ellis believe they can get this corrected.

We've thrown all of our eggs in this basket for now. Mazi is the one who will have to keep the OL off the linebackers by commanding and holding ground against double teams. If he shows he can't do that in the preseason then we'll probably have no choice but to seek a veteran. One of the young players might step up, but that seems like even a longer shot than Mazi becoming the player he was in college, a powerful space eater.

 

[gimmesix]

And here’s what I think is more encouraging information.

“Many will lament Smith's delayed get-off as a reason to deflate his draft stock, but that ignores the fact that Smith was playing a read-and-react role as a head-up defender on a majority of his snaps. Instead of firing out of the ball and penetrating his gap as a shaded defender, he was tasked with mirroring and controlling blocks to help Michigan fit all the necessary gaps while playing with light boxes.”

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2023...an-nt-mazi-smith-fits-with-the-dallas-cowboys


I agree with what you and Coach Zgonina are saying about being better suited to this scheme.

Right. Our scouts and Quinn looked at Mazi and were excited about what he could become if he improved his get-off. We tried to turn him into that player because that player is more valuable than a space-eating 1-tech. He wasn't ready to become that kind of player, though, and might never be. Zimmer will get him back to what he does best. He's not a gap penetrator, he's a blocker magnet.

 

[gimmesix]

Sadly another draft pick that is more athlete than player. The boys drafted him because of his physical traits. Which is a bad way to go.
This team has a bad habit of drafting top athletes who are not top players.

I don't think he's more athlete than player. Right now, I believe he's just more 1-tech than 3-tech. Use a player out of position, out of his area of comfort, and he's not going to look that great. Mazi was a very solid player at Michigan for what they asked him to do. Quinn asked him to do more and he couldn't. I don't know if the weight loss had anything to do with what was being asked of him, but he needs to turn back into a big beast who uses his size and power to neutralize blocking.

 

[gimmesix]

Well he wasn't much of a run defender either, otherwise he would have made a stop in the backfield more than once every two months. It's hard to find a less-productive 1st round DT this century.

This scheme will ask him to eat blocks and let the linebackers make plays. If he does his job right, he'll be doubled on almost every run snap between the tackles. Don't expect him to make very many stops. Judge him on how the defense does against the middle running game.

What offenses want to do against the NT in the middle running game is either not have to double him or to be able to double him briefly before either the center or guard peels off to nail a linebacker. If Mazi does his job, those doubles will have to hold too long for a lineman to get the linebacker, allowing him to run to the ball. Of course, how well we do that will also depend on the linebackers. If they run themselves into blocks or don't fill their assigned hole, the middle run defense will fail just as bad as if Mazi can't hold his ground against the double.

 

[Cowfan75Lives]

Hmmm..can they teach him to like football? No. He's a bust.

 

[rags747]

Can Mazi hold up under Zgonia’s rath? Hasn’t it been said the Mazi is a little sensitive?

 

[shabazz]

Mary Poppins is a bad look for you

Yeah, there's this weird Pollyanna syndrome a few of these guys have here.

They just won't keep it real when something is actually negative and it's morphed into a creepy viture signaling thing.

Odd to see people post things they know are untrue like, " the defensive line and linebackers will be a strength of the team"........crazy stuff right there.

The 2024 season is gonna have them melting down.

 

[beware_d-ware]

This scheme will ask him to eat blocks and let the linebackers make plays. If he does his job right, he'll be doubled on almost every run snap between the tackles. Don't expect him to make very many stops. Judge him on how the defense does against the middle running game.

What offenses want to do against the NT in the middle running game is either not have to double him or to be able to double him briefly before either the center or guard peels off to nail a linebacker. If Mazi does his job, those doubles will have to hold too long for a lineman to get the linebacker, allowing him to run to the ball. Of course, how well we do that will also depend on the linebackers. If they run themselves into blocks or don't fill their assigned hole, the middle run defense will fail just as bad as if Mazi can't hold his ground against the double.

He was one of the worst run defenders in the NFL last year playing at 3 tech against single blocks. I'm not optimistic about him holding the nose against double teams.

 

[shabazz]

Hmmm..can they teach him to like football? No. He's a bust.

Even if he doesn't love football maybe it's enough for him to merely beat the man in front of him and do his job at a high level.

An aircraft controller doesn't have to love airplanes.....he just has to do his job.

But yes, it's always better if you love the field that one is in.

 

[shabazz]

Hasn’t it been said the Mazi is a little sensitive?

Gonna be miracle to find a 23 year old that ISN'T sensitive.

 

[Creeper]

Mickey is Captain Obvious. Of course Mazi has to step up. They have no one else!

I don't know what they expected of Mazi last year, but it's not like he was drafted top 10. He was a late 1st round pick, and could have fallen to the 2nd round had Dallas not drafted him. Any expectation he would step in and dominate was foolish to begin with. I still give Dallas credit for recognizing DT is a need and at least trying to find a guy to play that position. I just hope if Mazi busts we don't have to wait another 30 years before they draft another DT in the first round.

I don't know what kind of player Mazi will be, but I hope reports that he doesn't love football are not true. That is a giant red flag for me. If he doesn't love playing the game, he will never be a star.

 

[glimmerman]

There expecting something since they aren’t getting another DT1 and let Hankins go over about 700k..

 

[gtb1943]

And here’s what I think is more encouraging information.

“Many will lament Smith's delayed get-off as a reason to deflate his draft stock, but that ignores the fact that Smith was playing a read-and-react role as a head-up defender on a majority of his snaps. Instead of firing out of the ball and penetrating his gap as a shaded defender, he was tasked with mirroring and controlling blocks to help Michigan fit all the necessary gaps while playing with light boxes.”

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2023...an-nt-mazi-smith-fits-with-the-dallas-cowboys


I agree with what you and Coach Zgonina are saying about being better suited to this scheme.

well, so far his delayed get off has continued. You look at his tape and he never looked all that. Maybe just keeping him as a big trash can full of dirt until his rookie deal runs out is our best bet

 

[diamonddelts]

Skating into the QB for sacks.

Your optimism is intoxicating. Libations for everyone.

 

[Stash]

well, so far his delayed get off has continued. You look at his tape and he never looked all that. Maybe just keeping him as a big trash can full of dirt until his rookie deal runs out is our best bet

At least doing so that would play to his strengths. Whatever the player’s faults might be, trying to put a round peg in a square hole did no one any favors.

 

[jazzcat22]

Your optimism is intoxicating. Libations for everyone.

Better than being negative all the time.

 

[pitt33]

Bust.

Until proven otherwise.