Rookie Mazi Smith posted 25% pass rush win rate on 8 pass rushing snaps in W4 vs NE

[cald0d30s0]

That’s awesome, I trust Mazi, he will get better and better.

 

[stilltheguru]

They think they'd rather put in better pass rushers to get stats. But I'm sure you have a much more spicier explanation of what they think about him.

Tells you what the team thinks of him so far. You would think they would like to give him more work.

 

[Praxit]

..he's coming around as expected. Could be major impact Sunday.

 

[Zman5]

17 snaps?? In a blowout???

Hmmmmmm. I would have expected more.

In a blowout, the opponents aren't going to run much. They will be passing mostly so we'll have more pass rushers than run stuffers in the game.

 

[shabazz]

First, it's a stupid statistic.

Second, he wasn't brought here to rush the passers.

Third, it's sad how so many fans don't know that nose tackles do.

I think some are looking at the production of rookie phenom Jalen Carter and naturally compare the two.

Have to keep in mind the difference between the two in that Carter was always predicted to be a plug and play guy that would produce immediately. Mazi will take time but it was an area of need that had to be addressed.

 

[buybuydandavis]

any type of pass rush from a NT is a welcome bonus, he seems to be clogging the middle well

A big deal if you can get pass rush from an NT. And from a rookie NT at that.

Very good sign.

 

[KJJ]

They think they'd rather put in better pass rushers to get stats. But I'm sure you have a much more spicier explanation of what they think about him.

He was our first round draft pick and isn’t getting many snaps. He only got 17 snaps in a blowout. That ties for the most snaps he’s gotten all season. It’s obvious they’re not thrilled with how he’s performed so far or he would be playing more. The problem hasn’t been our pass rush. It’s been defending the run and that’s the primary reason Smith was drafted.

 

[KJJ]

Let the rook get six games under his belt. He means a little more this weekend.

If he’s going to get better he needs to play more. It’s strange he wouldn’t get more snaps in a blowout win.

 

[thunderpimp91]

He was our first round draft pick and isn’t getting many snaps. He only got 17 snaps in a blowout. That ties for the most snaps he’s gotten all season. It’s obvious they’re not thrilled with how he’s performed so far or he would be playing more.

Gholston - 19 snaps per game
Hankins - 21 snaps per game
DLaw - 30 snaps per game
Gallimore - 20 snaps per game
OSA - 28 snaps per game
Williams - 20 snaps per game
Fowler - 20 snaps per game
Micah - 45 snaps per game
Mazi - 15 snaps per game

I mean I get it that he's in last here, but at the same time it's not like he is significantly lacking on snap counts compared to other DL not named Micah Parsons. On the interior especially no one is getting over 30 snaps per game. These guys are rotating early and often. I wouldn't go straight to they are not thrilled with how hes performed. They stepped up his workload slightly this week, lined him up in new a few different alignments which is a great sign. Also a few times where Mazi was on the field (Hankins too) but came off after NE subbed. I think his snap count has a lot more to do with the personnel on the field than his current performance....which I admit started out rocky, but you can seem improvement nearly week after week.

 

[KJJ]

Gholston - 19 snaps per game
Hankins - 21 snaps per game
DLaw - 30 snaps per game
Gallimore - 20 snaps per game
OSA - 28 snaps per game
Williams - 20 snaps per game
Fowler - 20 snaps per game
Micah - 45 snaps per game
Mazi - 15 snaps per game

I mean I get it that he's in last here, but at the same time it's not like he is significantly lacking on snap counts compared to other DL not named Micah Parsons. On the interior especially no one is getting over 30 snaps per game. These guys are rotating early and often. I wouldn't go straight to they are not thrilled with how hes performed. They stepped up his workload slightly this week, lined him up in new a few different alignments which is a great sign. Also a few times where Mazi was on the field (Hankins too) but came off after NE subbed. I think his snap count has a lot more to do with the personnel on the field than his current performance....which I admit started out rocky, but you can seem improvement nearly week after week.

That’s a pretty low snap count for a guy who was drafted with a first round pick to help us against the run, which we continue to struggle against.

 

[beware_d-ware]

Mazi's showing signs of life. That's the big thing.

His step forward will come when or if he learns to be proactive rather than reactive. At Michigan, he read the linemen rather than the ball - the linemen moved and hit him, then he'd respond to the OL's first step. But in the NFL, you can't let them come to you. You have to strike first, and to do that, you have to have a plan.

Brett Kollmann did a fantastic video on Dexter Lawrence the other day highlighting this. Lawrence is a 340 lb dancing bear, but what sets him apart is how well he can read the offense's play designs.

For example, if the OLs bucket-step, that keys you in on a wide-zone run and you want to flow outside with them. But if it's a PA boot pass, then you need to knife back inside the linemen and attack the QB. Lawrence reads these moves like Sean Lee coming downhill, and his elite athleticism and great technique enable him to beat blockers to the spot and make plays.

Mazi is nowhere near that yet. Mazi's still learning to flow with the bucket step. It will be a process.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Wow you mean he's improving?

Too many fans expected Chris Jones right out of the gate and were writing this guy's career off 12 quarters in.

I was watching defensive highlights of other players on You Tube but I kept looking at Mazi when he was in there. Looked like he was taking on two blockers at a time every single snap, and that's what Micah and the rest of the pass rushers need. Once Smith becomes a proficient rusher himself......look out.

 

[vlad]

17 snaps?? In a blowout???

Hmmmmmm. I would have expected more.

I wouldn’t think a blowout is when you play your non rush d-line. That’s when Micah dlaw dorance fowler Williams osa get going

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Slowly progressing . . . As He Should and Would

Man I watched him on this one play tho I should screen cap it. Everyone fired off the snap, offense and defense, and he was still in his stance. It would’ve made for a funny still image

 

[thunderpimp91]

That’s a pretty low snap count for a guy who was drafted with a first round pick to help us against the run, which we continue to struggle against.

Giants - 28 rushes 108 yards (43 of those were scrambles by the QB)
Jets - 16 rushes 64 yards
Cardinals - 30 carries 222 yards
Patriots - 23 carries 53 yards

Really only one bad game by this rush defense, and it's not like in the Arizona game the interior DLs were getting beat constantly. Go back and you dont even have to watch the whole game just look at the highlights of that game and it's LBs slow to react to the misdirection plays and edge players that simply would not crash down on those B/C gap runs. Looking at the Pats game we saw more of Hankins/Mazi both on the field at the same time and Mazi getting some 3T snaps that looked really good and I don't think it coincidence that it's the best the LBs have looked all year by far. I'm not ready to say the run defense is completely fixed, but I think the narrative that the Cowboys struggle against the run is being overblown because of one outlier so far. We will find out more on that this week though.

 

[erod]

I think some are looking at the production of rookie phenom Jalen Carter and naturally compare the two.

Have to keep in mind the difference between the two in that Carter was always predicted to be a plug and play guy that would produce immediately. Mazi will take time but it was an area of need that had to be addressed.

He's doing fine and just needs a Jalen Tolbert offseason. Like most rookies.

 

[Mobinvans]

That’s why you have always draft and sign talent

Rookies take time

 

[speedkilz88]

17 snaps?? In a blowout???

Hmmmmmm. I would have expected more.

Once they had a good lead it was mainly Osa, Golston & Gallimore in there to pass rush.

 

[darthseinfeld]

He was our first round draft pick and isn’t getting many snaps. He only got 17 snaps in a blowout. That ties for the most snaps he’s gotten all season. It’s obvious they’re not thrilled with how he’s performed so far or he would be playing more. The problem hasn’t been our pass rush. It’s been defending the run and that’s the primary reason Smith was drafted.

He isnt going to get snaps in a blowout because teams are going to abandon thr run

 

[Playmaker3128]

He’s never going to put up big sack numbers just isn’t going to happen. Hiloti Ngata had 32 career sacks over like 180 games…. Including just 4 in his first four nfl seasons. Vince Wilfork… 16 career sacks.

Mazis job is to take up space. Interestingly enough as mentioned in that tweet… I knew I saw him and Hankins on the field together a couple times. Including that drive lve had the touchdown.