After being benched, Belichick says Malcom Brown needs to be more consistent

[Soul_Survivor88]

After being benched, Bill Belichick says Malcolm Brown needs to be more consistent

During the Patriots win over the New York jets, it was noteworthy that Brown wasn't on the field for the first three quarters of the game. The 22-year-old has started 13 games this season and typically warms up with the defensive starters before each game. Instead, last weekend, Brown was with the backups before kickoff and when the game started, he was on the bench.

According to ESPN, Brown was benched by Bill Belichick for showing up late to a team meeting. The tardiness led to the first-round picking having to watch most of Sunday's game from the sideline. In his place, rookie Vincent Valentine got the start next to Alan Branch.

On Tuesday, Belichick was asked about his young defensive tackles this season - Valentine and Brown - and spent plenty of time talking about Valentine, but it wasn't the same with Brown.

"I think Vince is improving. He's still got a ways to go," Belichick said. There are a lot of things he is working on, he's gotten better at, but it's a different game in there. Especially for us where we play guys like him in different spots. Sometimes he's on the center, sometimes he's in the gap, sometimes he's on the guard, sometimes he's in a three-technique. He's making progress. He's coming along.

"Malcom had some good moments. We're just looking really for more consistency there. Branch has been by far our most consistent defensive tackle. The other guys can shoot to get up to his level."


Yikes...can't remember the last time Bill publicly called out a player on his team... at least he's not being a ass.hole about it like Bruce Arians

 

[venecol]

I think Brown has as many tackles as Branch. BB is tough!

 

[sambam94]

BB genius way of getting more out of a guy..he obviously knows malcolm can play better

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Brown has been having a good year.

Better not be late to a meeting ever again.

 

[long distance]

Expect Malcom to turn it on @Mia..

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Player tried brown nosing BB? Didn't work.

 

[jah]

One of the most transparent things I can remember BB saying in a long time.

 

[Ring 6]

I think Brown has as many tackles as Branch. BB is tough!

Tackles number are a terrible way to try to judge a defensive players play.

 

[Ross12]

All in all the DT position has been very good this year, if shallow. Branch and Brown have looked great and Valentine has shown well too and could really become a great player in his second year.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Love that BB is kicking ass at just the right time to jack things up for the post season surge.

 

[NYPatsFan]

Love that BB is kicking ass at just the right time to jack things up for the post season surge.

He really seems to be making more corrections during the season than usual and challenging players more than I remember in the past. To say nothing of how he got rid of Chandler Jones, Domique Easley and Jamie Collins.

Maybe he senses the window of opportunity closing and he wants to go the extra mile (more than usual) to win another championship while Brady is active.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I thought he was a dynamo vs DEN.

Maybe it went to his head?

Late to the meeting was one of a few things that got BB hot under the collar?

Might be BBs way of knocking him down a peg?

 

[aluminum seats]

He really seems to be making more corrections during the season than usual and challenging players more than I remember in the past. To say nothing of how he got rid of Chandler Jones, Domique Easley and Jamie Collins.

Maybe he senses the window of opportunity closing and he wants to go the extra mile (more than usual) to win another championship while Brady is active.

Maybe Belichick is getting even better at what he does. Scary stuff kids.

 

[The Gr8est]

I thought he was a dynamo vs DEN.

Maybe it went to his head?

Late to the meeting was one of a few things that got BB hot under the collar?

Might be BBs way of knocking him down a peg?

BB did it to Revis too. He plays no favorites.

 

[patfanken]

Tackles number are a terrible way to try to judge a defensive players play.

Not all defensive positions, but definitely DT's. And in other positions it's not always the best way to judge. LB is probably the best position. It CAN be an indicator. With DB's it helps tell you which DB's like to hit. Of course when you are passing the ball 40 or 5o times a game, the DB's are going to get a lot of tackles

 

[patfanken]

I was thinking just the other day how different these 2 franchises are. When Wilkerson and Richardson MISSED meetings, it was back page news, but they only missed a quarter or series IIRC, and all was forgiven. Brown just was just LATE for a meeting, and missed almost the entire game, and it was only a side bar comment that no one from the press gave more than raised eyebrow to.

Today Bill put the hammer down..... ever so subtly. Its more in what he doesn't say than what he does. All he needed to say was that "he needs to be more consistent", and be more complimentary toward Branch, and he delivers a strong message to Brown without saying a harsh word.

How many times do you have to say it. There is a reason why they win so consistently, regardless of the roster. Patriot players are held to a different kind of standard when in that building than other teams. And its especially tough if BB thinks you can be special. It is NOT for everyone. That doesn't make you a bad person,, or a bad football player. I beleive it was one of the reasons Hicks isn't here today. It wasn't for him.

As usual it will be interesting to see just how Malcolm Brown responds. He's just 22, but supposedly very mature. It might be just what he needs. I hope so, because he can be special

 

[Ring 6]

Not all defensive positions, but definitely DT's. And in other positions it's not always the best way to judge. LB is probably the best position. It CAN be an indicator. With DB's it helps tell you which DB's like to hit. Of course when you are passing the ball 40 or 5o times a game, the DB's are going to get a lot of tackles

The guy who gets run at all day successfully ends up with tackles. The guy who gets thrown on successfully all day makes tackles.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

-MB is a young player in the NFL.
-The gold standard of head coaches, BB, just gave him a semi-subtle but unmistakable message. (the smackdown for being late to a meeting is, IMHO, not a major deal. I recall 12 years ago BB talking about Brady saying "he does some of the things young players do, wake up late" etc).

Talk about a crossroads for MB. Given his numbers and play have not been bad at all, this message by BB suggests he believes MB is a force waiting to happen if MB wants it bad enough. So we will see if MB takes this in the right way, as motivation, and puts him on the path to a top tier DT career.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Bill certainly delivered a clear message here. Step up your play and keep it at a consistent level.

Basically to me and I could be totally wrong. This was Bill telling Malcolm to make his potential a reality a lot more often.

Elevate your play and keep it there. Its playoff time.

Brown has about 24-25 pressures this year I believe.

He's been playing a lot better of late, but early struggled.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I think bb has in his head a progression for each player based on his abilities and experience level.

In this case bb is probably seeing brown not reach that level and when you are late to meetings you are disrespecting your teammates and coaches,

This is bb's way of giving brown a chance to focus on his job in this defense and prove to bb that football is important in his life.