Malcolm Brown

[NG Pats Fan]

I thought tonight he played one of the worst games of his career. Got bullrushed, provided zero pressure, didn't clog space, didn't make any plays. He was so inneffective the chiefs had just 1 lineman on him all night and brown still couldn't beat his man. It allowed the chiefs to double up blockers on flowers and take away the only man on the D line capable of a pass rush.

Anyone concerned with him going forward? I was really hoping we would hit on this draft pick. It's year three, I am expecting a big jump

Thoughts?

 

[BradyFTW!]

I think Brown is veering very close to bust territory. It's his third year in the league; if he still isn't a starter-caliber player then I'm skeptical he ever will be. He's certainly nowhere near the next Wilfork, or whatever he was being sold as when we drafted him.

Hopefully Valentine can step up and be what Brown was supposed to be; I like him, although he seems injury-prone. Branch is getting up there in age, so it would be huge if one of these guys stepped up.

 

[slash83]

Whether it's brown sucking or whatever else I don't know what the heck happened today. Who thought playing Richards as an Olb at times was a good idea?

 

[luuked]

I thought tonight he played one of the worst games of his career. Got bullrushed, provided zero pressure, didn't clog space, didn't make any plays. He was so inneffective the chiefs had just 1 lineman on him all night and brown still couldn't beat his man. It allowed the chiefs to double up blockers on flowers and take away the only man on the D line capable of a pass rush.

Anyone concerned with him going forward? I was really hoping we would hit on this draft pick. It's year three, I am expecting a big jump

Thoughts?

I dont know about what you are writing mostly because I didnt focus on the DL when watching the game live. But if true he still is ahead of Valentine and Butler in terms of ability so if he is a bust what does that say about the other two ?

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think Brown is veering very close to bust territory. It's his third year in the league; if he still isn't a starter-caliber player then I'm skeptical he ever will be. He's certainly nowhere near the next Wilfork, or whatever he was being sold as when we drafted him.

Hopefully Valentine can step up and be what Brown was supposed to be; I like him, although he seems injury-prone. Branch is getting up there in age, so it would be huge if one of these guys stepped up.

Overreact much?

He was ok his rookie year and was one of the best run stuffing DTs in football last year and played a tick under a ProBowl level.

The whole friggan team played like dog **** last night. Singling him out is wrong.

 

[DarrylS]

David Harris played 2 snaps.. is there a dark cloud on the horizon for him??

The whole defense played like crap.. and they were exposed as was the offense.

The good thing is they have 10 days to make some necessary changes..

 

[pats_premi]

I think the LB's are a bigger problem on defense than DL. There is nobody to fill the gap, take on and shred blocks, cover and tackle RB.

David Harris lacks speed so they tried J.Richard at LB. He is slower than most of LB on other teams and he can't cover, tackle or blitz.

 

[maineman209]

I think the LB's are a bigger problem on defense than DL. There is nobody to fill the gap, take on and shred blocks, cover and tackle RB.

David Harris lacks speed so they tried J.Richard at LB. He is slower than most of LB on other teams and he can't cover, tackle or blitz.

I thought Richards looked surprisingly competent, at least in comparison to some of the other guys who were out there last night. Patricia left him on the field for 41 snaps in the four-safety package while Harris was barely used.

 

[pats_premi]

I thought Richards looked surprisingly competent, at least in comparison to some of the other guys who were out there last night. Patricia left him on the field for 41 snaps in the four-safety package while Harris was barely used.

Richards is a smart guy and he probably understands the defense better than some of his more talented teammates, but he is always a step slower (similar to James Sanders), gets his tackles after damage is done both in the running and passing game.

 

[patriot1136]

Richards seems better at LB than SS from what I can tell

 

[maineman209]

Richards is a smart guy and he probably understands the defense better than some of his more talented teammates, but he is always a step slower (similar to James Sanders), gets his tackles after damage is done both in the running and passing game.

What I saw last night was that NOBODY on the second level of the Pats D was consistently making "prompt" tackles, not just Richards. A lot of that was because KC's OL turned in an extraordinary run-blocking performance at the LOS (turning the Pats DL into a sieve) and at the second level.

If it wasn't for Devin Freakin' McCourty, KC might've hung a 60-burger and another 100 rushing yards on the Pats D. Richards was far from being the weakest link.

 

[captain stone]

But if you're not part of the solution, then you're still part of the problem.

 

[Ring 6]

David Harris played 2 snaps.. is there a dark cloud on the horizon for him??

The whole defense played like crap.. and they were exposed as was the offense.

The good thing is they have 10 days to make some necessary changes..

Just as likely a game plan thing. We've seen it before with LBs.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Brown has not been very good to be certain. I even mentioned quite a few times last season that there were whole games that his name was not mentioned. That was so disappointing after that really good second half of his rookie season. But to single him out last night is a bit tough considering the whole DLine played sub par. Other than the few coverage sacks early in the game, the DLine as a group did not play inspired ball last night. In fact, to single out any individual player or unit would be moot. The whole team played uninspired ball in all three phases. Part of that was execution and part of it was being forced to play guys who wouldn't normally be starting or finding themselves in some of the situations they were in, Marsh covering a RB for example. He's a pass rusher, not a cover LB. But NE had no choice really.

It was one game. They'll get it figured out. Health will remain the top concern. Provided that sorta stabilizes, there is no reason not to think this team is still as good as we think they are or can be.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Overreact much?

He was ok his rookie year and was one of the best run stuffing DTs in football last year and played a tick under a ProBowl level.

The whole friggan team played like dog **** last night. Singling him out is wrong.

The problem is it wasn't just last night. He was nowhere near a Pro Bowler last year, no idea where you're getting that from. He was a decent, underwhelmning, mediocre DT. Last night was his first chance to show he used his second offseason to improve. The results are not encouraging. His NFL track record is now an underwhelming 2+ seasons, with little evidence that he's anything resembling an impact player.

 

[long distance]

David Harris played 2 snaps.. is there a dark cloud on the horizon for him??

The whole defense played like crap.. and they were exposed as was the offense.

The good thing is they have 10 days to make some necessary changes..

I don't know about dark clouds . i guess it depends on horizon . but there is a thing called game plan etc.

Id guess he will have a fair share of his opportunities before he doesn't..

 

[RobertWeathers]

The problem is it wasn't just last night. He was nowhere near a Pro Bowler last year, no idea where you're getting that from. He was a decent, underwhelmning, mediocre DT. Last night was his first chance to show he used his second offseason to improve. The results are not encouraging. His NFL track record is now an underwhelming 2+ seasons, with little evidence that he's anything resembling an impact player.

Who was the Patriots biggest 2017 Pro Bowl snub?

26 total pressures last year. 1FF 3 sacks. 51 tkls, 1 safety.

Not every DT can be Wilfork or Seymour

You have had a problem with him since the day he was drafted. Stop.

 

[IllegalContact]

It is impossible to tell with how the entire defense played

Akeem Ayers can help

 

[BradyFTW!]

Brown has not been very good to be certain. I even mentioned quite a few times last season that there were whole games that his name was not mentioned. That was so disappointing after that really good second half of his rookie season. But to single him out last night is a bit tough considering the whole DLine played sub par. Other than the few coverage sacks early in the game, the DLine as a group did not play inspired ball last night. In fact, to single out any individual player or unit would be moot. The whole team played uninspired ball in all three phases. Part of that was execution and part of it was being forced to play guys who wouldn't normally be starting or finding themselves in some of the situations they were in, Marsh covering a RB for example. He's a pass rusher, not a cover LB. But NE had no choice really.

It was one game. They'll get it figured out. Health will remain the top concern. Provided that sorta stabilizes, there is no reason not to think this team is still as good as we think they are or can be.

I'd look at it the other way: there are some guys that clearly weren't part of the problem. Branch was fine. Adam Butler looked decent in the limited snaps he got. Guy made some good plays. Flowers played a legitimated good game. Hightower looked basically fine until he was injured. Marsh gets a pass because he's been on the team less than a week and was thrust into a position he clearly wasn't ready for. I'm not sure if Richards at LB will work, but he wasn't terrible.

When we're looking at the terrible-ness on the front 7, I think it comes down to a few guys. I think our DEs after Flowers were in over their heads, while Brown and Van Noy were awful. I don't think it's unreasonable at all to pin the majority of the front 7's struggles on a few guys.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Who was the Patriots biggest 2017 Pro Bowl snub?

26 total pressures last year. 1FF 3 sacks. 51 tkls, 1 safety.

Not every DT can be Wilfork or Seymour

So your argument that he was just a hair below Pro Bowl-caliber is that a Pats fan site decided to make a list of guys who were snubbed, and he barely broke the top 5 of that? That's a pretty weak claim. Frankly, the fact that Pats Pulpit listed "Alan Branch or Malcom Brown" is pretty damning, since it suggests they're unaware that Branch was the *much* better player last year. Branch actually was a borderline Pro Bowler.

You have had a problem with him since the day he was drafted. Stop.

What the hell are you talking about? I was pumped when we drafted him, go back to the draft thread if you need to. I was optimistic his rookie year, didn't develop any pessimism until last season when he didn't make much of a sophomore leap.