I posted a couple times maybe a couple of weeks ago that we weren’t getting any interior push from Pascal, and that’s why we drafted him out of Kentucky. Right after that he was right on cue! Maybe he reads the board.
I’ve said this before but Paschal has always looked more like an interior guy than an end to me. His body type looks more like a tackle.
His legs are like tree trucks. He looks far heavier than his listed weight. I think he’s closer to 290 than 270. I’d be tempted to put 10 more pounds on him and leave him at tackle. Hasn’t shown much as a pass rusher as a defensive end, but put him over guards and flashes more.
Against dual threat QBs we keep our guys home to play the run. Against stout OL with a solid run game we tend to keep them home for the same reason.
But against Min we weren’t worried about Darnold tearing us apart so we went after him with a heavier blitz package.
We have a better pass rush than stats show. We had been playing Josh and Z. Smith sparingly leading into MIN because we wanted them fresh. Z. Smiths snap counts had been in the 30% range heading into MIN where he played nearly 60% of the snaps. Josh and Levi played in the 70% range.
I’m going to say that the vikings oline is also overrated. watching that rams game, and yes darnold is darnold, but it doesn’t help if you have pressure in your face on a 4 man rush .5 seconds after you get the ball.
Interesting you bring up 30% snaps as I heard Dan Quinn, on Kirwin’s show yesterday, discuss that exact percentage.
Apparently he has all his guys on the DL, insinuated, play in that 30% range as he believes that keeps them fresh. He learned this from one of his early mentors and makes it a goal everywhere he has been.
I don’t think it was on their OL. I read somewhere that before 2.5 seconds there was much less pressure in Darnold’s face. After 5 seconds, sure, way more pressures, but that’s solely the QB’s fault for not knowing his quick reads or simply getting rid of the ball. On at least four or five of those sacks, Darnold should have been throwing it into the ground or out of bounds to avoid the sack or grounding.
I’ll also say that the route schemes left alot to be desired, the receivers had a hard time getting open, and suddenly Darnold forgot how to throw in tight windows like he was doing all year.
Exactly right. Paschal can set an edge as a D-end but offers very little pass rushing off the edge. Much better interior rusher, Redding is a good comparison from a size perspective. Corey really bulked up later in his career. As a Lion he was like 280, then played many years well over 300 pounds when he left Detroit. Had a good career.
Good to see Paschal play better but it was actually Levi who was the best pass rusher.
Levi was in just about every clip shown and had the 2nd highest Defensive PFF grade.
He is making himself some money in the playoffs.
I wish the Lions could keep him, especially with Alim likely starting on the PUP list.
Paschal is a much better interior pass rusher but not a stout against the run on the inside.
On the edge Paschal is a very good run defender.
Does adding 10 - 15 lbs. make him a better interior run defender?
Right now I think his best use is early down rotational Big End and late down (passing situation) Interior Pass Rusher.
Without Alim & O’Connor, Levi and Josh will have to play a lot of snaps inside and let Muhammed and Za rush from the outside.
Fair. I was thinking Levi might leave in free agency and Paschal might be a decent option at 3 tech while Alim recovers from surgery. That’s where I’m coming from.
I watched the 1st half last night as I was busy Monday and just taped it. And man Aikman was murdering Darnold. Like he ran over Aikman’s dog on the way to the game. Just went on and on on how he was holding on to the ball and that basically all these sacks were because he was not unloading the ball.
It was so bad I was beginning to wonder if their was an agenda.
I don’t think it was an agenda.
Just Facts.
He just held it, and held it, and held it.
It was bad.
I thought KOC didn’t help him out either.
He could have called some easy short passes to the RB’s to get his confidence back.
Darnold lost a lot of money that night.