Ken Whisenhunt Explains Sack Allowed By Levi Brown

by Jess Root on Sep 14, 2011 2:00 PM MDT in Arizona Cardinals Postgame Recaps

One of the concerns that our community has had for a long time has been Levi Brown. As noted in the game thread highlights, he has become the new primary target of frustration from the fans. He gave up two first quarter sacks in the game the Arizona Cardinals played against the Carolina Panthers and was much more solid the rest of the way.

Ken Whisenhunt spoke about Levi Brown's early play and mentioned specifically how he has "got to be better about trusting his technique." He also explained the sack Levi allowed to Charles Johnson in detail.

I haven't gone back to watch the whole game, but Whisenhunt seems to say that where Levi struggles is with the beginnings of games. Here's the whole quote:

"Levi's got to be better about trusting his technique. The one time he gave up pressure he overset the guy. When you talk about being smart and understanding technique, on that play it was a quick throw, if the guy beats him outside he's not going to be a factor in the play. But Levi was trying to make sure he got a good punch and he sat out and the defender came up and under and it gave him a clear lane. That's just something you've got to be smarter about. That's where Levi's got to get better early in the game."

Here's what Whisenhunt meant on the sack.

On this first still, you can see the rest of the line is trying to keep tight inside but Levi was waiting and there is a big inside gap. Note what Whiz said -- "if the guy beats him outside he's not going to be a factor in the play."

Here is where you can see how Johnson easily slipped inside.

Levi basically tried too hard to do more than he needed to.

The result was Brown and Daryn Colledge blocking each other and Johnson with a free shot at Kevin Kolb.

I'm going to go back and look at all the passing downs to see what Levi did right and wrong. But I don't recall hearing his name get called again in the second half. That will be a forthcoming post.

For now, know that Levi apparently doesn't get into a rhythm early in the game.

That really has to stop.

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Levi was also beaten badly on the sack/fumble by Greg Hardy on our 2nd drive, after that he did not seem horrible.

by khodder on Sep 14, 2011 2:25 PM MDT reply actions

Yes..

I used this one just because Whiz explained it perfectly.

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by Jess Root on Sep 14, 2011 3:02 PM MDT up reply actions

Brown

For a player with as many years in the league as he has it drives me nuts to hear the head coach covering for him in a presser and saying he needs to still learn. As a LT he will play the best and highest paid rush ends the NFL has to offer. So why don’t the Cardinals have one of the better LT to block them? Brown is not the answer. They should have brought someone in and had Brown and Keith fight for the RT spot. As late as August 24th the Raven brought in Bryant McKinnie, a proven LT in the league. I just don’t understand why the FO and coaching staff insist on putting the 200 Million dollar passing combination Kolb and Fitz on the back of a very underachieving Brown to protect. I’m not saying he can’t be an ok RT or maybe even a good Guard but LT is obviously not his place in the league.

by Txcardsfan on Sep 14, 2011 3:07 PM MDT reply actions

It is odd that they have one of their weaker (to put it kindly) OL-men in pass protection protecting Kolb's blindside

I thought Bridges did a good job there in 09, and Levi should be moved to guard if he keeps struggling in pass protection.

If there is one thing Levi is good at, it is run blocking. Put him in the position to do that, and keep him from going up against the other teams best pass rushers.

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by JoeCB1991 on Sep 14, 2011 3:22 PM MDT up reply actions

That roughing the passer penalty he caused was brutal.

by AlaskanCard on Sep 14, 2011 3:39 PM MDT reply actions

I know I'm the only guy on this site to defend Levi

There are 64 starting tackles in the NFL. I only know a few by name. I’m sure other guys here know more.Seriously, are there 32 tackles bettrr than him? I highly doubt it. He’s been a starter since he got here and even made a probowl. Everyone has to stop blaming him for being picked so high. IT’S NOT HIS FAULT HE WAS THE 5th PICK. If he was picked 20th, everyone would think he was decent.
(btw…I’m not saying he’s great. Just not nearly as horrible as everyone is saying). You all sound like Hardhat picking on Matty.

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by Cuckoo for Coco Puffs on Sep 14, 2011 4:02 PM MDT via mobile reply actions

I could probably name 32 tackles better than him quite easily, off the top of my head;

Sebastian Vollmer, Jake Long, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Jordan Gross, Jermon Busrod, Sam Baker, Donald Penn, Chad Clifton, Jeff Backus, Flozell Adams, Jeremy Trueblood, Branden Albert, Demetrius Bell, Jamaal Brown, Eben Britton, Ryan Clady, David Deihl, Ryan Deim, Doug Free, Kareem McKenzie, Eugene Munroe, Jason Peters, Rodger Saffold, Michael Roos, Jason Smith, Joe Staley, Jeremy Trueblood, Joe Thomas, Andrew Whitworth, David Stewart, Jason Smith.

Then we can add in a few of the rookies I.E Nate Solder, Tyron Smith and some of the guys who were rookies last year who had a bit of a rough time, in Russell Okung and Trent Williams.

Thing is Levi was horrible as a RT as well as a LT, In his BEST season to date he has allowed 7 sacks (2009/2010), in 2008 He allowed 11 and in 2007 he allowed 8 in 11 starts. He already has 2 against his name through one game this season. Levi needs to be rid of, he is not even a massive asset in the running game either.

by khodder on Sep 14, 2011 4:55 PM MDT up reply actions

I call shenanigans on Demetrius Bell

And you listed Trueblood twice =b

That is all.

by tw3kr on Sep 14, 2011 8:03 PM MDT up reply actions

Sit down watch Bell go to work during a Bills game. Statistically speaking he had a superior season to Brown in 2010 and has started 2011 with a sack free game and Fred Jackson averaginf over 7 YPC when rushing to the left hand side of the Bills OL.

Bell might be known by about 1% of “normal” football fans, but he is probably among the top 15 LT’s in the league.

by khodder on Sep 14, 2011 8:22 PM MDT up reply actions

Naaaw

I’ll pay more attention this week (I watch the Bills but not closely). I just know they were trying to move Levitre to LT so that they didn’t have to start Bell anymore.

by tw3kr on Sep 14, 2011 8:53 PM MDT up reply actions

First, there are no excuses

But I will say that I am relatively pleased with Levi Browns play. He was going against one of the better defensive ends in the game and as he played he improved.
Levi isn’t a great pass blocker and probably never will be, but I disagree 100% with Khodder believing that Levi is an asset in the run game. I would actually list him as one of the better run blockers in the league.
But as Khodder says, there are plenty of tackles better than him. ESPN has 44 rated higher than Levi…

by Jesse Reynolds on Sep 14, 2011 5:59 PM MDT reply actions

BTW

Johnson is the 5th ranked DE by ESPN

by Jesse Reynolds on Sep 14, 2011 6:01 PM MDT up reply actions

Guard

That’s why I like Brown at Guard I think he would be a pro bowl type guard with his size and power in the run game. But if they must have him at Tackle why not RT where he will face less elite pass rushers and the cardinals can run the ball off of him then.

by Txcardsfan on Sep 14, 2011 6:04 PM MDT up reply actions

More than once on Sunday Levi Brown missed a block that led to the runner behind stopped for a loss or no gain.

Most of the big runs Wells had were a result of great blocking from our interior OL, or off the right side.

Daryn Colledge made an outstanding block on the Wells TD. The first two times we tried to run left with Levi as a key blocker, No Gain and Loss of one yard. We only went back to his side twice more in the game one for a 6 yard gain another for a 1 yard gain.

Wells up the middle – 6 carries 35 yards.
Wells to the Right – 7 carries 47 yards.
Wells to the left – 5 carries 8 yards.

The weakness is there for all to see.

by khodder on Sep 14, 2011 7:08 PM MDT up reply actions

Levi Brown sucked the entire first half, both run blocking and pass blocking.

Have not yet had the chance to watch the 2nd half. I watched every offensive lineman individually on nearly every offensive play in the first half. Both tackles were awful. I saw nothing appreciably better about Levi Brown over Brandon Keith. I don’t see where Whisenhunt comes up with the idea that he did well as the game progressed.

I was surprised at just how well Colledge played the run as he had openly admitted it was the weak point of his game. Hadnot and Sendlein also played well. I was disappointed with the blocks of Anthony Sherman. They did not have the impact I expected. His man also made some tackles even with Sherman right on him.

by hadrarius on Sep 14, 2011 8:15 PM MDT up reply actions

I noticed Sherman too

And not in a good way. But a rookie in his first game against Jon Beason and some pretty good LB’s. Hoping for better in Washington

by Jesse Reynolds on Sep 14, 2011 11:27 PM MDT up reply actions

comments like these from coach

makes the average (non-technical) fan feel really part of the action. Thanks for the explanation coach & Jess!

by hear_seeker on Sep 14, 2011 8:57 PM MDT reply actions

amen

I can’t recall an explanation like that.

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by Jess Root on Sep 14, 2011 9:47 PM MDT up reply actions