The J-E-T-S roll into Acrisure Stadium Sunday night, and per usual, we bring you the "Classic Jurassic Meat-Eater Matchup" featuring this week's frontline carnivore.
Unlike most of the meat-eaters we bring you on a weekly basis, this matchup features a smaller, lighter and quicker-than-usual predator that will line up over the right tackle, Broderick Jones.
The man lining up and doing battle across from "Brojo," is number 99, Will McDonald. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at a startlingly light 236 pounds, this might be the lightest pass rusher Jones has seen this year. Most hand-in-the-dirt edge rushers run 20 to 30 pounds heavier.
McDonald, in his second year, has posted 7 sacks thus far, giving him a career total of 10. Along with the sacks, he has also recorded 11 QB hits and 6 tackles for loss in six games.
Turn on the tape and you'll see a high motor defensive end, who will line up occasionally in a Wide 9 configuration which puts him several feet beyond the offensive tackle. The wider the angle, the more speed he needs to carry up the field. And up the field is his game. He explodes out of his four-point sprinter stance, races to the top of the arc and will work back underneath.
Pass rushing is his forte, while setting the edge his kryptonite. He's quick with a good explosive burst, yet there's not a big bang when he drops a ball carrier.
McDonald displays good flexibility when rushing the passer. He can bend big time at the top of his pass rush arc, or spin in a three-quart bucket like Dwight Freeney. This is a deadly combo. You can't overset to take away the edge, because he'll set you up with the spin back to the inside.
Where I think McDonald has trouble is when a big offensive tackle gets on him at the point of attack where he can muscle the much lighter McDonald and bully him with mass. McDonald is lean through the legs, hips and lower back. He lacks the ham-hock power to bull rush the big uglies on the offensive line.
He displays pretty good change-of-direction quicks, and with his long arms and athletic feet and good upper body strength, he can get off blocks, provided he's not trying to drop anchor on a massive tackle who's got a good grip on him at the point of attack.
Obviously, he carries good speed as the trailer on a twist stunt, but he can also get bounced when he arrives in a head-to-head close quarter combat situation with one of the large prairie mammals manning the offensive line, primarily because of his lower body leanness and lack of bodyweight.
The entire front end of the Jets defensive line is lethal. The trenches may well resemble a carnivore mosh pit Sunday night. To gain victory over the New York Jets, it was best summarized by offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who is a double-fisted, two-chin-strap, subtle as a frying pan to the forehead play caller. He said, "It's going to be a big-boy fight up front Sunday night."
Amen…. I can't wait.
