01-17-2020, 01:07 AM
(This post was last modified: 01-17-2020, 01:07 AM by LordMacharius.)
Analyzing Mack “Lachness Monster” Arianlacher’s Rookie Year.
I named this post after my player in the PBE, because I have the IQ of a bag of rocks.
This is a very late media article. I won this super fun honor about a week ago and I’ve been planning on writing this article ever since then. This is going to be an article reviewing Mack’s rookie year, also known as the 2034 Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign.
Road to the Draft:
Before the Season 19 Draft, there was a lot of questions. The New Orleans Second Line, a team that had just made a splash in free agency by supplementing their already powerful backfield with the hottest free agent on the market in Marcella Toriki, had three picks in the first round. This team already had the first overall pick last season, where they selected gamebreaker Bjorn Ironside, and had traded for stalling defensive tackle Blake Faux in the middle of that season. The defensive front looked incredibly powerful as draft day approached, but, among many priorities, New Orleans was still looking to supplement the end position with another good young prospect.
Out of those three picks, two picks were really important to Mack (a prospect who was almost assured that he would go in the top five selections overall): the first overall pick, and the third overall pick. Sandwiched between these two picks was a Sabercat pick which represented the very real danger of Mack not going to New Orleans. After the season Mack had in Tijuana playing interior line, where he racked up a respectable statline of 90 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 Forced Fumbles, a sack and a pass deflected, he was rated as one of the top prospects in the draft — he was one of the best defensive players in his class, and, especially after he declared intent to play DE/LB, most expected him to go in the top three overall.
A few days before the draft, Mack received a text message from defensive tackle Blake Faux (who, thanks to a new training regimen, had gotten over his slump) where he emphasized how much he wished New Orleans would draft him. This wasn’t out of the blue — Blake and Mack had known each other since their youth, where they played little league together — but still prompted Mack to reach out to the general manager of New Orleans with an impassioned plea. The Athletic has received an exclusive copy of the plea, attached here:
[5:46 PM] Justice: Ok so here’s my case for being taken with the #1 pick
[5:47 PM] Justice: First off, I think I’m a top 5 earner in my class so I should theoretically be taken in the top 5
[5:47 PM] Justice: and NOLA has picks 1 & 3
[5:47 PM] Justice: BUT, AW will probably go to SJS in rd 2.
[5:48 PM] Justice: SO, you can pick me first and basically just have another first overall pick as pick 3
[5:48 PM] Justice: and I can rub it into @[AW13]’s face
[5:48 PM] Justice: Second of all,
[5:48 PM] Justice:
[5:48 PM] Justice: pretty please?
While we cannot confirm, we believe that this was what was ultimately responsible for Mack’s selection first overall to New Orleans. That year, he joined a powerful, young defensive unit and was ready to make an impact immediately.
Media pundits had mixed opinions on this pick. Many praised it as a bold move, with descriptions such as “guns blazing,” “along with Austin McCormick, two guys who can look to make plays early on for the Second Line,” “an absolute stud of a linebacker Arianlacher,” “the sexiest man alive,” “the most talented player in this group and New Orleans had no choice but to pick him,” “a potential leader of the defense in that Mike slot,” and “a long-term investment that will be consistently earning at near max levels for a long career.” Others had different opinions like “I fell asleep and missed the first round, what happened?” and “damn that man was so sexy that I never looked at any of his tape.”
Mack would only have to wait until his first year to prove New Orleans right for selecting him.
The Regular Season
For the purpose of this article, I’m skipping preseason because it doesn’t really matter stats-wise.
After being drafted by the New Orleans Second Line as the first overall pick, Mack Arianlacher found a starting role as a defensive end for the defensive unit known as The Brass. In his regular season debut for the Second Line, Mack recorded 5 tackles, a tackle for lost, and a sack in a 16-26 loss against the Orange County Otters. Cumulatively, over the first three weeks of the season, Mack would end up recording 16 tackles, 5 tackles for losses, and a sack across those three games. This strong start would continue to propel him through the rest of the season, where he finished with 30 tackles and 12 tackles for losses, along with 3 sacks and a Defensive Rookie of the Year Title.
OCO 26 - 16 NOLA
Mack made his presence known on the very first game of the season. In a game where the Second Line started their season with a first round loss against conference rivals Orange County, Mack proved that he could sustain his Tijuana pace in the big leagues and be a valuable piece from the start.
Orange County kept Mack off box score until midway through the second quarter, where Mack secured a tackle on the slippery Franklin Armstrong. Just a few minutes later, Mack dropped Slim Shady, containing another potentially big run play. In the third quarter, Mack stuffed Armstrong at the line of scrimmage on 3rd and 4, forcing a three-and-out after a 42 yard return. His last tackle in front of the line of scrimmage came after he stuffed Slim Shady at the LoS once again. His biggest play of the game came when, late in the fourth, OCO was driving down the field once again. Seeing an open path to the QB, Mack used his speed to hit Armstrong 6 yards deep in his own backfield, destroying the momentum and forcing OCO to settle for a field goal. Although it was too late to matter, Mack’s first regular season game ended on a hit that would set the tone for the rest of the season.
NOLA 27 - 24 AUS
Mack’s hot start continued in New Orleans’ first win of the season, where he notched 5 more tackles, two of which being tackles for loss. 10 tackles (3 tackles for loss) through the first two games in the season was seen as an unsustainable pace (which it was), but was still very impressive for a rookie defensive end.
Starting earlier this game, Mack continued to show that he was a force in the running game. Mack tackled Mendonca coming out of the backfield, limiting the explosive back to only a 1 yard gain. And then he did it again two minutes later. And again two minutes later. And then, in the second quarter, he did it again. And then, in the third quarter, he recognized the run play before it developed — disrupting the backfield and dropping Mendonca for a 1 yard loss.
NOLA 57 - 7 ARI
Mack’s hot start cooled down in the absolute toasting of the conference rival Arizona Outlaws team. Racking up only 1 tackle, which was a tackle for loss, Mack made no REAL contribution of note to the team this week, but he obviously wasn’t needed as the Outlaws got blasted by the freight train that is the second line
SJS 20 - 17 NOLA
A devastating loss against a team that NOLA wanted to notch a win against to get ahead in their tight conference race. Extending the cold streak to two games, Mack was noticeably absent from the box score with no tackles or big plays whatsoever. He would look to change that against a very good YKW team in Week 5
YKW 27 - 17 NOLA
With 3 tackles, a TFL and a sack, Mack put together another respectable game for a defensive end. But, just like he did in Tijuana one year ago, Mathias Hanyadi scored twice in a devastating defeat.
Mack’s first big play came off the line in the second quarter, when he dropped QB Cooter Bigsby in the backfield for an 11 yard loss. The very next play, he hit Hanyadi 2 yards past the line, almost single handedly forcing a punt (we’ll ignore Blake Faux’s 3rd down sack). He only made one more play, a tackle for loss against Hanyadi that got erased on a 20 yard pass by Bigsby on the very next play. Although Mack had got his mojo back, the team seemed to struggle still — hopefully they could snap their slide before it got to three games of the already short season.
ARI 42 - 24 NOLA
Narrator: They did not. In a pseudo-revenge game for the Outlaws, they outscored the Second Line 35-7 in the second and third quarter. Arianlacher put up the same stat line as he did last week, with 3 tackles a TFL and a sack. Not that it mattered much as Nola slid to a record of 2-4
Both of his non-sack tackles came in the third right after each other, where he knocked over Reese and then Ruff Ruff on a 2nd and 3rd down forcing a punt. His sack came in garbage time, as the fourth quarter wound down. A 10 yard sack on 4th down, it would obviously be far too little to late. A 3 game losing streak is tough, but NOLA would get a chance to snap it against conference rival and the team that started the streak SJS next week, where they would look for better defensive production than they got this week.
NOLA 27 - 6 SJS
Mack’s consistency fell off here as he only notched 1 tackle in a game that never really seemed like it was ever in contention. A dominant defensive showing this week, but Arianlacher didn’t really get fed. Sad.
NOLA 34 - 24 OCO
A notable achievement this season was Mack's safety against the division rival Orange County Otters in Week 8. When the Otters made the decision to hand the ball off pinned at their own 1 yard line, Mack saw his chance and dropped the ball carrier in the backfield to put Orange County down 12 in what would become their first loss of the season. He also notched a first quarter tackle that killed a drive, but it was so early in the game that it overshadowed his safety. 100% of his tackles in this game were for loss, though! Happy!
NOLA 20 - 14 COL
Another 3 tackle game for Mack, he again proved his worth in the running game. Stopping or chasing swift backs seemed to be what he excelled at this year, as he got 3 tackles against the run.
NOLA as a whole also did a complete 180, going from a 3 game losing streak to a 3 game winning streak — putting them at a 5-4 record and in a great position to secure a playoffs spot.
NOLA 30 - 24 AUS
Extending their win streak to 4 games, NOLA snagged a win against the Copperheads in spite of the fact that Mack totally disappeared without a trace. This is the second game this season — it’s because he’s been schemed out due to his very strong season, probably. I hope. Maybe.
CHI 27 - 24 NOLA
Another loss to a team that would end up missing the playoffs, Mack forgot to show up for the second week in a row. Upsetting, because a key tackle here or there would’ve probably changed the game.
NOLA 18 - 10 PHI
5 tackles. 2 for loss. Someone forgot to scheme out the young end when they made their game plan
. A really solid win for New Orleans when they really needed it. Also, a great slump buster for your boy, all in all an ideal situation. We love this.
On the very first drive of the game, Mack made a statement with two tackles again during the run game. On the very first play of the second quarter, Mack knocked Torenson in the backfield for a two yard loss, again continuing to be dominant. Halfway through the second, Mack stuffed Hank at the LoS, and again stuffed Torenson with 5 minutes left in the third. All in all, a great run stopping performance for the rookie.
If anyone has read this much, please message me who Gimmy Jarropolo is. I’ve got no idea, and honestly, at this point, I’m afraid to ask.
NOLA 30 - 20 BAL
Another great performance from NOLA, winning them 7 of their last 8 games! This hot streak puts them in great position for the playoffs (I wonder how that would go?). Mack notches a pretty mediocre statline with 2 tackles (1 for loss) in this win, neither of which really being too important. Oh well, a W is a W.
That’s how the regular season went for Mack. A force in the run game and just an all-around solid piece for NOLA, if he stays with the team he will be a great addition for the future. But how did he fare in the playoffs?
Although he doesn't appear on the stats sheet of the wildcard game in the 2034 playoffs, Mack made a huge impact in what would be the game that, unfortunately, eliminated the young team. With 4 tackles, 3 TFL, and 1 forced fumble, Mack lead the rest of The Brass to a great effort that would eventually fall short, yet fill each player with optimism on the year to come.
Mack’s Season in Review. This section frames the rest of the piece in the context of player development. Therefore, I should get 1.5 draft media (pretty pretty please?)
All in all, this was a great season for the rookie. He was selected 2034’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, and, while there were others that might’ve been seen as better choices, the reasoning isn’t crazy. Mack has already contributed a lot to the team, and he is very excited to see how the future goes.
“Yeah, you know, this place is great,” Mack said in an exclusive interview. “With players like Blake and Bjorn on the line with me, and a fantastic secondary, all young guys too, this team is looking to the future in a big way. I’m excited to win a couple of titles for the city of New Orleans.”
However, speculation has come that Mack might test free agency. When asked about those rumors, Mack denied them
“I’ve always been a big fan of loyalty,” Mack said. “I was taken first overall by these guys. There’s a really strong cast of guys and gals with me. There’s nowhere else I’d rather play, and for no other reason.”
Mack also indicated that his favorite color is purple, being one of the main reasons he was excited to stay with this team for the foreseeable future.
Mack actually set a team record as well — most tackles for losses in a playoff game, which came against OCO. He is also in the franchise top 5 for most TFL in a season, and is looking to smash some more records next year. Lo Rax better watch out.
I named this post after my player in the PBE, because I have the IQ of a bag of rocks.
This is a very late media article. I won this super fun honor about a week ago and I’ve been planning on writing this article ever since then. This is going to be an article reviewing Mack’s rookie year, also known as the 2034 Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign.
Road to the Draft:
Before the Season 19 Draft, there was a lot of questions. The New Orleans Second Line, a team that had just made a splash in free agency by supplementing their already powerful backfield with the hottest free agent on the market in Marcella Toriki, had three picks in the first round. This team already had the first overall pick last season, where they selected gamebreaker Bjorn Ironside, and had traded for stalling defensive tackle Blake Faux in the middle of that season. The defensive front looked incredibly powerful as draft day approached, but, among many priorities, New Orleans was still looking to supplement the end position with another good young prospect.
Out of those three picks, two picks were really important to Mack (a prospect who was almost assured that he would go in the top five selections overall): the first overall pick, and the third overall pick. Sandwiched between these two picks was a Sabercat pick which represented the very real danger of Mack not going to New Orleans. After the season Mack had in Tijuana playing interior line, where he racked up a respectable statline of 90 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 Forced Fumbles, a sack and a pass deflected, he was rated as one of the top prospects in the draft — he was one of the best defensive players in his class, and, especially after he declared intent to play DE/LB, most expected him to go in the top three overall.
A few days before the draft, Mack received a text message from defensive tackle Blake Faux (who, thanks to a new training regimen, had gotten over his slump) where he emphasized how much he wished New Orleans would draft him. This wasn’t out of the blue — Blake and Mack had known each other since their youth, where they played little league together — but still prompted Mack to reach out to the general manager of New Orleans with an impassioned plea. The Athletic has received an exclusive copy of the plea, attached here:
[5:46 PM] Justice: Ok so here’s my case for being taken with the #1 pick
[5:47 PM] Justice: First off, I think I’m a top 5 earner in my class so I should theoretically be taken in the top 5
[5:47 PM] Justice: and NOLA has picks 1 & 3
[5:47 PM] Justice: BUT, AW will probably go to SJS in rd 2.
[5:48 PM] Justice: SO, you can pick me first and basically just have another first overall pick as pick 3
[5:48 PM] Justice: and I can rub it into @[AW13]’s face
[5:48 PM] Justice: Second of all,
[5:48 PM] Justice:
[5:48 PM] Justice: pretty please?
While we cannot confirm, we believe that this was what was ultimately responsible for Mack’s selection first overall to New Orleans. That year, he joined a powerful, young defensive unit and was ready to make an impact immediately.
Media pundits had mixed opinions on this pick. Many praised it as a bold move, with descriptions such as “guns blazing,” “along with Austin McCormick, two guys who can look to make plays early on for the Second Line,” “an absolute stud of a linebacker Arianlacher,” “the sexiest man alive,” “the most talented player in this group and New Orleans had no choice but to pick him,” “a potential leader of the defense in that Mike slot,” and “a long-term investment that will be consistently earning at near max levels for a long career.” Others had different opinions like “I fell asleep and missed the first round, what happened?” and “damn that man was so sexy that I never looked at any of his tape.”
Mack would only have to wait until his first year to prove New Orleans right for selecting him.
The Regular Season
For the purpose of this article, I’m skipping preseason because it doesn’t really matter stats-wise.
After being drafted by the New Orleans Second Line as the first overall pick, Mack Arianlacher found a starting role as a defensive end for the defensive unit known as The Brass. In his regular season debut for the Second Line, Mack recorded 5 tackles, a tackle for lost, and a sack in a 16-26 loss against the Orange County Otters. Cumulatively, over the first three weeks of the season, Mack would end up recording 16 tackles, 5 tackles for losses, and a sack across those three games. This strong start would continue to propel him through the rest of the season, where he finished with 30 tackles and 12 tackles for losses, along with 3 sacks and a Defensive Rookie of the Year Title.
OCO 26 - 16 NOLA
Mack made his presence known on the very first game of the season. In a game where the Second Line started their season with a first round loss against conference rivals Orange County, Mack proved that he could sustain his Tijuana pace in the big leagues and be a valuable piece from the start.
Orange County kept Mack off box score until midway through the second quarter, where Mack secured a tackle on the slippery Franklin Armstrong. Just a few minutes later, Mack dropped Slim Shady, containing another potentially big run play. In the third quarter, Mack stuffed Armstrong at the line of scrimmage on 3rd and 4, forcing a three-and-out after a 42 yard return. His last tackle in front of the line of scrimmage came after he stuffed Slim Shady at the LoS once again. His biggest play of the game came when, late in the fourth, OCO was driving down the field once again. Seeing an open path to the QB, Mack used his speed to hit Armstrong 6 yards deep in his own backfield, destroying the momentum and forcing OCO to settle for a field goal. Although it was too late to matter, Mack’s first regular season game ended on a hit that would set the tone for the rest of the season.
NOLA 27 - 24 AUS
Mack’s hot start continued in New Orleans’ first win of the season, where he notched 5 more tackles, two of which being tackles for loss. 10 tackles (3 tackles for loss) through the first two games in the season was seen as an unsustainable pace (which it was), but was still very impressive for a rookie defensive end.
Starting earlier this game, Mack continued to show that he was a force in the running game. Mack tackled Mendonca coming out of the backfield, limiting the explosive back to only a 1 yard gain. And then he did it again two minutes later. And again two minutes later. And then, in the second quarter, he did it again. And then, in the third quarter, he recognized the run play before it developed — disrupting the backfield and dropping Mendonca for a 1 yard loss.
NOLA 57 - 7 ARI
Mack’s hot start cooled down in the absolute toasting of the conference rival Arizona Outlaws team. Racking up only 1 tackle, which was a tackle for loss, Mack made no REAL contribution of note to the team this week, but he obviously wasn’t needed as the Outlaws got blasted by the freight train that is the second line
SJS 20 - 17 NOLA
A devastating loss against a team that NOLA wanted to notch a win against to get ahead in their tight conference race. Extending the cold streak to two games, Mack was noticeably absent from the box score with no tackles or big plays whatsoever. He would look to change that against a very good YKW team in Week 5
YKW 27 - 17 NOLA
With 3 tackles, a TFL and a sack, Mack put together another respectable game for a defensive end. But, just like he did in Tijuana one year ago, Mathias Hanyadi scored twice in a devastating defeat.
Mack’s first big play came off the line in the second quarter, when he dropped QB Cooter Bigsby in the backfield for an 11 yard loss. The very next play, he hit Hanyadi 2 yards past the line, almost single handedly forcing a punt (we’ll ignore Blake Faux’s 3rd down sack). He only made one more play, a tackle for loss against Hanyadi that got erased on a 20 yard pass by Bigsby on the very next play. Although Mack had got his mojo back, the team seemed to struggle still — hopefully they could snap their slide before it got to three games of the already short season.
ARI 42 - 24 NOLA
Narrator: They did not. In a pseudo-revenge game for the Outlaws, they outscored the Second Line 35-7 in the second and third quarter. Arianlacher put up the same stat line as he did last week, with 3 tackles a TFL and a sack. Not that it mattered much as Nola slid to a record of 2-4
Both of his non-sack tackles came in the third right after each other, where he knocked over Reese and then Ruff Ruff on a 2nd and 3rd down forcing a punt. His sack came in garbage time, as the fourth quarter wound down. A 10 yard sack on 4th down, it would obviously be far too little to late. A 3 game losing streak is tough, but NOLA would get a chance to snap it against conference rival and the team that started the streak SJS next week, where they would look for better defensive production than they got this week.
NOLA 27 - 6 SJS
Mack’s consistency fell off here as he only notched 1 tackle in a game that never really seemed like it was ever in contention. A dominant defensive showing this week, but Arianlacher didn’t really get fed. Sad.
NOLA 34 - 24 OCO
A notable achievement this season was Mack's safety against the division rival Orange County Otters in Week 8. When the Otters made the decision to hand the ball off pinned at their own 1 yard line, Mack saw his chance and dropped the ball carrier in the backfield to put Orange County down 12 in what would become their first loss of the season. He also notched a first quarter tackle that killed a drive, but it was so early in the game that it overshadowed his safety. 100% of his tackles in this game were for loss, though! Happy!
NOLA 20 - 14 COL
Another 3 tackle game for Mack, he again proved his worth in the running game. Stopping or chasing swift backs seemed to be what he excelled at this year, as he got 3 tackles against the run.
NOLA as a whole also did a complete 180, going from a 3 game losing streak to a 3 game winning streak — putting them at a 5-4 record and in a great position to secure a playoffs spot.
NOLA 30 - 24 AUS
Extending their win streak to 4 games, NOLA snagged a win against the Copperheads in spite of the fact that Mack totally disappeared without a trace. This is the second game this season — it’s because he’s been schemed out due to his very strong season, probably. I hope. Maybe.
CHI 27 - 24 NOLA
Another loss to a team that would end up missing the playoffs, Mack forgot to show up for the second week in a row. Upsetting, because a key tackle here or there would’ve probably changed the game.
NOLA 18 - 10 PHI
5 tackles. 2 for loss. Someone forgot to scheme out the young end when they made their game plan
. A really solid win for New Orleans when they really needed it. Also, a great slump buster for your boy, all in all an ideal situation. We love this.On the very first drive of the game, Mack made a statement with two tackles again during the run game. On the very first play of the second quarter, Mack knocked Torenson in the backfield for a two yard loss, again continuing to be dominant. Halfway through the second, Mack stuffed Hank at the LoS, and again stuffed Torenson with 5 minutes left in the third. All in all, a great run stopping performance for the rookie.
If anyone has read this much, please message me who Gimmy Jarropolo is. I’ve got no idea, and honestly, at this point, I’m afraid to ask.
NOLA 30 - 20 BAL
Another great performance from NOLA, winning them 7 of their last 8 games! This hot streak puts them in great position for the playoffs (I wonder how that would go?). Mack notches a pretty mediocre statline with 2 tackles (1 for loss) in this win, neither of which really being too important. Oh well, a W is a W.
That’s how the regular season went for Mack. A force in the run game and just an all-around solid piece for NOLA, if he stays with the team he will be a great addition for the future. But how did he fare in the playoffs?
Although he doesn't appear on the stats sheet of the wildcard game in the 2034 playoffs, Mack made a huge impact in what would be the game that, unfortunately, eliminated the young team. With 4 tackles, 3 TFL, and 1 forced fumble, Mack lead the rest of The Brass to a great effort that would eventually fall short, yet fill each player with optimism on the year to come.
Mack’s Season in Review. This section frames the rest of the piece in the context of player development. Therefore, I should get 1.5 draft media (pretty pretty please?)
All in all, this was a great season for the rookie. He was selected 2034’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, and, while there were others that might’ve been seen as better choices, the reasoning isn’t crazy. Mack has already contributed a lot to the team, and he is very excited to see how the future goes.
“Yeah, you know, this place is great,” Mack said in an exclusive interview. “With players like Blake and Bjorn on the line with me, and a fantastic secondary, all young guys too, this team is looking to the future in a big way. I’m excited to win a couple of titles for the city of New Orleans.”
However, speculation has come that Mack might test free agency. When asked about those rumors, Mack denied them
“I’ve always been a big fan of loyalty,” Mack said. “I was taken first overall by these guys. There’s a really strong cast of guys and gals with me. There’s nowhere else I’d rather play, and for no other reason.”
Mack also indicated that his favorite color is purple, being one of the main reasons he was excited to stay with this team for the foreseeable future.
Mack actually set a team record as well — most tackles for losses in a playoff game, which came against OCO. He is also in the franchise top 5 for most TFL in a season, and is looking to smash some more records next year. Lo Rax better watch out.
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