Luke Braun's Film Room: Is Ivan Pace Ready to be an Every-Down Starter?

Luke Braun's film room returns, and this time he breaks down the rules of linebacker play and how to break them — and why Ivan Pace's role embodies that concept.

Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Do you remember the first preseason game of 2023? Rather, do you remember the tornado of an Ivan Pace news cycle? Pace was all over the field against the 2nd and 3rd team Seattle Seahawks and everyone took notice. Rumors started to swirl that Pace would take the starting job, but that seemed unconscionable. Brian Asamoah was a second-year standout, a “chess piece”, how could he lose his job to this rookie?

The victim in the clip above is Anthony Bradford, a 332-pound rookie guard. In that same game, he deconstructed 335-pound Greg Eiland to force a power lead run to spill outside.

Doesn’t that feel like it was forever ago? That preseason performance, while against 2nd teamers, earned Pace that starting role. With Jordan Hicks on injured reserve, Pace played every single defensive snap in Minnesota’s 21-20 loss in Denver. So how did that go? Did the higher volume cause any change, good or bad, in Pace’s play?

First, we should look at Pace’s established patterns from the rest of the season to establish a baseline against which to compare the higher volume role. 

Ivan Pace Plays Physically… For His Size

Pace’s physicality has been present all season, but perhaps no more present than on this Jordan Hicks sack from the Vikings’ week 9 win in Atlanta.

Pace splits a double team from 307-pound Chris Lindstrom and 300-pound Drew Dalman with such explosive force that both lose their balance. Lindstrom isn’t on the most stable base as he works back toward Pace, but that’s a reward for Pace’s rush angle. He just has to make a lower tackle attempt so he can get the credit.

That said, Pace’s 231-pound frame still gets the better of him.

If you can’t rely on a Mike linebacker to hold up at the point of attack, it’s difficult to work him into pressure packages. By lining him up at the line of scrimmage, you risk a team checking into a run right at him. That’s more in line with what you’d expect from an undersized linebacker, so getting anything more might feel like a bonus.

Pace Is At Home Evading Blocks, Not Destroying Them