Injury Issues? He missed what 2 games in 2011 and 1 game last year, that's it. That is what you call "injury issues"? Mawae, OTOH, only played in 14 games, starting only 11 his rookie season. He then had a string of 16 game seasons, but in 2006, he only played in 6 games for the Jets. He then missed 2 games in 2007 and one in 2008. Those are closer to what I'd call "injury issues." LOL
Both are excellent centers but they have different strengths. I'd have more confidence in Mangold in controlling the middle of the trenches. For example, I'd give Mangold the edge when it comes to stopping Wilfork without help & keeping him out of the QB's face. Also feel that he is a little better at helping out his fellow Guards & picking up the proper guy when the defense starts bringing out blitzes. Mawae was a fast mofo he was much better at pulling & you can depend on him consistently hitting the second level. Mawae would have a much better chance to succeed as the lead blocker on a short pass or sweep or getting that LB hanging a few feet behind the line. I think the difference between both guys is so small, that you'd have to look at your offensive scheme & Guards to confidently pick one over the other. You can have an elite OL with either Center. My personal preference is Mangold because I value his strengths more.
My problem with Mawae was that the players he was destroying were LBers and DBs, not DL. He ought to have been able to destroy LBers and DBs, since he was a good big bigger thanany of them, and about as agile. IMO he was never that effective blocking DL, and that should be one of the primary jobs of your center.
It's still laughable because it doesn't even compare with Mawae's injury issues. He missed over half the season in 2007 with Tennessee, and who knows how effective he was in the 6 games he played. Now if you're speaking solely of his career with the Jets, that's different, but imo when rating a player's HOF credentials and how good he was, you have to look at his whole career, not just part of it.
IMHO Hard to compare. Different styles asked to do different things. Mangold is a power/technique guy. He manhandles the biggest of the big but maybe not an elite athlete. Mawae on the other hand, elite athlete but couldn't handle the big boys like Mangold. Mawae was asked to operate in space a lot more than mangold. Offense dictated that but it was also what worked for him. I also think Mawae was emotionally more impactful as a leader. He raised the level of the play of the guys around him. Rather than lead or coach up the guy next to him Mangold will sometimes just take on two guys (often successfully which is crazy). If I can build a great line around him I take Mawae, if I can only pick one lineman I take Mangold.
Mangold is the better anchor in my opinion while Mawae had rare 2nd level blocking ability.When they had he & Randy Thomas both pulling on sweeps..it was about as dynamic as offensive line play gets.
As another poster said the difference is so minimal between these two HOF centers. Scheme wise, Mawae was great in a zone schem while Mangold could play either zone or power. In a zone scheme it's all about moving the line of scrimmage in pockets. It was truly the perfect scheme for his abilities. I remember the epic battles between Zach Thomas and Mawae. He was always on the second level but chipped or engaged then released linemen all the time. His forte wasn't man up power blocking that's why you and I remember him destroying Sam Cowhert and lawyer Milloy and not driving Sam Adams. it's Mangold if he doesn't fall of the cliff the next 3-4 years. But as of right now, it's Mawae
I'm not really sure where people really get that Mawae was more physical, he was much better in the run game on weaker players but in terms of trench blocking Mangold is a much stronger player. They're both great players. I think you do tend to need to taylor your run blocking schemes to Mawae to fit his skillset better because he wasn't that great of a blocker on the big DT's. Mangold is generally a force in the middle regardless of the run style although he doesn't pull and doesn't get up to the second level as quickly. Mawae was only allowed to go block linebackers if he had guards that could take on the tackles which for the most part as a Jet he did. Mangold has to take the best interior player on every single play. Either way you get a great player but you have to think that Mangold helps those around him a lot more. We've been blessed with centers. I also think if you're not a Jets fan you look at the accolades and assume Mawae was much better. I think it's a lot closer than people think. Amazing what first round interior lineman can turn into hmmmmm.
I think for today's NFL, Mangold is the superior player because of how many teams run a 3-4 scheme. I think that Mawae would struggle against the big NTs of the league like Wilfork. Mawae was at his best in a zone scheme where he could get to the 2nd level and take out a team's top tackler or pull around and set the edge on sweeps.
Mawae by a smidgen. Dude fucked up his right hand and played the rest of the game snapping with his left.
