Box_O_Rocks

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nashvillepatsfan

I know alot people on here are really excited about the NEW secondary, and scared about the OLB position. Im the other way around. Without getting into the OLB debate, here's why im concerned about the seconday.

Leigh Bodden, why all the love? Is it because he signed for one year, so he'll be motivated? Is it because he had one statistically good season? Lets keep in mind, 3 of those 6 ints were against Cinci. A team that most people feel was a bad team in 07. Game 1 against the Browns, Palmer threw all over the Browns for 401 yards, and 6tds. The fact that Bodden got 2 ints in that game is more of a side note. Game 2 against the Browns, Palmer had a qb rating of 44!! He just plain sucked that day. Why? I don't know, but im not willing to say it was all about Bodden. The other 3 ints he had that year were against QBs that were struggling. So, why all the love for Bodden? I know, he played in Romeos system, he's familiar with it. So was Hobbs, but everybody hated him. I think i'll just take a wait, and see approach on Bodden.
Carson Palmer - Cincinnati Bengals - Game Log - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Leigh Bodden - New England Patriots - Game Log - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

Shawn Springs, He's OLD, and apparently has some injury concerns. From what i see, he failed to start 16 games over the last 3 seasons.
Shawn Springs - New England Patriots - Game Log - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
So, i guess you could say im not really that excited about him either.

Terrence Wheatley, 2 tackles, and then injured. Showed a little flash, but not enough for me to feel great about him starting. He's almost still a rookie, kinda like Crable.

Jonathan Wilhite, 2nd year player, who showed some flashes last year.

Darius Butler, rookie, so no need to talk about him yet.

So really, why is everybody so confident that this group of CBs is going to be great, and we should not be concerned? This group is a couple injuries away from starting a rookie, and a 2nd year guy. That might be great, but it might not be. See what im saying?

I didnt bring up the safetys, because honestly im not so worried about them.

Box_O_Rocks

Valid points all Nash, but I also don't read too much pessimism into your post either.

Hobbs was a loss, I'd be more confident if BB had retained him, but I also wanted some interior depth on the OL and his trade brought in two promising OL (Orhnberger & Bussey).

You've listed the negatives, let's look at some positives.

Bodden - 73 TT, 3 FF, 11 PD, and 1 int on a horrible Lions team last season. His last season in Cleveburgh 88 TT, 14 PD, 6 int on a horrible Cleveburgh team. Those are the two seasons where he played a full 16 games, he only missed starting the one game in that stretch. In his first two seasons he started two games and saw playing time in 21, he still compiled 43 TT, 2 PD, 1 int, 1 FF in part time play. The next two seasons he played in 22 games and started 20, he's got 86 TT, 24 PD, 5 int, 3 FF. In the last four seasons he has 247 TT to Hobbs 198, 49 PD to Hobbs 36, 12 int to Hobbs 9, 6 FF to Hobbs 1. I like Hobbs, but Bodden appears to be a better play maker. There's room for some optimism.

Springs - As you mentioned his recent injury history is a concern, like you I don't expect BB to use him as a primary starter, he will be the cagey veteran used situationally to help the youngsters develop smarter.

Wheatley and Wilhite and Butler are all clones, more or less. Same size, same speed/quickness, same weight, Wheatley and Butler have more of a playmaking history, Wilhite is a more physical player similar to Hobbs. The key here is speed & quickness, think Hobbs athleticism with stronger playmaking skills in 2 of the 3. If they play no worse than Hobbs NE has three starters.

As you've noted, this group is the one to watch, but I'm cautiously optimistic they will settle in nicely (especially with those stalwart Safeties to back them up).

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nashvillepatsfan

Agreed, I would feel better with Hobbs, but most of that is the return game. The CBs, if healthy, should be better than last year. I guess the excitement of the new guys from certain posters, had me curious. Yet everyone is worried about OLB, and im not. Either way, we'll get to see who's the man, and who isnt in a week. Ill be there on 8/2 with my trusted camera

Scouse Patriot

It's not a dramatic concern for me, more of a wait and see how it goes. Theres alot of youngsters in the secondary now and they can't be expected to set the league alight right away, although it would be a nice bonus. Add to that the more experienced Bodden, Springs and Williams, Sanders and to some extent Meriweather and it's a million times better than last season.

It's a gradual build we are just going to have to be patient with. They wouldn't be so exposed if we got more pressure on the QB anyway, thats my talking point going into this season.

Dagg

While its not rock solid look what we had last year /puke, its definatley better IMO. History has shown it doesnt need to be great but Ill set for good or ok.

patfanken

That was a great post Nash, but I think the key work here is "great". I don't think anyone expects the secondary to be "GREAT". All we are looking for is it to be "BETTER". As bad as the secondary was.... As bad as the pass rush was... We DID win 11 games. How much better does the secondary have to be for us to win 2 or 3 more...even with a "seemingly" tougher schedule. The Pass rush should be better. The offense should be better, though it will be tough to top the offense of the last few games.

Size Matters, and I think that adding Springs and Boddin gives us an element that's been missing for the last few years and that's some size in the secondary, especially on the GL (also see Tank Williams) The other things that we now have that we didn't last season (at least at the start of the season, is QUALITY depth.

We won't have to trot out JAGS like Lewis Sanders and Mike Richardson as starters. We WILL be able to have the depth with all those DBs to present the FULL package of defensive looks, instead of the Cliff notes version we used last season because of all the injuries.

Springs and Boddin, with all their baggage, are proven NFL starter, who have had some success in the league. Willhite and Wheatley are 2nd year players who both seem like they have the talent to have a chance to start someday....and Butler might eventually be the best of all of them. I think this a massive improvement over last year's injury riddled group and translates in to the highened expection of fans that the Pats secondary, while not likely to be "great" IS likely to be "better".

Just a thought - how can ANY secondary be concidered "great" when average QB's ROUTINELY complete 60% of their passes, and good one close to 70%. Back in my day, when a QB completed FIFTY percent of his passes he had a good day.

Brady-To-Branch

The Pats did more than expected to address this issue. IMO, this isn't an issue for '09 unless an abnormal rash of injuries occurs.

That was the only time I recall Hobbs playing his man (Fitz) without a cushion. Hobbs was smoldering after that play and he returned to his sideline with his head hung low. I guess the team felt that, with the game in hand, moving Hobbs up to the LOS was okay.

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Synovia

According to Football Outsider's charting project, before going to the lions, Bodden may have been the best corner in football. According to their charting project, Springs, last year, was a top 5 guy. If Bodden can get his **** back together, they've got 2 of the 5 best CBs in the league. And thats before the two 2nd year guys who looked great, and the 2nd round pick they just used.

BradyFTW!

Secondary hasn't become a primary concern- it's been one since about 2005.

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