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If you think back about ten pages, I just mentioned the OC as one of the *questions* I have about the team this year.
Your points about '05 are all true -- there was a serious drop-off in the defense from '04, but it isn't clear that it can be laid at the DC's door for the reasons mentioned. The factors are just too complicated.
And I'm not going to take up the challenge to name a co-ordinator who didn't work out.
The thing I do think, though, is that it takes anyone, however competent, a while to bed down into a new job -- I don't care if it's co-ordinator for the Patriots or military intelligence -- and, while I don't have complaints about McDaniels in '06 or '07, the job he did in '08 was truly outstanding. He's set a high level for his successor. Even if O'Brien gets there in time, will he do it immediately?
You have questions at more than one spot? Curious.
BB originally recruited O'Brien because of his performance record in college, he's made him start small and work up, and he's once again installed the training wheels to provide some "cover" for the first season's transition. An unquestionably "open" position does make for "questions," yet based on BB's track record to date, I have to say his OC hires have not been a mistake (controvesial as that may be in some quarters ). To go back a page or two, I put your question concerning OC very low on my list, down about 'is Brady resilient enough' level. Odd as it may be, my number one question is interior OL reserves, capabilities and order of battle are quite muddled there.
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It's always a pleasure to be schooled by your gentle irony ...
Yes, it's very difficult to assess co-ordinators, even for those who know as much about the technical side of the game as you and Ken. At the least, though, we can say that the DC signed off on Duane "Oops, I guess I'm lost, let me get my map out" Starks and Monty "Ole! There goes the bull" Beisel as his starters.
At my modest level of understanding, one way of telling that a co-ordinator is really doing his job is when I look at the game and get the feeling that the other team is caught off-balance and fails to adapt (or when your team adapts quickly and effectively to something that initially surprises them.)
I felt that we saw that a lot in the offense last season -- for instance, the imaginative ways they found to use of Welker and Faulk to make yards after the catch or the whole game against the Broncos, where, despite having injuries to their backs, the Patriots unexpectedly went run-oriented and just blew them away. Those were sweet things to see and J McD should get a lot of credit. On the other hand, the failure to adapt to a stunting, pass rushing defense in the Game That Must Not Be Named the previous season should also go on the OC (just as the failure to adapt against Miami's Wildcat should be chalked up to the DC).
Fred Smerlas is a former NT who should probably be in the HOF. Last week in talking football on WEEI (something many here claim seldom happens) he summed up what happened in that one failed game. The Giants did something few teams are willing to do, they changed their entire defense - as opposed to adding a few wrinkles - in a two week span leading up to the Superbowl. Most teams won't risk that because there is no guarantee players can or will execute sufficiently to not make the change an unmitigated disaster. The upside if they do is your opponent, who has been dutifully studying tape of your last 18 games, is left in total disaray because none of the tells or keys they have a savant on staff to decipher and players have committed to memory and practiced and game planned to take advantage of are valid.
Having that happen is about as freakish as being beaten by a perfectly covered, once in a lifetime helmet catch...or blindsided by a totally unexpected unveiling of the college wildcat. At the end of the day, if you have to blame someone for those kinds of incidents occasionally occurring, the guy to look to is the genius who has pulled a few ingenius offensive and defensive rabbits out of the hat himself. All things being equal, it's one of the few shots most opponents have at besting a team he coaches, beating him at his own game.
Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice...oh yeah, that hasn't happened yet here. And despite it all they led with less than 3 minutes left on the clock. Even after having watched the first 9 excruciating minutes grind off the clock unable to even get their vaunted offense on the field.
Hey Ken is there a Cliffs note version of this post?
Here it is. The Pats are very deep this year, and there will be some interesting competition in camp all cross the broad, especially for the back up positions. How's that?
After watching Cassel in pre-season last year, I wonder how useful it will be to see O'Connell in the same situation. He'll be getting little work with Moss and Welker and will probably be limited with Galloway too. The offense will be vanilla. I'll hope for some reg season blow outs where he can get some 4th quarter work.
I think the Pats will have to struggle with Brady to keep him out of Preseason games. He's going to want to play more than they want him to. Here is what I think we'll see.
3 series in game one - 4 series in game 2 - one half in game 3, and 2 series in game 4
Here it is. The Pats are very deep this year, and there will be some interesting competition in camp all cross the broad, especially for the back up positions. How's that?
You forgot to add, "why yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."
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We not only added talent, we added SIZE and strength at the CB position with Boddin and Springs, along with Wilhite who is a long armed 5'11, (which is big for a Patriot CB )
Wow, Wilhite has grown! He's actually the exact same size as Wheatley (5'9.5" 185) -- Richardson and Butler are both taller -- and his arms are average length (31"). But you're not the only poster who has Wilhite pegged bigger. I think that says a lot about his physical style of play.
Wow, Wilhite has grown! He's actually the exact same size as Wheatley (5'9.5" 185) -- Richardson and Butler are both taller -- and his arms are average length (31"). But you're not the only poster who has Wilhite pegged bigger. I think that says a lot about his physical style of play.
Id check those stats if I were you. Both ESPN and Patriots.com have Wilhite at 511 a full 2 inches taller than Weatley, and one inch taller than Butler (he's the same as Richardson).
So I guess by your results...he really HAS grown
Last edited by patfanken; 07-27-2009 at 02:23 PM..
Id check those stats if I were you. Both ESPN and Patriots.com have Wilhite at 511 a full 2 inches taller than Weatley, and one inch taller than Butler (he's the same as Richardson).
So I guess by your results...he really HAS grown
Well there you go, a growing boy! Heck, by November he might be an option at OLB. FWIW I'm going by Combine weigh-ins, which are usually the most accurate numbers.
Re: Camp Questions....and perhaps even...
). To go back a page or two, I put your question concerning OC very low on my list, down about 'is Brady resilient enough' level. Odd as it may be, my number one question is interior OL reserves, capabilities and order of battle are quite muddled there.
He's actually the exact same size as Wheatley (5'9.5" 185) -- Richardson and Butler are both taller -- and his arms are average length (31"). But you're not the only poster who has Wilhite pegged bigger. I think that says a lot about his physical style of play.
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