Welker83

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5834838


13. Patriots
Bill Belichick loves to play chess with his hybrid 3-4 defense, but he may be one piece short if one of his veterans gets hurt. Tedy Bruschi became the inspirational story of the decade last season when he returned from a stroke and played well down the stretch. But Bruschi suffered a calf injury late in the year and turned 33 a month ago. Mike Vrabel has done it all for Bill Belichick — he's been a pass rush specialist, an outside linebacker, and inside linebacker, and a tight end — but he is also getting old and has lost some of his initial quickness. Monty Beisel is adequate between the tackles, but he's mistake prone and awful in coverage. Roosevelt Colvin is a top pass rusher who plays like a defensive end. Tully Banta-Cain is Diet Colvin. Chad Brown was recently re-signed, giving the Patriots another veteran defender with a long injury history. There's very little youth here; last year's fifth-round pick Ryan Claridge has already been released, and undrafted rookie Freddie Roach will probably make the team as the only linebacker with less than three years of experience.

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Box_O_Rocks

Interesting, thanks for the post. I'll take that ranking given the hurdles the defense went through last season.

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primetime

Or, you know, Mincey, Alexander, and Klecko.

AzPatsFan

Gee, the WEAKEST position on the Patriots Defense is listed as #13, if and when we lose a starter to injury... That is above average, #16, and not far from being top ten. I judge the DL to be no worse thann top three; and the secondary to be top half and possibly top ten.

Collectively that adds up to a Bottom Ten defense???

I smile at the other post on the board that predicts we have a bottom ten overall Defense. This offesne is shaping up to be dominatand the D will paly fewer minutes and many more with a lead. BB is willing to give up garbage passing yards and hte Defense will. Butas long as it is tough to run against and it will be, this Defense will do very well.

Welker83

Lb's are not your weakest position. Linebackers are your worst position in terms of depth behind starters. Weakest part of your defense is the unsettled pass defense that ranked 31st in the league. W/ all the new players (warfield), Returners from injury (C. Scott, Gay, Harrisson, G. Scott) and players switching position (hawkins and Wilson) it has to be the position w/ the most question marks surounding it...

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The funny thing about Karma is that it always tends to get you when you least expect it...

broadwayjoe

I agree with that I think the secondary is the weakest link also. From what I have been hearing looks like Warfield is having a tough time. Thanks for the post also.

Kdo5

I dont worry about the secondary, if we are hit by injuries...ugh thats been the only thing that ruins our secondary. We have a great depth at safety and if Randall Gay comes back you'll have 3 solid young players with Samuel...Hobbs...Gay. And you have Warfield, Scott...Poteat though I dont know all of those 3 make the team. If they change Wilson to CB they have some really nice depth at CB then. And if Sanders does well...make him a starting safety but that is yet to be seen.

With Harrison returning I dont think its the weakest link at all. Safety looks good, Cornerback is raising a few questions but we'll see.

Welker83

When are they going to fire the strength and conditioning coach for the secondary? I have never in all my years seen a secondary that is as injured as the pats over the last few years...

__________________
The funny thing about Karma is that it always tends to get you when you least expect it...

Box_O_Rocks

Now, now ancient one, I'm not clear on your concept for strength & conditioning...ankles, knees, shoulders, the odd broken arm in the playoffs...these are not necessarily injuries I'd link to conditioning, more like standard combat injuries where the secondary is supposed to support against the run and be solid in coverage. Frustrating for us, however; in Ask Champ Baily, the column felt conditioning wasn't one of New England's issues.

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Remix 6

well glad an opposing team understands our injuries