08-09-2011, 08:44 PM
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#1
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Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: 20 minutes from Foxboro
Posts: 9,930
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TC observations & Analysis: Tuesday session
Came to TC session late- just in time to see them work on run blocking schemes, saw some IZ, some pulls.
Then of course that Rookie “hazing” where you have Brady with the hose and all the rookies “slip and slide.” Brady was especially focusing on Mallet- a precursor of things to come?
Next, individual stations- fundamental drills, agility, WR jam drill, ball security for the RB corp, etc. Then goal line two back play action line-free plays. Saw an interesting package featuring both BJGE and Woodhead.. some ISO, one back. Faulk is in there. Had my first look at the full RB corp. BJGE is quicker, shiftier- it looks like the intense boxing workouts have helped him out big time. The one thing that really surprised me was Morris- he is in top shape. He really took care of himself in the off-season.
Basedd on what I’ve seen- my opinion is that Vereen will go to IR (he has missed too much of TC), Faulk to PUP, and RB depth will be BJGE, Woodhead, Ridley, Morris (FB + ST) and Faulk. I am pretty sure some of you may complain about Morris, but he is comfortable with being a strict role player at this point, doesn’t complain, and works hard on ST and FB. I am fine with this.
Plenty of situational football today, much to my delight, which means an in-depth look at the D schemes that everyone is talking about- and what I saw just confirms my initial diagnosis. We simply aren’t going to the 4-3. Plenty of four man fronts for sure, but what many mistake for a 4-3 is in fact a 24 nickel, which again is dictated by personnel. I think the confusing thing here is and what trips most people up is that they don’t realize that the DE’s that line up on the edge aren’t true DE’s (e.g., 280-300 lbs), but rather closer to hybrid DE/OLB in the 3-4 sense of the word (e.g., Cunningham and Moore). However I do recognize that there is a tweak that moves us closer to a 4-3 mode as far as the front line is concerned, and this is simply a reflection of who we’ve picked up in the offseason so far.
On the offense- I was pleased to see that Ocho Cinco has really progressed- he is so much further now than when I saw him first. He pretty much has the tree down, scheme and cover recognition and this is amazing to me because he comes from a numbers system in Cinny, and for him to adjust to our modified Erhardt-Perkins offense so fast, is mind-boggling to me. To go from numbers to names (e.g., “Zero Flood Slot Hat, 78 Shout Tosser” ). He did have one drop in a crucial RZ play, a case of the “thinksies.”
Also got my first look at Nate Solder. Never did I ever think there would come someone who would make Mankins look like a little boy, but Solder does. Very happy to report that Solder, in fact, has a nasty streak. He does not ride rushers past Brady as much as clobber them. He takes it very personally. He gave Carter a few nasty chops, and those two got in a minor shoving match, roughhousing- etc. Maneri and Corey Woods took reps at LT and had their hands full with Carter, but Solder had no problems nullifying his speed rushes and landing a few low blows along the way. I don’t have a previous session to compare his progress with, and neither am I an expert on OL technique, but his technique seems to have progressed quite a bit. His bucket steps are pretty agile for such a tall, wide guy.
More later- have to attend to other things now.
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21Likes
bjge and woodhead are proof not to overlook an undrafted back.
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