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Looking for opinions. Does anyone think that Jake Bequette could play LDE in a 3-4 hybrid scheme?
LDE - Bequette
NT - Brace/Love
RDE - Wilfolk
Elephant ROLB - Jones
LOLB - Hightower
SILB - Spikes
WILB - Mayo
He is 6'4 1/2 and close to 280lbs and considered strong against the run.
Thoughts??
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Bumping to say that my current thinking starts, much as in the post right above:
Hightower/Spikes/Mayo as true LBs.
Ninkovich not in the base because his reps need to be cut overall and he now takes them in the sub package.
Wilfork and 2 other guys as 3-4 kinds of DL
Jones or another pure pass rusher in an elephant slot, most commonly on the right.
Fox Sports' Alex Marvez picks Brandon Spikes as his "breakout" player for the Pats:
Quote:
After being sidelined for seven games last season with a sprained knee, Spikes began to blossom in the playoffs. He had 26 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in three playoff games, including 11 stops in Super Bowl XLVI against the New York Giants. Spikes should be even more effective in his third NFL season. He also will receive additional help with the Patriots augmenting their front seven with the first-round selections of end Chandler Jones and outside linebacker Dont’a Hightower.
It's hard to argue with Marvez's choice, simply based on Super Bowl XLVI. Spikes was arguably the team's best defender in that game. Here are two thoughts on Spikes:
Staying on the field. Spikes has played in 20 of a possible 32 regular-season games over his first two seasons, missing time because of a 2010 suspension and 2011 knee injury. He also missed most of training camp last year, and one sensed some frustration with his situation. When Bill Belichick was asked about Spikes' work later in the season, when it looked like Spikes was coming on, he referenced how it was just good that Spikes was back on the field working with the club. To take the next step in his career, Spikes needs some good fortune to avoid injuries, while also fully committing himself to put him in the best position to succeed. Belichick values consistency and Spikes has been a bit up and down to this point.
Sub packages. One aspect of Spikes' game that bears watching is his presence in sub packages. When utilized in that role earlier in the 2011 season, such as the Oct. 30 game against the Steelers, the Patriots were hurt in the short- to intermediate passing game in the middle of the field. The Steelers seemed to be targeting Spikes at times. But when Spikes returned from injury late in the season, and he stayed on the field in sub, the results seemed to be a bit better. Some might view Spikes as a Ted Johnson-type early-down run-stuffer, but Spikes has shown flashes he can be more.
With Dont'a Hightower on board I don't particular see Spikes playing a lot in sub packages. It will be interesting to see how BB uses the LB personnel. But Spikes clearly has terrific instincts and a hard-nosed style that helps the defense. It would for him to make a leap to being an impact performer on a consistent basis.
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High football IQ and size....the two qualities that compelled BB to go get him. His size, when compared to traditional ILBs, leads me to believe he will eventually have an expanded role closer to the LOS.....maybe the 1st obstacle a TE must deal with. Hightower may continue on with the TE for the entirety of the play or release at the line and attack the QB. He provides options....unlike Spikes whose coverage is suspect.
Mayo and Spikes represent trusted In the Box tacklers. They should limit the big play. I think Hightower may evolve into the guy that produces the big play on defense.
Over the next couple years, I think this D will become a force and it will be a pleasure to watch them shut down offenses. Both the Jets and Miami will pound on the ground....and the Pats are well equipped. Buffalo will be the challenge...legit RB and a coach not afraid to chuck it. Of all the divisional games, I would circle up Buffalo as must see
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Meh. First, I don't think it's 3-4 vs. 4-3. It may start out that way, but as the newbies develop I think the Pats will move towards a hybrid that fuses both, as BB has done in the past. Second, with 5 DBs on the field 70% of the time, it's going to be a front 6 much more of the time than a front 7, which is one of the reasons for a hybrid approach that provides more flexibility.
As with the offense, a lot will depend on how the new personnel develop. This is a pretty conservative approach, and BB tends to be conservative about pushing things too fast. But he's also shown that if players develop quickly enough that he will make changes more aggressively.
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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid
"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi
With all the discussion about front 7 versatility, Pro Football Focus calls Rob Ninkovich a "secret superstar":
Quote:
It’s a very unique skill set that allows for smooth transition from 3-4 OLB to 4-3 OLB to pass rushing defensive end, and for some players it can be a year-long process. There is no such timeframe in the Patriots’ defense and Ninkovich’s role evolved week-to-week and sometimes play-to-play. ... As the Patriots evolved, so did Ninkovich. He’s doing a job that often takes three roster spots to fill, and in a league that embraces specialists–whether pass rushers, nickel cornerbacks, or slot receivers–Ninkovich’s value has been as a jack-of-all-trades.
Dane Fletcher offers similar versatility, though he hasn't developed as much as Ninko. And Dont'a Hightower should offer even more versatility, giving the Pats a lot of depth and options in addition to Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes.
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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid
"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi
Dane Fletcher offers similar versatility, though he hasn't developed as much as Ninko. And Dont'a Hightower should offer even more versatility, giving the Pats a lot of depth and options in addition to Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes.
Ninko has improved dramatically each year. He's now a major contributor on defense. It will be interesting to see if the added competition and his continued growth takes him to the next level this year. That would truly be Vrabelesque.
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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "OVER Loading at ANY position can create a Fatal Advantage. THAT is what interests ME. Attacking With Concentrated Force. THAT is what WINS. In the words ~ more or less ~ of General Patton: 'I'm fighting a WAR, here. Let the B*****ES worry about their FLANKS.' " - Off the Grid
"The key to any successful organization is to anticipate things, not react to them." - Michael Lombardi
4. I would keep an eye on Trevor Scott, who didn’t get much fanfare as a Patriots free agent signing, to have a big impact. It’s early, but he looked very comfortable in the Elephant end/outside linebacker hybrid role.
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Re: How could the front 7 look next year
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