Off The Grid

Jermaine Cunningham!!



Ahhh...The much-maligned Jermaine Cunningham.

Prospectus

I have been defending this kid all year, thank you.

In 2010, Cunningham ~ a Defensive End in College ~ joined our crew, and ~ as a Rookie, mind you ~ managed to master not only the excruciatingly demanding transition from Defensive End to Will MidFielder ~ "Right OutSide LineBacker" to you Earthlings!! ~ but did so in our maddeningly complicated system...and won the starting job!!

Mind you: He was competing with the likes of Tully Hyphenator...But by all accounts he did a solid job. And to manage that, under those circumstances, speaks mountains about his Work Ethic, his fanatical dedication, and, above all, to absolutely outstanding Diagnostic Acuity and phenomenal Processing Speed.

This, Ladies, and Laddies, is not a guy you want to Sell Short.

Yet 99% of New EngLand's fans did just that, this Summer, in the wake of a disastrous ~ and mysterious ~ 2011.

Not ME!!



I believe that 2012 will feature a stunning resurgence of Jermaine Cunningham's fortunes...and Sacks aplenty!!

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Love HURTS!!

KontradictioN

That's because he's actually put in the hard work and time that it took to get back in Belichick's seemingly good graces. If the preseason wasn't a mirage (let's admit it, the preseason is a mirage for a lot of players, not just the Patriots), then I don't see any reason why he wouldn't threaten Ninkovich's job and be on the field in various subpackages this year.

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CREDIT - Sicilian

IllegalContact

he's going to have to make some pretty good players sit on the bench for extended periods of time.

I would like it, but this is not preseason anymore

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“ I think good coaches will coach with the personnel they have, and if you only have one (good) linebacker, you’re not going to play a 3–4. ”
—Hank Bullough, who installed one of the first 3–4 defenses with the New England Patriots.

resdubwhite

so what you're saying is Cunnigham is like John Belushi.

Aiming high today.

PatsWickedPissah

So say we all.

A perceived work ethic improvement and a real training camp seems to presage a difference.
Make it so.

(is it just me or does Jermaine look an awful lot like that comedian from SNL?)

zeroakuma

Are you Chad Johnson or Terrell Owens?

You're just vying for attention

AndyJohnson

Besides Jones, who is a pretty good player he would force to the bench?

signbabybrady

Watching in preseason they seemed to be working him into an interior rusher role sort of the in mold of the way the Giants use their ends inside on obvious passing downs. It will be worth monitoring to see how much he used here. As this is a very specific role it could not be considered forcing anyone to the bench for extended periods of time.

Then if we look at the prospects of him playing DE and it is not crazy to think that he could split some time with a rookie. I know we all are high on Jones and we all hope he is an every down DE from game one but we will see. Just for the record I think Jones will be.

Now flipping to other side and I love Ninkovich but I always kind of felt that in the past when he put his hand down he was a overmatched by size and strength and I am not sold on him as a DE. I know he bulked up to be ready to put his hand down regularly and maybe that is the difference but based on what we saw out of Cunningham I might actually perfer him as the starting DE instead of Ninko. Because Ninko has been so consistant the last few years and steadily improved too right now I see him as the starter but as the year goes on if Cunningham can take his preseason efforts to the regular season and be consistant he could pass him.

Basically Cunningham right now is a back up with a specific interior pass rush role and backs up a rookie and a solid but not spectacular OLB moving back to DE. There could be a lot of reps for him if he is ready to take them and based on preseason there is reason to be hopeful he might be back on track. We will see.

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signbabybrady

Same thought I had and even Jones is a rookie and might not be ready for every snap yet. If he is going to be the nascar DE on the inside he would potentially push Love or Vince to the bench for a handful of plays. Or he overtakes Ninko for the end spot.


*kinda feel like my first post was a waste now because I summed it up better here.

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Hebeill

I also have been defending cunningham since last year, couldn't believe how a good percentage of the posters here wanted to cut him even early last season. And even going into this year they same group already had him on the bubble and just waiting for him to be release. The NEW Crable they said, Hes a bust they said, they never seemed to consider that he might be hurt. He showed to much in his rookie year to be a bust. The talent was/is there