Hobbs should not be running back kick off!

[BelizePats]

I am really impressed with the way Hobbs has played corner back the first two games. He's been excellent and if we can get this level of play from him on a consistent basis and he stays healthy, our D will be surprise a lot of people.
I don't want to see him on kick offs though. He is far too valuable a cb to risk injury while running back kicks.
Why is Slator not our kick returner? Is this not what he was drafted for? If he's not our first line kick returner, why is he on this team?
I trust BB and SP completely and I'm hoping that those who are far smarter than I on this board, can explain it to me. There must be a logical explanation!

 

[Tyler.Durden]

Hobbs and Welker should not be within a wazoo of kr/pr.

Slater & Faulk can handle the responsibilities.

We can't let Hobbs and welker to get injured, they are top playmakers and they would place too much strain on the team if they were to get injured thats for sure. If tom was still under center it's a different story, but he isn't.

 

[DaBruinz]

I am really impressed with the way Hobbs has played corner back the first two games. He's been excellent and if we can get this level of play from him on a consistent basis and he stays healthy, our D will be surprise a lot of people.
I don't want to see him on kick offs though. He is far too valuable a cb to risk injury while running back kicks.
Why is Slator not our kick returner? Is this not what he was drafted for? If he's not our first line kick returner, why is he on this team?
I trust BB and SP completely and I'm hoping that those who are far smarter than I on this board, can explain it to me. There must be a logical explanation!

Why do people assume that they know WHY player X was drafted? Is it just because pundit Y said so?

Slater was NOT drafted just because he can return kicks. That is the idiots of this board shooting their mouths off. Slater was, arguably, the BEST special teamer in the draft. NOT because he could run back kicks and punts, but because he played on ALL 4 special teams units. Kick-off coverage, Kick return, Punt Coverage and Punt Returns. And not just as a returner. He's been a gunner and the guy who lines up opposite the gunner. On Kick-offs, he's been the guy who is supposed to get down there first to make the play, whether it was by going around the wedge, through it or letting a wedge breaker open a hole for him.

Its pur fallacy to think that Slater was drafted for just his return ability.

 

[JSn]

Hobbs and Welker should not be within a wazoo of kr/pr.

Slater & Faulk can handle the responsibilities.

We can't let Hobbs and welker to get injured, they are top playmakers and they would place too much strain on the team if they were to get injured thats for sure. If tom was still under center it's a different story, but he isn't.

So far, in real games, Slater CAN'T handle the responsibility.
I hope he gets it and I hope he becomes a speed safety that we desperately need, but I hope he's assessed and chucked soon if he's not going to cut it.

Faulk needs to stay out of it too. He's tough, but I have a feeling he's going to be a lot more than a 3rd Down Back this year. He's going to be another secret weapon to the receiving corps.

I hope Slater gets it, but honestly he's gotta get his crap together. BEing awesome at practice now has NO bearing, imo.

 

[Tyler.Durden]

Slaters return ability was a standout in his college career and it is something that he sems to be good at.

I liked him at safety in the PS. So i have hope that he will continue to pregress.

 

[Tyler.Durden]

I think Jordan can cover the 3rd down back duties if Faulk gets injured.

Slater needs a greater opportunity before you can say he can or can't cut it as a kr/pr in the NFL.

 

[DaBruinz]

Slaters return ability was a standout in his college career and it is something that he sems to be good at.

I liked him at safety in the PS. So i have hope that he will continue to pregress.

Slater was a standout because he was awesome at all aspects of special teams. Not just a kick returner. Sorry if that flies in the face of your reality, but that's fact.

 

[JSn]

I think Jordan can cover the 3rd down back duties if Faulk gets injured.

Slater needs a greater opportunity before you can say he can or can't cut it as a kr/pr in the NFL.

I think Faulk is overall more valuable to the team than Jordan as of game #2. I wouldn't trade one for the other, though, don't get me wrong.

Slater needs more opportunities, but one more drop on a KR before a good return and he's either hitting the bench or hitting the trade table/cut line.

 

[DaBruinz]

I think Faulk is overall more valuable to the team than Jordan as of game #2. I wouldn't trade one for the other, though, don't get me wrong.

Slater needs more opportunities, but one more drop on a KR before a good return and he's either hitting the bench or hitting the trade table/cut line.

Do you know how stupid you sound making comments like this? I lost track of the number of kick returns that Kevin Faulk muffed during the first few years he was here.

Also, why do you totally IGNORE that Slater does more than just return kicks? He's on the other 3 units as well.. HELLO ...

The Pats kept Willie Andrews around until he earned his way off the team this off-season. And Andrews was only out on 2 units. What makes you think that the Pats are going to get rid of someone who plays on all 4 special teams units?

 

[Sicilian]

Do you know how stupid you sound making comments like this? I lost track of the number of kick returns that Kevin Faulk muffed during the first few years he was here.

Also, why do you totally IGNORE that Slater does more than just return kicks? He's on the other 3 units as well.. HELLO ...

The Pats kept Willie Andrews around until he earned his way off the team this off-season. And Andrews was only out on 2 units. What makes you think that the Pats are going to get rid of someone who plays on all 4 special teams units?

Not to mention emergency depth at WR and S. Not someone you'd want to see getting significant time at those positions just yet, but god forbid we see a string of injuries like we did with our corners in 2004 and we'll be glad to have him there to fill in.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

I am going to go out on a limb here......

BB is playing the personnel in the position he feels gives the Patriots their best chance to win.

And I will assume BB knows which players are best for each position and the associated injury risks.

 

[Tyler.Durden]

I don't want hobbs or welker returning kicks or punts. And yes slater did do more than just return kicks in college ffs, but he does it well.

 

[TeamPats]

I think the overall point still remains...In Kickoffs we are probably better off using players who are not as difficult to replace. Slater would fill this role well once he has had some more practice and proven he can reliably control the ball.

That said, Slater has shown an excellent ethic on Special Teams as a whole in all phases, he just needs to work on his hands ... which he will.

I still want Faulk and/or Welker on Punt Returns though. These are very different then Kickoff returns where acceleration and big-play ability is vital. In Punt Returns, the priority is really catching the ball and making the right decision of "fair catching" or receiving it in general. Here BB is less concerned about return yards and more about posession. These two have the best hands on the team and are extremely valuable here.

 

[JSn]

Do you know how stupid you sound making comments like this? I lost track of the number of kick returns that Kevin Faulk muffed during the first few years he was here.

Also, why do you totally IGNORE that Slater does more than just return kicks? He's on the other 3 units as well.. HELLO ...

The Pats kept Willie Andrews around until he earned his way off the team this off-season. And Andrews was only out on 2 units. What makes you think that the Pats are going to get rid of someone who plays on all 4 special teams units?

I can only think of one time I was intentionally insulting on this forum and that was aimed at ridiculous Jets fan.

You, sir, are a grade A a$shole.

 

[Sicilian]

I don't want hobbs or welker returning kicks or punts. And yes slater did do more than just return kicks in college ffs, but he does it well.

The kid has wheels no doubt, but from what I've seen he may have been able to rely on speed to have success at the college level. His speed isn't quite as mind blowing compared to the pros, so he needs to learnt to see the holes in the kick coverage better.

In preseason I saw a lot of him running straight up the field and getting hit by the first few guys. His speed made that happen at the 30 or 35 where some returners might only get to the 25, but it's still not a great way to go about it.

I think we'll see more returns out of him this season, but they're probably trying to refine that part of his game in practice before throwing him out there again in live action.

Also bear in mind that our games have both been very close... if BB wants to use a veteran who he can trust as opposed to a relative unknown in tight situations, can you blame him?

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Slater was a standout because he was awesome at all aspects of special teams. Not just a kick returner. Sorry if that flies in the face of your reality, but that's fact.

Beating more glue out of that dead horse doesn't make the original point of this thread invalid.

Is it prudent to play key starters as returners? Of course, there are plenty of starters that play other roles on special teams, so this argument could apply to them as well.

Still, 1 of your 2 starting CBs and you have him back there doing returns. It is kind of risky given our current depth at that position.

We don't have anyone else to do returns?

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Do you know how stupid you sound making comments like this? I lost track of the number of kick returns that Kevin Faulk muffed during the first few years he was here.

Also, why do you totally IGNORE that Slater does more than just return kicks? He's on the other 3 units as well.. HELLO ...

The Pats kept Willie Andrews around until he earned his way off the team this off-season. And Andrews was only out on 2 units. What makes you think that the Pats are going to get rid of someone who plays on all 4 special teams units?

Bad day or something? Sheesh!

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Bill values versatility and production in all 3 phases of the game. Barring injury he's going to put the best players by position in each unit on the field in a effort to win.

If you want to be mad at someone, try CJ... Bill hoped he could at least lighten the load on ST while backing up a WR but he didn't have the capacity for that, either.

 

[SVN]

whoever is best will do the job and i think welker will be the kr and hobbs the pr. if you have followed the team over a while , you should know this by now. We were all esctatic over the win in indy last yr but forget the welker punt return played a huge part in the 2nd TD. no one said , why is welker returning punts then ..
players can get hurt in practice , during the first play of the game or anywhere.During our first and 2nd SB , troy brown return punts, played receiver and also played DB .We didnt complain did we ? if bruschi can play on special teams in the first game after his return from heart stroke, you can bet no one is off limits. These threads are becoming more and more common for some reason i dont understand.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

Hobbs is the best kick returner the Pats have right now. He is also the best CB. So what? Stop fretting over injury, it's football.