Meriweather v. O'Neal

[Batman]

Meriweather will be the leader of this defense soon and for the future. He is the next Ronnie Lott.

Nope Ronnie Lott played at a different time where he could hit receivers when he got his hand on the ball. He is more likely to be a more like Ed Reed.

 

[BRiZ]

Nope Ronnie Lott played at a different time where he could hit receivers when he got his hand on the ball. He is more likely to be a more like Ed Reed.

Ed Reed is a wuss who plays 100 feet off the line of scrimage in coverage picking off passes all day. Meriweather is a hardcore beast who gets his nose dirty at the line of scrimage and hits like a linebacker, he is Ronnie Lott Jr. Meriweather is nothing like Ed Reed.

 

[37Harrison]

Re: Meriweather v O'Neal

Really? You have been mildly impressed? Yikes. In my opinion, the secondary has stunk up the joint.

I know that it has looked this way but, without any type of pressure or from the front 7 or even the threat of pressure (i.e. knockdowns, tipped balls, etc.) QB's are able to just sit in the pocket and wait until someone gets open for them. In most cases it's the TE in the middle of the field. Mayo has been a beast but his coverage skills are lacking. Guyton is a nice surprise but he has a way to go and Bru has seen better days.

All I am saying is that our front 7 has allowed QB's to add a second or two to their "mental clock" before they get rid of the ball and in the NFL that is an eternity. In the games where there has been pressure (1st Jets game, SF game, Denver, Buffalo) we have seen the D play the way we are used to seeing. In other games (1st Miami game, SD, Indy, 2nd Jets game) the front 7 never got pressure and the secondary got beat everywhere.

 

[wdkantro2]

1.) The "5 yd cushion" has been a staple of this team since Belichick got here. It's won 3 Super Bowls and gotten the team to 5 AFCCGs.

2.) The deep balls to the outside argument is, at least partly, a product of the problems in the middle. How often does Hobbs, for example, get help on those deep balls? Compare what you see there with what you see on other teams. When opponents go long to the outside against the Patriots, it's as if New England doesn't have safeties.

Meriweather is 24 years old and has 6 starts in his NFL career. Mayo is 22 years old and has 11 starts in the NFL. Guyton is 23 years old and has never started a game. That trio, along with the grizzled 25 year old veteran Sanders, is what is patrolling the middle of the defense on passing downs. It's going to take all season for them to figure out what they are doing and to begin to mesh. Hell, it's going to take them longer than that. The question is going to be whether or not they can at least develop enough to hold up their end.


When people start realizing this, and accepting the natural consequences, blood pressure test results will be lower and there will be less panic among the fanbase.

While the Pats corners have not always jammed, the real staple in the past was their physicality. There is absolutely none of that, whether it be at the line of scrimmage or elsewhere.
And I'm not sure I agree with saying it's only the LBs and the middle of the field. Miami's top 3 WRs combined for 250 yards on 16 catches. The Jets game obviously was all Keller, but I'll give them a pass considering it was the first game with no AD. Against Buffalo, tight ends combined for I believe 2 catches and 20 yards. Against Indy, Dallas Clark had his usual good game against the Pats yardage wise but only had 4 catches. Gonzalez and Wayne were the guys coming up with big catches in that game, not the tight end. Against St. Louis, TEs combined for ZERO catches.
Long story short, with the exception of the Jets game, tight ends have not really been the ones causing damage against this defense. Avery with 163 yards, 3 Miami WRs with over 70 yards each, 2 TDs for Gonzalez, the huge plays for the SD WRs....

 

[Deus Irae]

While the Pats corners have not always jammed, the real staple in the past was their physicality. There is absolutely none of that, whether it be at the line of scrimmage or elsewhere.

They've changed the rules (point of emphasis, if you prefer). The physicality that you dreamers keep calling for will draw about 500 penalties a game today.

And I'm not sure I agree with saying it's only the LBs and the middle of the field. Miami's top 3 WRs combined for 250 yards on 16 catches.

The receivers did not get all their yards against the cornerbacks, especially the starting cbs, by any stretch of the imagination. Vrabel, for example, was put on Bess on one play the broadcast team highlighted. Your 250 yards is a completely misleading stat as a result.

The Jets game obviously was all Keller, but I'll give them a pass considering it was the first game with no AD. Against Buffalo, tight ends combined for I believe 2 catches and 20 yards. Against Indy, Dallas Clark had his usual good game against the Pats yardage wise but only had 4 catches. Gonzalez and Wayne were the guys coming up with big catches in that game, not the tight end.

Gonzalez is the slot receiver for the Colts. He is not generally defended by Hobbs or O'Neal. Wayne and Harrison combined for only 115 yards and no touchdowns. Holding Wayne and Harrison to 115 yards combined is a pretty good game.

Against St. Louis, TEs combined for ZERO catches.
Long story short, with the exception of the Jets game, tight ends have not really been the ones causing damage against this defense. Avery with 163 yards, 3 Miami WRs with over 70 yards each, 2 TDs for Gonzalez, the huge plays for the SD WRs....

Long story short, you misused your data by assigning all receiver yardage to the outside cornerbacks. Also, despite your assertion, I don't claim that "it's only the LBs and the middle of the field", I simply called that area the passing game's area of weakness. I'm fully aware of the CB problems, particularly at the #2 CB spot and the nickel positions.

 

[Deus Irae]

Just as a follow up, here's the defensive snap numbers breakdown by Reiss:

Defensive snapshot - Reiss' Pieces - Boston.com

Jerod Mayo -- 65 of 65
Brandon Meriweather -- 65 of 65
James Sanders -- 52 of 65
Gary Guyton -- 29 of 65

With that number of snaps being played by such an inexperienced group, it should come as no surprise when opponents ring up high passing numbers. The hope is that these four learn during the the rest of the regular season and improve enough to avoid being a liability during the (hoped for) playoff run.