Predict the Opening Day Defense

[BelichickFan]

Does Paris Lenon fit into any of these equations???

He's probably the best we have as a MLB backup if Mayo gets hurt.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Will Crable ever play a down for this team???

I've been on the 4-3 bandwagon before they even broke it out (people told me I was stupid when I brought it up before the pre-season even started).

Opening Night:

DE: Seymour
DT: Wilfork
DT: Wright
DE: Warren

OLB: Thomas
OLB: Guyton
MLB: Mayo

CB: Whilite
CB: Bodden
SS: Meriweather
FS: Sanders

Cuts: Woods & Alexander

 

[Mack Herron]

Will Crable ever play a down for this team???

I've been on the 4-3 bandwagon before they even broke it out (people told me I was stupid when I brought it up before the pre-season even started).

Opening Night:

DE: Seymour
DT: Wilfork
DT: Wright
DE: Warren

OLB: Thomas
OLB: Guyton
MLB: Mayo

CB: Whilite
CB: Bodden
SS: Meriweather
FS: Sanders

Cuts: Woods & Alexander

A thoughtful line-up, although I do not agree with your cuts. I could see Woods starting instead of Guyton who is a better fit in the 3-4. Lenon also could make it as reserve MLB.

 

[pats1]

Will Crable ever play a down for this team???

I've been on the 4-3 bandwagon before they even broke it out (people told me I was stupid when I brought it up before the pre-season even started).

Opening Night:

DE: Seymour
DT: Wilfork
DT: Wright
DE: Warren

OLB: Thomas
OLB: Guyton
MLB: Mayo

CB: Whilite
CB: Bodden
SS: Meriweather
FS: Sanders

Cuts: Woods & Alexander

Same here, bud. Now the 4-3 deniers are starting to see the light. I remember the reaction I got when I said the Pats could cut Bruschi because he had no role on this team -- first week of August?

 

[JackBauer]

A thoughtful line-up, although I do not agree with your cuts. I could see Woods starting instead of Guyton who is a better fit in the 3-4. Lenon also could make it as reserve MLB.

Disagree. Guyton would probably even be a better fit at WLB in a 4-3 than ILB in a 3-4, because who knows if he's at the point where he could sustain the type of physical punishment he'd receive in the latter.

And as for cutting Woods AND Alexander... are you nuts?

 

[Rob0729]

I'm still not convinced this move to the 4-3 is permanent. Belichick has tricked us before with the 4-3 in the preseason playing it almost exclusively in I think the 2006 preseason when the ILB spot was in question (Seau was signed in late August of that year kinda paralleling the addition of Burgess this year in mid-August).

 

[pats1]

I'm still not convinced this move to the 4-3 is permanent. Belichick has tricked us before with the 4-3 in the preseason playing it almost exclusively in I think the 2006 preseason when the ILB spot was in question (Seau was signed in late August of that year kinda paralleling the addition of Burgess this year in mid-August).

Seau led to the Pats playing the 3-4, as a ILB.

Burgess has led the Pats to playing the 3-4, as an OLB? Really?

I seem to remember Burgess playing DE exclusively.

 

[pats1]

Disagree. Guyton would probably even be a better fit at WLB in a 4-3 than ILB in a 3-4, because who knows if he's at the point where he could sustain the type of physical punishment he'd receive in the latter.

And as for cutting Woods AND Alexander... are you nuts?

Agree. Guyton makes a better 4-3 WLB than a 3-4 SILB.

 

[Rob0729]

Does Paris Lenon fit into any of these equations???

I don't see Lenon not making this team with Bruschi retiring. I still think there is a good chance the Pats play a lot of 3-4 (if not as their base) and they will need him to be there in ILB. Until they start the regular season in the 4-3, I will not be convinced they are moving to it. Not that I don't see the evidence on the field in the preseason, but I have seen this evidence before.

 

[pats1]

He's probably the best we have as a MLB backup if Mayo gets hurt.

Well, he's been playing as a OLB in the 4-3. I'd guess Alexander would get the nod, even though he's also been playing OLB. The 3rd MLB behind Mayo and Bruschi was Ciurciu.

 

[BelichickFan]

Well, he's been playing as a OLB in the 4-3. I'd guess Alexander would get the nod, even though he's also been playing OLB. The 3rd MLB behind Mayo and Bruschi was Ciurciu.

I was thinking he was a MLB - either way, Mayo getting hurt is downright scary right now.

 

[pats1]

I was thinking he was a MLB - either way, Mayo getting hurt is downright scary right now.

Meh, I guess. Guyton could also slide inside and Woods could start at OLB. But typically, in a 4-3, you don't have an entire two-deep of starting quality LBs. Your backup LBs are going to be STers.

 

[Mack Herron]

Disagree. Guyton would probably even be a better fit at WLB in a 4-3 than ILB in a 3-4, because who knows if he's at the point where he could sustain the type of physical punishment he'd receive in the latter.

And as for cutting Woods AND Alexander... are you nuts?

You could be right about Guyton. Guyton played WLB last week for bit, right? LBs are in different roles this year, esp with Burgess, TBC and Crable. Just for the record, I said I did not agree with cutting Alexander and Woods.

 

[Rob0729]

Seau led to the Pats playing the 3-4, as a ILB.

Burgess has led the Pats to playing the 3-4, as an OLB? Really?

I seem to remember Burgess playing DE exclusively.

Never said that. I don't think Seau led the Pats to playing the 3-4. In fact, even after Seau got here, I am pretty sure they played the 4-3 for the preseason. I am saying the lack of depth at ILB that year may have been the reason they switched. Seau's addition was never intended to be for him to start (or at least be a primary LB), he was supposed to rotate with Bruschi and give him a breather (which is how he started the season).

As for Burgess, I still don't think switching to an OLB in the 3-4 is as big of a deal as people make it out to be. It is if you don't have the skill sets to play the position, but a guy like Burgess has played the position already although not extensively. Then again, the Pats are not going to stay in a 3-4 just because of Burgess.

All this talk that this team is built for a 4-3 isn't really accurate. Yes, the d-line is the strongest and deepest corp on the team, but most of the guys on defense (even on the d-line) are better suited for a 3-4 than the 4-3. Luckily, Belichick looks for versatile guys. So they can play the 4-3 and effectively if neccessary.

 

[JackBauer]

You could be right about Guyton. LBs are in different roles this year, esp with Burgess, TBC and Crable. Just for the record, I said did not agree with cutting Alexander and Woods.

Sorry, I was addressing FTW with that line. Should've made that more clear.

 

[pats1]

Never said that. I don't think Seau led the Pats to playing the 3-4. In fact, even after Seau got here, I am pretty sure they played the 4-3 for the preseason. I am saying the lack of depth at ILB that year may have been the reason they switched. Seau's addition was never intended to be for him to start (or at least be a primary LB), he was supposed to rotate with Bruschi and give him a breather (which is how he started the season).

As for Burgess, I still don't think switching to an OLB in the 3-4 is as big of a deal as people make it out to be. It is if you don't have the skill sets to play the position, but a guy like Burgess has played the position already although not extensively. Then again, the Pats are not going to stay in a 3-4 just because of Burgess.

All this talk that this team is built for a 4-3 isn't really accurate. Yes, the d-line is the strongest and deepest corp on the team, but most of the guys on defense (even on the d-line) are better suited for a 3-4 than the 4-3. Luckily, Belichick looks for versatile guys. So they can play the 4-3 and effectively if neccessary.

I would have to go back to the tape to get a better feel, but he are the starting front seven for the Patriots' last two preseason games in 2006:

LE 94 T.Warren
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 93 R.Seymour
OLB 95 T.Banta-Cain
ILB 50 M.Vrabel
ILB 55 J.Seau
OLB 59 R.Colvin

LE 99 M.Wright
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 93 R.Seymour
OLB 59 R.Colvin
ILB 50 M.Vrabel
ILB 55 J.Seau
OLB 95 T.Banta-Cain

Here were the lineups for the first two preseason games:

LE 94 T.Warren
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 99 M.Wright
LB 50 M.Vrabel
LB 47 B.Gardner
LB 51 D.Davis
LB 59 R.Colvin

LE 94 T.Warren
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 97 J.Green
OLB 95 T.Banta-Cain
ILB 47 B.Gardner
ILB 50 M.Vrabel
OLB 59 R.Colvin

 

[Rob0729]

I would have to go back to the tape to get a better feel, but he are the starting front seven for the Patriots' last two preseason games in 2006:

LE 94 T.Warren
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 93 R.Seymour
OLB 95 T.Banta-Cain
ILB 50 M.Vrabel
ILB 55 J.Seau
OLB 59 R.Colvin

LE 99 M.Wright
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 93 R.Seymour
OLB 59 R.Colvin
ILB 50 M.Vrabel
ILB 55 J.Seau
OLB 95 T.Banta-Cain

Here were the lineups for the first two preseason games:

LE 94 T.Warren
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 99 M.Wright
LB 50 M.Vrabel
LB 47 B.Gardner
LB 51 D.Davis
LB 59 R.Colvin

LE 94 T.Warren
NT 75 V.Wilfork
RE 97 J.Green
OLB 95 T.Banta-Cain
ILB 47 B.Gardner
ILB 50 M.Vrabel
OLB 59 R.Colvin

Maybe I am getting the year wrong then. I do know that there was one year where the Pats played the 4-3 almost exclusively during the preseason. It could have been 2007 or 2005.

 

[maverick4]

Same here, bud. Now the 4-3 deniers are starting to see the light. I remember the reaction I got when I said the Pats could cut Bruschi because he had no role on this team -- first week of August?

Bruschi should have left two years ago. He's been a shell of what he was for a few years now. That 70+ yard pass to Cooley was the nail in the coffin.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Maybe I am getting the year wrong then. I do know that there was one year where the Pats played the 4-3 almost exclusively during the preseason. It could have been 2007 or 2005.

It was 2001:

Seymour, Hamilton, Pleasant, Mitchell

Vrabel, Bruschi, McGinest

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

The Pats are going to be a 4-3 team, and they will be great against the run.

I think the front 4 might be "Steel Curtain"esque, with Seymour, Vince, Brace/Wright, Warren against the run, and repace Vince with Green on passing downs. What reamins to be seen as if the front four alone can get consistant pressure on the QB. If they can (and I doubt it) then they might have the best defense in the NFL. What I think will be more likely is that other teams are going to play the Pats they way the Pats played the Vikings a few years ago, spread them out and throw quick short passes. This is the achilles heel, the Pats don't get to the QB, the CBs are not good at the line, and they seem to have trouble tackling. Plus the Pats lack the big hitter in the Secondary (nobody's head is on a swivel looking for 175 lbs Merriweather).

This defense is made to stop the teams in the AFC East, however it maight have a tough time with the better west coast style offenses in the NFL.