Mayo takes loss hard

[Patspsycho]

DRC has made way more impact plays than Mayo, and is left alone on an island against the opponents top WR. It is hindsight, but DRC is a waaaaaay better player than Mayo to THIS POINT of their career. Anyone that would take Mayo over DRC is not being objective.

You have an absolute inability to project.

Mayo has been playing a little more than 1 and half season and has had debilitating injuries in both seasons. Last year he had a torn rotator cuff that BB sneaked past the injury list (this is the dark side of BB I don't like). This year he has that sprained MCL. Already he is being toasted.

10 times out of 10 I will pick Mayo. He doesn't have this defense down to a point where it's pure reaction for him. But when he does, he will be able to open up his game to feel out the game-changing plays.

It took Bruschi six years before he turned into a true ballhawk.

 

[Run DMC]

I don't think that most Pats fans realize this is a team in total rebuilding mode. The dynasty we all loved and came to expect great things from ended in our loss to the gnats in the super bowl. This is a whole new team and needs to find it's way. Enjoy it for what it is. I do.

 

[mayoclinic]

I don't think that most Pats fans realize this is a team in total rebuilding mode. The dynasty we all loved and came to expect great things from ended in our loss to the gnats in the super bowl. This is a whole new team and needs to find it's way. Enjoy it for what it is. I do.

Nice post.

 

[wilfork is beastin']

The main complaint about Mayo is that he doesn't make a lot "impact" plays, ie sacks, FF. While those are important stats, a lot of the top tier ILBs don't put up huge numbers of them either. Jon Beason didn't get a sack until this year and Demeco Ryans has none so far this season. Also, during Mayo's rookie year, Patrick Willis had one more sack than him. Not saying he's elite or up to their level, but thinking that it was a mistake to draft him is extreme. If you want to get upset about the team's lack of pass-rush, criticize AD and his monster contract

 

[NJPatsfan26]

I don't think that most Pats fans realize this is a team in total rebuilding mode. The dynasty we all loved and came to expect great things from ended in our loss to the gnats in the super bowl. This is a whole new team and needs to find it's way. Enjoy it for what it is. I do.

As BB always says, it is what it is. As fans we will enjoy the games to get away from our lives for a few hours each week. As fans we should appreciate how our team has performed in the past decade. But we dont, and we fall apart hard after every loss.

 

[tdw777]

Time for the defense to put their big boy pants on. Road to the SB goes through Indy and PM is in a zone.

 

[HarkDawg]

well.... I am not convinced that road will be a likely course for either team. I see a fairly short road not extending past the AFCCG.



Peyton this all you want I still believe the Bengals, Chargers, and Pitt are better than they are. Any given day the Pats can match up as well...... Saints were all over us.... good thing it was an out of conference loss.

 

[The_Riddler]

The main complaint about Mayo is that he doesn't make a lot "impact" plays, ie sacks, FF. While those are important stats, a lot of the top tier ILBs don't put up huge numbers of them either. Jon Beason didn't get a sack until this year and Demeco Ryans has none so far this season. Also, during Mayo's rookie year, Patrick Willis had one more sack than him. Not saying he's elite or up to their level, but thinking that it was a mistake to draft him is extreme. If you want to get upset about the team's lack of pass-rush, criticize AD and his monster contract

Rey Maualuga is making impact plays every week and we could have had him twice in the draft and BB passed on him twice. Major head scratcher if I ever saw one. Instead we end up with a Ron Inactive Brace.

 

[mayoclinic]

Rey Maualuga is making impact plays every week and we could have had him twice in the draft and BB passed on him twice. Major head scratcher if I ever saw one. Instead we end up with a Ron Inactive Brace.

As a big non-fan of Rey Maualuga for the Pats, at this point I have to agree with you. That may change in the long run, but Maualuga is playing solid ball for the Bengals, and would have been nice at SILB. At the very least, he brings a dimension of physicality which is lacking in our front 7.

Michael Johnson might have been nice, too. He's impressed me as well this season.

 

[condon84]

Hmmm, lets see.

Which one was the DROY? Oh yeah, I remember, Mayo.

Then Mayo got hurt early in the first game this year. I agree, DRC made a lot more plays than Mayo when Mayo was injured.

Mayo came back way sooner than people expected - maybe too soon. Still managed to force a fumble in his first game back. He hasn't been quite the same as last year, but I would think recovering from a knee injury might have that effect.

JMSO (the "S" stands for "subjective").

Mayo's a solid performer, but you guys overrate him like crazy. He won DROY last year of the fact that he was a starter and was a solid performer on a high profile team like the Patriots. If he was playing for the Bills last season, he would not have won DROY. The only game that I saw last year where he was making plays and worthy of all the d*ck sucking you guys are giving him is against the Jets. Otherwise, he was just solid.

I'll even go and say that Ted Johnson was a better player his first two years with us in comparison to Mayo's first two years.

 

[condon84]

You have an absolute inability to project.

Mayo has been playing a little more than 1 and half season and has had debilitating injuries in both seasons. Last year he had a torn rotator cuff that BB sneaked past the injury list (this is the dark side of BB I don't like). This year he has that sprained MCL. Already he is being toasted.

10 times out of 10 I will pick Mayo. He doesn't have this defense down to a point where it's pure reaction for him. But when he does, he will be able to open up his game to feel out the game-changing plays.

It took Bruschi six years before he turned into a true ballhawk.

So you would choose a run stuffing middle LB over a CB who you can leave on an island against the opponents #1 receiver in a pass-oriented league?

There's a reason top CBs get paid more than run-stuffing MLBs in the NFL.

 

[mayoclinic]

So you would choose a run stuffing middle LB over a CB who you can leave on an island against the opponents #1 receiver in a pass-oriented league?

There's a reason top CBs get paid more than run-stuffing MLBs in the NFL.

I would take Mayo over DRC, if that's what you mean, and I'd do it again in a second. And I like DRC a lot.

I also liked Ryan Clady a ton, and franchise LT's are valued even more than top CB's. But I still like the Mayo pick, even more now that we seem to hve gotten a franchise LT at #58 in the 2009 draft. And Darius Butler may well be a "CB who you can leave on an island against the opponents #1 receiver in a pass-oriented league" before very long.

Getting a true WILB/MLB who can play in our system is very rare, and is critical to making the defense function. It's easier to get a good CB by far. Even a good LT.

 

[The_Riddler]

I would take Mayo over DRC, if that's what you mean, and I'd do it again in a second. And I like DRC a lot.

I also liked Ryan Clady a ton, and franchise LT's are valued even more than top CB's. But I still like the Mayo pick, even more now that we seem to hve gotten a franchise LT at #58 in the 2009 draft. And Darius Butler may well be a "CB who you can leave on an island against the opponents #1 receiver in a pass-oriented league" before very long.

Getting a true WILB/MLB who can play in our system is very rare, and is critical to making the defense function. It's easier to get a good CB by far. Even a good LT.

Here's the issue, how would you like to have had both Curtis Lofton and DRC, both needs are met and it was totally possibile with a small trade up in Round 2 of that draft and we had the ammo to do it. Much like he passed on Rey Maualuga (twice) to settle for the likes of Ron Brace because of the "Vince will walk" fear, BB chose not to go down this path. Had we drafted both of these guys, we are a much better defense than we are now, I guarantee it.

I am seeing nothing at all out of Mayo, nothing other than his back turned chasing someone or tackles made after 5-8 yard gains. Whippee-doo, we need more than that. Check Maualuga's impact stats every Sunday night and check out his sacks and Tackles for Loss he is blowing Mayo away in both categories.

DRC is on the verge of becoming a top flight CB if he isn't there already. As was mentioned, you can man DRC up on anyone similar to what the Jets do with Revis and it allows you to game plan for other parts of an offensive scheme.

 

[Patspsycho]

So you would choose a run stuffing middle LB over a CB who you can leave on an island against the opponents #1 receiver in a pass-oriented league?

There's a reason top CBs get paid more than run-stuffing MLBs in the NFL.

"run-stuffing MLB"? are you serious?

 

[condon84]

"run-stuffing MLB"? are you serious?

Do you consider him an all-around MLB? He doesn't cover well, what else is he?

 

[mayoclinic]

Here's the issue, how would you like to have had both Curtis Lofton and DRC, both needs are met and it was totally possibile with a small trade up in Round 2 of that draft and we had the ammo to do it. Much like he passed on Rey Maualuga (twice) to settle for the likes of Ron Brace because of the "Vince will walk" fear, BB chose not to go down this path. Had we drafted both of these guys, we are a much better defense than we are now, I guarantee it.

I am seeing nothing at all out of Mayo, nothing other than his back turned chasing someone or tackles made after 5-8 yard gains. Whippee-doo, we need more than that. Check Maualuga's impact stats every Sunday night and check out his sacks and Tackles for Loss he is blowing Mayo away in both categories.

DRC is on the verge of becoming a top flight CB if he isn't there already. As was mentioned, you can man DRC up on anyone similar to what the Jets do with Revis and it allows you to game plan for other parts of an offensive scheme.

In the past 7 games (since Mayo came back from injury, and has been less than 100%) Mayo has had 51 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass defended. In those 7 games Maualuga has had 26 tackles, 0 sacks, 0 forced fumbles, and 0 passes defended.

Maualuga plays a different position and a different role than Mayo. His job is to move forward and penetrate/disrupt more than anything else. That's his strength. Mayo's is to be the defensive captain and do a lot more things. The two are in no ways interchangeable.

Curtis Lofton is much more of a pure 4-3 MLB than Mayo. I didn't see him as nearly as good a fit for us. And it would have taken a lot to trade up from #62 to #34 or so to get him.

As for DRC, as I've said, I've always liked him. But he's not a shutdown CB at this point, and I think Darius Butler will do just fine for us. I'll still go with Mayo.

 

[wilfork is beastin']

Here's the issue, how would you like to have had both Curtis Lofton and DRC, both needs are met and it was totally possibile with a small trade up in Round 2 of that draft and we had the ammo to do it. Much like he passed on Rey Maualuga (twice) to settle for the likes of Ron Brace because of the "Vince will walk" fear, BB chose not to go down this path. Had we drafted both of these guys, we are a much better defense than we are now, I guarantee it.

I am seeing nothing at all out of Mayo, nothing other than his back turned chasing someone or tackles made after 5-8 yard gains. Whippee-doo, we need more than that. Check Maualuga's impact stats every Sunday night and check out his sacks and Tackles for Loss he is blowing Mayo away in both categories.

DRC is on the verge of becoming a top flight CB if he isn't there already. As was mentioned, you can man DRC up on anyone similar to what the Jets do with Revis and it allows you to game plan for other parts of an offensive scheme.

Maualuga has 1 sack, the same as Mayo. and he has 2 FF, one more than Mayo. He also has 46 tackles, whereas Mayo, who missed 4 games has 52. where exactly is Maualuga "blowing Mayo away?"

 

[wilfork is beastin']

As for Curtis Lofton, if you don't like seeing LBs make tackles 5-8 yards downfield than stay away from him. A large amount of his stops are well past the LOS

 

[TheComeback]

The team lacks mental toughness on both sides of the ball. Tom Brady was awful. He held on to the ball for far too long on virtually every play. If no one's open either throw it up to Moss, throw it away, or hell even run with it. They needed much better checkdown options and barely ran any screens.

I don't know where to start on defense. No one could cover and the pressure was weak and inconsistent. It was clear they lack effective on-the-field leadership as they failed to make adjustments and step up their play time and time again.

 

[JFK]

Brady honestly needs to practice running with the ball or throwing on the run. If he gets better in those our offense would be insane. There are a lot of times he can run for yards but he doesn't. I am not complaining about Brady but those are things he can definitely learn and do.