What formations play to our strengths RIGHT NOW?

[JSn]

Just for some fun off-season group ponderance:

Seems to me we have better options RIGHT NOW to play 4-3 and subs like 2-5-4 and 2-4-5. That's based on not knowing if we'll ever see Crable and not knowing what Cunningham brings THIS YEAR.

I think anyone who would be into this discussion knows who we have.

Just seems like DB and ILB are our biggest strengths. What do you guys think? How would you scheme with what we have now?

I'd be seeing a lot of 2-man and 4-man fronts, personally.

 

[cavtroop]

Nickel. 4 DL, 2 LB, 3 CB, 2S

Doesn't play great against the run, but this is a passing league now anyways (thanks, Polian! )

 

[patsfan-1982]

my base 3-4 on first down would be

DE Ty Warren
NT Vince Wilfork
DE Myron Pryor
OLB Tully Banta-Cain
ILB Brandon Spikes
ILB Jerod Mayo
OLB Jermaine Cunningham
SS James Sanders
FS Brandon Meriweather
CB Darius Butler
CB Leigh Bodden

my base 4-3


DE Mike Wright
DT Ty Warren
DT Vince Wilfork
DE Jermaine Cunningham
OLB Gary Guyton
MLB Brandon Spikes
OLB Jerod Mayo
SS Pat Chung
FS Brandon Meriweather
CB Darius Butler
CB Leigh Bodden

3rd and long

DE Tully Banta-Cain
NT Mike Wright
DE Jermaine Cunningham
LB Jerod Mayo
LB Gary Guyton
SS James Sanders
FS Brandon Meriweather
CB Darius Butler
CB Leigh Bodden
nickel. Devin McCourty
dime. Brandon McGowan

goal line defense

DE Ty Warren
DT Damione Lewis
NT Vince Wilfork
DT Ron Brace
DE Myron Pryor
LB Jerod Mayo
LB Brandon Spikes
SS Pat Chung
FS Brandon Meriweather
CB Darius Butler
CB Leigh Bodden

 

[miDeuce]

Really I think the only big questions are who's at LOLB and RDE in the 3-4. They can do a lot of different stuff in the 4-3 as we have a bunch of 4-3 DLs on the roster now. And with McCourty, the maturation of Butler/Chung/Wilhite, some consistency from Meriweather, another solid year from Bodden, our nickel/dime/quarters will be versatile and dangerous.

I don't think anyone gives any credit to young players improving as a way to better your team. Seems like the common theme of the off-season is that if they had a bad year they must be replaced, but I still have not given up on someone like Wilhite.

If you find a solid 5-tech who can stop the run (Wright/G. Warren/the dude from Carolina/Deadrick even?), and just one of the Woods/Crable/Cunningham/Ninkovich/Murrell group to make a jump as a starting quality OLB, I think we've got a pretty good defense that will be together for quite a few years.

Even if it doesn't all come together this year, you're looking at adding another potential top 10 impact defender with the Raiders pick next year. That could be the thing that puts this defense back into the elite conversation. And that could even happen this year.

 

[borg]

FG formation has a nice success %

 

[alphilip77]

The one where we send all 10 guys after the QB and leave Wilhite all alone.

 

[OldNEPatsFan]

The Pats can come up with as many schemes and sub packages as they want, but as long as opponents keep using a hurry up or no huddle offense it won't matter. The Pats need more 3 down players period.

 

[ALP]

I like that goal line formation, LOL, a 5 man line, not too shabby

a team would be stupid to run, so i guess we can make them 1 dimensional

 

[Marqui]

The Pats can come up with as many schemes and sub packages as they want, but as long as opponents keep using a hurry up or no huddle offense it won't matter. The Pats need more 3 down players period.

Great point.

 

[TB146]

When I clicked on this thread I was sure it was going to be about Offensive formations... and if no one beat me to it, I was going to suggest that if we still had Vrabel, we could have a totally righteous FOUR TE set!!

 

[miDeuce]

The Pats need more 3 down players period.

I agree. Lots of specialization on this defense. Good at one thing, but not all things. High hopes for Cunningham. They need a stout run defending OLB who can also rush the passer. Hopefully he's it.