Is that it?

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

It was one year ago today (Sunday) that I awoke to find that the Pats traded Seymour to the the Raiders. I went to sleep last night like a kid on Christmas Eve. I was very excited to see what trade the Pats were going to make because, as I thought to myself, there is no way they go into this season without: a more veteran presence at OLB, some experience to 'shore' up the secondary, Sanders, and Mankins flapping in the wind. I guess I was wrong. I am not chicken little, but I have my reservations about this starting 'D'. I hope that I am wrong.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

hate to say it, but what you see is what your going to get this year and its going to make it exciting football, if you like a lot of offense...

 

[PatsBoy12]

I'm sorry you set yourself up for that kind of disappointment. However, I will admit that, like you, I am very concerned with the defense that we will be fielding if it remains this way. We actually have more questions marks at this point than we had before the start of training camp . . . that's scary. Before the injuries and some of the surprising cuts, and despite the ugly performance against the Rams, I was picking NE's defense as a unit that would surprise many. I really thought we'd be surprised at how well they played during the season given the concerns we had going into the season. However, I've changed my mind.

 

[Patspsycho]

I am not concerned at all. What exactly did we lose on this defense? AD and Burgess both of who were terrible off the edge. We have McCourty and Butler at cornerbacks and while Bodden is a loss at one end, the other end is an upgrade no matter how you put it, because last year we either had Wilhite or Springs there.

 

[signbabybrady]

I am not concerned at all. What exactly did we lose on this defense? AD and Burgess both of who were terrible off the edge. We have McCourty and Butler at cornerbacks and while Bodden is a loss at one end, the other end is an upgrade no matter how you put it, because last year we either had Wilhite or Springs there.

Ty Warren says hi.....

but I agree with your point we improved in some areas and lost in others but I dont think we are significantly worse and it remains to be seen but it would take some quick developement from a bunch of guys to be significantly better.

I think improvement from Butler, Chung, Brace, and further improvement from Guyton and Mayo are realistic and we have added Mccourty and Spikes who seem ready for big contributions.

We may not have fixed a few holes properly but the rest of the D could be better and if that is enough to mask the weaknesses we could be better but as I said I at least expect to be about the same defensively and I think our defense would have been good last year if our O could have complemented better last year (like scoring more in the second half of certain games).

 

[Patspsycho]

Ty Warren says hi.....

but I agree with your point we improved in some areas and lost in others but I dont think we are significantly worse and it remains to be seen but it would take some quick developement from a bunch of guys to be significantly better.

I think improvement from Butler, Chung, Brace, and further improvement from Guyton and Mayo are realistic and we have added Mccourty and Spikes who seem ready for big contributions.

We may not have fixed a few holes properly but the rest of the D could be better and if that is enough to mask the weaknesses we could be better but as I said I at least expect to be about the same defensively and I think our defense would have been good last year if our O could have complemented better last year (like scoring more in the second half of certain games).

Ron Brace says to say hi to Ty Warren

I really don't think Brace's showing at LDE was a flash in the pan. He plays much better when he doesn't have to worry so much about leverage as he has to do at NT. Frankly I never thought he was a good fit there because you have to launch at such a low angle, and his height works against him down there. I would expect to see him supplant D. Warren within a few games.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

I would expect to see him supplant D. Warren within a few games.

I would prefer it to be M. Wright.

 

[signbabybrady]

Ron Brace says to say hi to Ty Warren

I really don't think Brace's showing at LDE was a flash in the pan. He plays much better when he doesn't have to worry so much about leverage as he has to do at NT. Frankly I never thought he was a good fit there because you have to launch at such a low angle, and his height works against him down there. I would expect to see him supplant D. Warren within a few games.

I too am now cautiously optimistic at Brace but that doesn't mean losing Warren isnt still a loss. It hurts our depth and if Brace is as good as he has looked this preseason I still think Warren brace at ends would then have been better.

I think I am arguing a mute point as we both are in agreement that our losses/holes are very likely less than the gains/improvements.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I would prefer it to be M. Wright.

I agree with Patspyscho that it will be Brace, but if he had a MRI on his ankle then it can not be a trivial sprain - more like a high ankle sprain - 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[Marqui]

I would prefer it to be M. Wright.

Me too.

10char

 

[Patspsycho]

I would prefer it to be M. Wright.

Wright plays RDE, not LDE.

 

[signbabybrady]

I agree with Patspyscho that it will be Brace, but if he had a MRI on his ankle then it can not be a trivial sprain - more like a high ankle sprain - 4 to 6 weeks.

I wouldnt think that has to be the case. You seem to assume he had an MRI to be sure it wasn't some real serious injury or a 4-6 week sprain is it not as likely he had the MRI to differentiate between a mild sprain and a high ankle. Sure I would assume he had an MRI he is missing some time but 4-6 is pretty big leap based solely on the fact he had an MRI (which apparently showed good things).

 

[Patspsycho]

I wouldnt think that has to be the case. You seem to assume he had an MRI to be sure it wasn't some real serious injury or a 4-6 week sprain is it not as likely he had the MRI to differentiate between a mild sprain and a high ankle. Sure I would assume he had an MRI he is missing some time but 4-6 is pretty big leap based solely on the fact he had an MRI (which apparently showed good things).

The MRI is just a cautionary procedure. Brace walked off the field under his own power so that is optimistic.

Cunningham was reported to have had a high ankle sprain. He will be ready for the season opener, per Rappaport.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

The trades were not so earth shaking, but the way the defense is shaping up on paper isn't as scary as it could be. Recall that BB declined to name a DC last winter and announced he would be spending more time working with the defense, the turnover and youth movement would argue he was projecting the kind of roster changes we've just seen back at the beginning of this process. Add hiring Corwin Brown to coach Safeties to the mix, and the image of this season takes another step towards clarity.

Bill "is" rebuilding his defense, that it's starting closer to the ground up is more a function of Ty Warren's health than any plan Bill had in mind. We didn't get to see where this was all going until yesterday, but then neither did the NFL - my feelings aren't hurt.

The secondary is faster, and more physical.

The ILB pool is more physical and as fast as last year.

The OLB pool looks green on paper, yet Murrell has two Training Camps in the NE defensive system and over a season practicing it, and Ninkovich is as least as good as Woods overall and faster off the edge. Cunningham is the highest drafted OLB project of the BB era, and he comes just as Bill decided he wants more hands-on time on defense.

The D-line has a surprising pool of young talent:
- Pryor surprised a lot of people last Season.
- Brace surprised a lot of people this Summer, a good surprise, and he claims Coach Vince the Nimble was the inspiration for his "on" switch.
- Deadrick has the talent, it's developing it which has held him back before now, if he reacts the same way as Brace, he's a seventh round steal and a pleasant surprise - if not, what's a seventh round bust anyway?
- Love surprised with his progress at NT, with his survival Saturday I "won't" be surprised if he allows Vince to play DE more often. (If Brace and Love continue to improve the way they have, wouldn't a 30 front of L-R Brace, Love, Wilfork make the run game more intense!).

:horn: Welcome to the roller coaster ride of 2010, he's Coach Belichick, he'll be in charge of the safety brakes for this ride - you really don't want to ride without a seatbelt. :woohoo:

 

[Patspsycho]

Love surprised with his progress at NT, with his survival Saturday I "won't" be surprised if he allows Vince to play DE more often. (If Brace and Love continue to improve the way they have, wouldn't a 30 front of L-R Brace, Love, Wilfork make the run game more intense!).

Love will Brace Wilfork!

 

[Ring 6]

Ron Brace says to say hi to Ty Warren

I really don't think Brace's showing at LDE was a flash in the pan. He plays much better when he doesn't have to worry so much about leverage as he has to do at NT. Frankly I never thought he was a good fit there because you have to launch at such a low angle, and his height works against him down there. I would expect to see him supplant D. Warren within a few games.

I agree 100%.
I accept that preseason games are tough to judge players from.
I accept that the amount of snaps a player takes in those games makes it even tougher.
I accept that players who are in the league 5 years can digress so a preseason game or 2 is a small sample.
BUT, I am as excited about Brace as I have been about a first time starter in a long time because the skills and abilities I saw in him are not ones that come and go, or 'flash' but the inate abilities a good DL simply has to have.
I would expect him to start week 1 if he didnt have that an injury, which makes me less certain. But within a few weeks he will be the #1 LDE. I think that Warren will move over the right side.(They did this when Brace came back in preseason) I think he and Wright kind of share that job, but I see Wright getting more of the 50% of the snaps where the DE move inside to pass rush from nickel and dime, and Warren getting more in the base.
Thats a HUGE DL and with Mayo and Spikes at ILB, I'm not sure why people are clamoring about run D being a big worry. Granted we will have one untested OLB, but I'm not real worried about that.

 

[Trocadile]

Wright plays RDE, not LDE.

G. Warren has played some RDE through training camp, so if they decide they want both him and Brace on the field he would probably be there with Brace on the left.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Love will Brace Wilfork!

:ugh: :beatingcoming:

 

[RayClay]

I agree with Patspyscho that it will be Brace, but if he had a MRI on his ankle then it can not be a trivial sprain - more like a high ankle sprain - 4 to 6 weeks.

No, that's why they give you the MRI, to find out. If they knew the results of the MRI before hand, they could just shove you in the tube a few minutes and pocket your thousand dollars.

You can have a severe sprain that isn't a high ankle sprain.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

No, that's why they give you the MRI, to find out. If they knew the results of the MRI before hand, they could just shove you in the tube a few minutes and pocket your thousand dollars.

You can have a severe sprain that isn't a high ankle sprain.

Don't forget hitting the outside of the tube with hammers so you'll enjoy the wait.