We need another cornerback

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

McCourty is a stud. I didnt like the pick at all on draft day, but he can flat out play. The Jets showed a lot of respect to him yesterday barely even looking at his side.

Butler did have a terrible game, but young guys are going to have bad games, it is part of the learning process. The biggest thing is how he will improve from this and get better. Butler has shown some talent in his time here, so it is tough to throw him out of the mix this early. Give him some time, he still can be a decent CB for the team.

By the end of the season there will be roughly 12 posts exactly like this one, with "Butler" and "McCourty" flipped around and flipped back again.

 

[HomelandDef]

This is one of the few most prized and rare positions in the game. I could see us bringing another guy in, certainly if another corner goes down or if Wheatley's injury lingers, but frankly our chances of finding someone better than Jonathan Wilhite or Terrence Weatley, much less Darius Butler is near zero. It just doesn't happen. If we're extremely, extremely lucky we could find another Hank Poteat.

 

[Ring 6]

McCourty is a stud. I didnt like the pick at all on draft day, but he can flat out play. The Jets showed a lot of respect to him yesterday barely even looking at his side.

Butler did have a terrible game, but young guys are going to have bad games, it is part of the learning process. The biggest thing is how he will improve from this and get better. Butler has shown some talent in his time here, so it is tough to throw him out of the mix this early. Give him some time, he still can be a decent CB for the team.

You do realize that 5 passes were completed on McCourty and 5 or 6 (depending on whether he or chung had keller on the 3rd and 1 play action) were completed on Butler don't you.
Thats not to knock McCourty but to illustrate how 2 bad pi calls influence everyone opinion to the point where allowing basically the same production means everyone say Butler was a piece of crap and M cCourty was great.

 

[Ring 6]

If Bodden wasn't injured I guarantee that we would be 2-0.

Thats ridiculous. The corners were nowhere near the main reason we lost.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

This is one of the few most prized and rare positions in the game. I could see us bringing another guy in, certainly if another corner goes down or if Wheatley's injury lingers, but frankly our chances of finding someone better than Jonathan Wilhite or Terrence Weatley, much less Darius Butler is near zero. It just doesn't happen. If we're extremely, extremely lucky we could find another Hank Poteat.

Hank Poteat would get burned with this supporting cast. Ty Law would let up his share of plays. Darius Butler would be a another great player on the 2003 Patriots.

 

[HomelandDef]

Hank Poteat would get burned with this supporting cast. Ty Law would let up his share of plays. Darius Butler would be a another great player on the 2003 Patriots.

The excruciating thing about Butler on Sunday is that in several instances he was in position but just didn't make a play on the ball, and that has nothing to do with the supporting cast. Ty Law and Asante Samuel had some of the best natural ball skills I've ever seen. Butler has to improve in that area.

 

[stinkypete]

The excruciating thing about Butler on Sunday is that in several instances he was in position but just didn't make a play on the ball, and that has nothing to do with the supporting cast. Ty Law and Asante Samuel had some of the best natural ball skills I've ever seen. Butler has to improve in that area.

I noticed the same thing. We're not looking at a Starks/O'Neil situation where the guy is getting obviously burned over and over again. Butler was in on every play.

At this stage we're going to have to deal with the growing pains of such a young secondary.

 

[resdubwhite]

Thats ridiculous. The corners were nowhere near the main reason we lost.

They were a contributing factor. If Bodden is there, he isn't getting picked on the way Butler was.

 

[Ring 6]

They were a contributing factor. If Bodden is there, he isn't getting picked on the way Butler was.

How many less thasn 5 catches do you expect he allows? Any reasonsable answer doesnt mean we win the game

 

[resdubwhite]

How many less thasn 5 catches do you expect he allows? Any reasonsable answer doesnt mean we win the game

The jets focused on him as a weak link in the second half. How many penalty yards does he give up on that scoring drive.
Sanchez looks up. Sees the man Butler (Edwards in most case) is on. Throws.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. no way he does it with Bodden on the field. No I'm not saying we have to replace him as a starter. we do however, have to have a plan B when teams are going after him.

 

[Batman]

We don't need a top tier talent cb if we got 1 we would have 4 good cb's unless butler keeps making huge mistakes or getting burnt the way Starks use to he can stay in NE most people see DMc becoming a great player and with bodden back wilhite and wheatly will do as cover picking up a guy who can help out at corner may not be a bad idea but we don't need truant or we will just have another guy on a big contract and have not addressed pass rush.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

The loss of Bodden really hurt them. Not sure they can find anyone worth taking a chance on at this point
Just need to deal with the growing pains of these kids.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

You do realize that 5 passes were completed on McCourty and 5 or 6 (depending on whether he or chung had keller on the 3rd and 1 play action) were completed on Butler don't you.
Thats not to knock McCourty but to illustrate how 2 bad pi calls influence everyone opinion to the point where allowing basically the same production means everyone say Butler was a piece of crap and M cCourty was great.

I didnt realize this at first but after a second look I saw that, also noticed Brady only threw to Moss 4 times in the 2nd half and not 26 times as has been repeated on this board. Sometimes our eyes decieve us.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I'm sure there were some high caliber CB to be signed a few weeks before the season started. Bill re-signed Bodden and drafted McCourtey in the first round. He did what he could. Now he has to do the best he can with what's left with Bodden gone. Wheatley will be back soon, he was looking good in camp.

Wheatley did look really good for once. The man should get his props for coming back from the dead!!! But I think it is a month before we see him.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The loss of Bodden really hurt them. Not sure they can find anyone worth taking a chance on at this point
Just need to deal with the growing pains of these kids.

Agreed - we have to take our lumps and see where we end up. Butler is trying and he is very close on almost of the plays, so maybe he can turn the corner.

 

[upstater1]

The excruciating thing about Butler on Sunday is that in several instances he was in position but just didn't make a play on the ball, and that has nothing to do with the supporting cast. Ty Law and Asante Samuel had some of the best natural ball skills I've ever seen. Butler has to improve in that area.

I can't see how you say this.

Butler was reading the WR all wrong. He has excellent ball skills, and showed them again when he knocked the ball down on the bogus PI.

What Butler does wrong is that he doesn't read body position and footing correctly. That's why he blew by Edwards on the second PI. Butler is OUT OF POSITION. I have no qualms at all about his ball skills. As an ex-2 way player, he has excellent hands, fantastic leaping ability, and as he showed at the combine, great ability to track a ball.

This is the STRENGTH of his game. Weakness? Reading receivers.

I think this is why people see him as an ideal zone type guy. Remember Terrell Buckley? Butler is right now in Buckley's category, and we hope he develops far beyond that, but that remains to be seen. He needs to improve his positioning against receivers.

I have absolutely no qualms about his ball skills.

In terms of deficiencies, Butler is the polar opposite of Wilhite. if you could combine Wilhite and Butler, you would have all an All-Pro CB.

 

[upstater1]

The jets focused on him as a weak link in the second half. How many penalty yards does he give up on that scoring drive.
Sanchez looks up. Sees the man Butler (Edwards in most case) is on. Throws.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. no way he does it with Bodden on the field. No I'm not saying we have to replace him as a starter. we do however, have to have a plan B when teams are going after him.

If it's the PI that bugs you what about the fact that he perfectly played the pass on the first PI he received. Belichick was a bit mad over that call since Butler made the play right in front of him.

First, I acknowledge that Butler had a bad game. But people are overblowing this. Why did Sanchez throw his way 7 times? Well, he was on Edwards. Holmes isn't out there on the opposite side. Cotchery is. That's why Sanchez was going to the #1 receiver on the field. He also threw at McCourty a few times. I'm not blasting McCourty, not at all, but Sanchez threw 2 passes for TDs against McCourty.

 

[resdubwhite]

If it's the PI that bugs you what about the fact that he perfectly played the pass on the first PI he received. Belichick was a bit mad over that call since Butler made the play right in front of him.

First, I acknowledge that Butler had a bad game. But people are overblowing this. Why did Sanchez throw his way 7 times? Well, he was on Edwards. Holmes isn't out there on the opposite side. Cotchery is. That's why Sanchez was going to the #1 receiver on the field. He also threw at McCourty a few times. I'm not blasting McCourty, not at all, but Sanchez threw 2 passes for TDs against McCourty.

Duly noted.

I will say though that it would help him no end if indeed there was someone there to spot a few plays.

Heck, maybe he gets lucky and has a pick six one day to turn it around. As it stands I hope he settles down and becomes a solid player for the organisation.

 

[WhiteWesWelker88]

CB's are safer draft bets..... no big deal.

With our 3-4 defense it is difficult to predict if college LB's in a 4-3 can translate to our system. The college 3-4 is all but dead it seems.
the 3-4 pool of talent is shrinking b/c of higher demand and the overall lack of use in the NCAA.



also more NFL teams implementing 3-4 schemes hurts the overall prospect pool.... The Patriots were one of of the few using it...... Now the scheme is all over the league .


CB's drafted high are not a concern.

 

[captain stone]

Wheatley will be back soon, he was looking good in camp.

He was looking better than he had in '08 & '09, but do we really ever know when - or if - he'll return, and in what condition? I'm not holding my breath in anticipation.