Congratulations to Darius Butler and Whoever the Hell Coached Him Up

[shmessy]

GREAT reclamation project.

The kid has shown great improvement the past 3 weeks and was simply lights out today.

Tough times make tough people and this is a wonderful story (and GREAT for our secondary depth).

 

[DaBruinz]

Not sure how you can call him a reclamation project when he's only a 2nd year player.. But, that being said, He has done a helluva job the last few weeks..

 

[shmessy]

Not sure how you can call him a reclamation project when he's only a 2nd year player.. But, that being said, He has done a helluva job the last few weeks..

C'mon Dabruinz - - he was buried after the third game of the season and was sent back to remedial class. They replaced him with a UDFA (who played out of his mind, himself) who had previously been strictly a special teams player. He barely saw the field for the next 10 weeks. It was a huge comeuppance.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Pretty good game. If he could learn to turn for the ball the way McCourty has he'll be very good. I'm still high on the guy -- only in his second year, after all, in a position that takes time to learn.

 

[billdog3484]

definitely has played better. lets hope he continues to improve

 

[convertedpatsfan]

C'mon Dabruinz - - he was buried after the third game of the season and was sent back to remedial class.

I always thought he was unfairly blamed after that Jets game. He struggled, no doubt, but so did McCourty in that game. But he's still too young to give up on.

He played well today. I wish he would turn his head around a bit quicker, as he had a few opportunities to make some picks. But yeah, playing much better than at the beginning of the year.

Arrington struggled today though. I wonder if Butler will overtake him at some point. Good to see him at least playing well enough to discuss though.

 

[sevengables_2207]

This is excellent news. If his play continues to improve, then we will have three solid corners next year when Bodden comes back.

 

[reflexblue]

I think he lost his confidence and needed to regain it, he played very well in his rookie season.

 

[DaBruinz]

C'mon Dabruinz - - he was buried after the third game of the season and was sent back to remedial class. They replaced him with a UDFA (who played out of his mind, himself) who had previously been strictly a special teams player. He barely saw the field for the next 10 weeks. It was a huge comeuppance.

Again. He's a 2nd year player. You can exaggerate it all you want, but it doesn't change that fact.

 

[shmessy]

Again. He's a 2nd year player. You can exaggerate it all you want, but it doesn't change that fact.

OK, Dabruinz, he's been fine all along and hasn't made great strides coming from being buried on the bench.

Happy New Year.

 

[sevengables_2207]

Sorry about excluding Arrington. Four solid corners for sure.

 

[Joker]

I think he lost his confidence and needed to regain it, he played very well in his rookie season.

I feel the same way...got his confidence back in practice and probably got the confidence of the staff

 

[reflexblue]

I feel the same way...got his confidence back in practice and probably got the confidence of the staff

Good point, it goes both ways.

 

[fthft]

even as*holes smell pretty sometimes

 

[DaBruinz]

OK, Dabruinz, he's been fine all along and hasn't made great strides coming from being buried on the bench.

Happy New Year.

Again, why the exaggerations? Where did I say he was "fine all along"??

I'm sorry that you claiming he was a "reclamation project" makes it sound like he was a POS that had never done anything good in his short career.

In MY opinion, Butler had made good strides last year. Yes, he faultered early on and slid down the depth chart. But, again, he is a 2nd year player and there are always growing pains. It's not like he was jettisoned, was working as a groundskeeper for his alma mater for 8 weeks and got the call to come back. Butler was on the team, working to improve and working to regain his confidence. Which he has clearly done.

I don't know what Butler's top end it. It could just be that of a Slot Corner or it could be the RCB opposite McCourty. Who knows..

As for Arrington's status, he was one of the most sought after UDFA. The Pats put claims in on him more than once last year before finally getting him. And they made sure he stuck. And he made sure he stuck. That doesn't make Arrignton's skill any less. What Arrington did was use his confidence from Special Teams to propel him and help him learn the defense better. And it's hard to argue with the great success Arrington has been on Special Teams.

 

[Anj]

This is a thread I've been waiting for since that first Jets game. I am so happy that he is starting to mature as a player and make contributions.

I hope he continues on this track, play well in the playoffs and secure us a solid nickel corner.

 

[tobias funke]

I also disagree with the idea that Butler is a "reclamation project". He was essentially forced into starting duty last season as a rookie, and did a decent job of it. If there were capable players behind him on the roster, maybe he wouldn't have had to play so much, although the experience was surely good for him.

Now that he's not one of the best CBs on the roster, it makes him look worse for not getting on the field much for parts of this season.

I'd call it a young guy who had a slight setback in a promising career before I'd call him a "reclamation project".

 

[r3pnit]

i follow him on twitter, hes thankful for all the support and knows he been playing better but continues to need the support, it seems all the rookies and young players are going out in Rochester, NY tonight

 

[PatsFanStnfrd]

Butler was outstanding today. His challenge is to show consistent high level performance.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Butler was outstanding today. His challenge is to show consistent high level performance.

Agreed. If anything it was a good confidence game for him. Not to nit-pick too badly but if he turned around a half a second sooner on a PD, he would have had a pick. Oh well.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Arrington has a tough day. I still think the kids has had a fine season, but he gave up a couple of long passes today.