Spikes!

[TimU]

A couple of thoughtful tape-watchers saw Brandon Spikes as the Pats' best player on Sunday:

Re-Focused: Cowboys @ Patriots, Week 6 | ProFootballFocus.com

Five keys redux: Cowboys at Patriots, and other notes - Extra Points - Boston.com


I continue to think he will emerge as the team's top defensive playmaker before too long.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Top defensive playmaker?
Better than Mayo?
Better than Wilfork?
I say not.
Were he to develop as simply a quality NFL MLB I'd be very pleased.
He's on track.

 

[BritPat]

I'd disregard any opinion from PFF. Their stats are pretty good, but the grading process sucks.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Brandon was playing pretty good last year until his 4 game suspension. Reports were he got a little out of shape on suspension and wasn't the same once he came back. I remember that INT against the Jesters on MNF. Great depth on drop. Good hands. Has usually played the run very well. No off-season, injury and short camp were part of the reasons for his slow start. He's no Mayo. But, he's a good player. There are going to be plays where he's isolated in coverage and gets beat. Happens to most big lb's. Let's just not act like he's a bum when that happens.

 

[satz]

He is what he is. another example of BB giving him a game plan to play inside the tackle box and not expose him in space.

he was rushing the center or blitzing up .He also played some shallow zone. as soon as you keep him from the middle you are fine . that is what we saw.

it was good guyton is good in space as they complimented each other.
Ninkovich did a awesome job on the TE especially witten.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

For two weeks in a row the Pats faced teams with good and then excellent TEs. No small feat to have limited the damage from Sanchez's binky outlet and All-League clutch Witten. OK, I'm sure BB made taking those key players out a priority in coverage, but a well done is in order to all involved in the coverages.

 

[Simkin]

Spikes sticks! Sounds good. Great tackler, but IMO he is really bad in coverage... Not worse than Guyton tho.I don't get what BB sees in GG

 

[Simkin]

BTW Ithink he is not suited to be a playmaker. A great contributor, yeah .A playmaker, a guy that change the game or the opposite team playbook, I think he can't. That's Vince.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I thought that Spikes could be a Ted Johnson type player when he was in the draft. That is why I wanted the Patriots to draft him.

If he can be near TJ in his prime, he will be a valuable player for the Patriots.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

#Powwwwwww!

 

[PushnPencils]

Mayo is a great tackler and solid football player but he does not have Spike's instincts or playmaking potential. In my opinion, Spikes' issue is he rides an emotional rollercoaster week to week. When he's up...he plays well...when he's down...he disappears.

 

[Don Kipines]

Not sure I agree that Mayo doesn't have the same playmaking potential Spikes has, but what Spikes does offer that Mayo can't is a little extra physical attitude. There were a couple of plays late in the last game where Spikes ran through Costa like he wasn't even there (especially the second down play on Dallas's big three-and-out before our winning drive), and there was a play in the first half when Romo ran backwards into Andre Carter when he saw Spikes blowing up Tashard Choice. It seemed like he was making stops or driving plays sideways the whole game. Sending him on all of those blitzes really changed the Pats' look -- they just seemed to be dictating the action a lot more than in previous games.

By the way, did anyone else notice Anquan Molden's touchdown-saving tackle on Choice in the third quarter? This was after Carter's second sack, on the 3rd and goal from the 18 play. Romo throws a screen and about six Pats miss tackles -- if Molden doesn't wrap him at the 4, it's a TD. Surprised it hasn't been mentioned more.

 

[Holy Diver]

Is this the same Spikes that certain reporters were claiming hated the Patriots?

couldn't be the same guy...

 

[Marqui]

Not bad for a guy who was being "phased out in favor of Fletcher".

 

[ay-yo]

Spikes' issue is he rides an emotional rollercoaster week to week. When he's up...he plays well...when he's down...he disappears.

You base this off what? Twitter? Don't state opinion as fact. How would you even know that spikes was having a good emotional week going into the Dallas game if what you claim is true?

 

[TheSolderKing]

Is this the same Spikes that certain reporters were claiming hated the Patriots?

couldn't be the same guy...

it's the same reporters that drank beer in the "dugout" w/ the Sox it is the same reporters that said Ocho was basically on his way out of NE... didn't these reporters (oh nvm) it's Boston they always jump on something and try to make ita BIG Deal (they are most always Wrong and they Sport a BA Lower than Carl Crawford's 2011 line

Reporter's geezus:bricks:

 

[jsull87]

I personally think mayo and spikes compliment each other beautifully. Ones a big bruiser (touted as slow) but with great football instincts and a nack of coming up big when needed to be physical.

Other is an athletic freak who is all over the field in pass and run coverage who is growing into a complete linebacker. But has been critisized in the past for not making the big play e.g spikes last year v jets in the red zone and spikes this year v cowboys in the red zone. (i know mayo has made big playes this year before anyone jumps on me i am just saying he has been critisized for not doing so consistently)

 

[PushnPencils]

You base this off what? Twitter? Don't state opinion as fact. How would you even know that spikes was having a good emotional week going into the Dallas game if what you claim is true?

Fixed my post for you slugger.

 

[PatsBoy12]

I love Spikes and think he's going to prove a lot of people wrong about him not being a playmaker.

 

[Kasmir]

In my opinion, Spikes' issue is he rides an emotional rollercoaster week to week. When he's up...he plays well...when he's down...he disappears.

The big difference with Spikes last Sunday was schematic: he was on the field a lot more than he ever has been before, including on passing downs, and was used very effectively in stunts and blitzes. It's just not credible that Belichick changed his game plan base on Spike's emotional state. Belichick is a notorious game planner, so Spikes could indeed "disappear" from your view again vs Pittsburgh, but that would be as a result of game planning rather than Spike's emotional state.

I *do* think something *did* change for Belichick to convince him for the first time to scheme featuring Spikes; perhaps Spikes is more healthy, perhaps he's been showing promise progressively in practice.

In any case it's hugely encouraging to see a stunting/blitzing Spikes having an impact in passing situations as well as running. It was a hard to tell on television, but it even seemed his coverage was better. As several folks have remarked, Spikes has good instincts and decent hands, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him get an int or two if he continues to get playing time in passing situations...