Unathletic LB's

[PatsMan26]

We will need a strong defensive game plan this week to mask the unathleticism we have at linebacker. Tomlinson out of the backfield and Gates are going to pose serious problems for our linebackers. Bruschi and Vrabel are smart players who have always gotten the job done when it comes down to it but they are slow as Molasses. Either one of them one on one with Gates or Tomlinson spells trouble. We have gotten away with not drafting athletic linebackers the past few years, hopefully that will continue this week but it is going to be tough.

 

[MrTibbs]

Agreed. That is my fear as well. I can see the Chargers making the Patriots LB's defend Tomlinson and Gates. In either case it's a serious mismatch.

 

[nickelbolt]

Here's a set they're sure to see...
Tomlinson split wide, gates inside, Vincent Jackson in the slot, Eric Parker @ WR, Michael Turner at TB.

Vincent Jackson is a burner and nearly as big as Gates. It's gonna be interesting to watch how Cam Cameron executes his gameplan.

Because as much as Marty vs. Belichick will be the story... this game is going to be called offensively by Cam Cameron... as it has been all year.

I like our chances. But the Patriots were the one team I was concerned with playing.

 

[cstjohn17]

We will need a strong defensive game plan this week to mask the unathleticism we have at linebacker. Tomlinson out of the backfield and Gates are going to pose serious problems for our linebackers. Bruschi and Vrabel are smart players who have always gotten the job done when it comes down to it but they are slow as Molasses. Either one of them one on one with Gates or Tomlinson spells trouble. We have gotten away with not drafting athletic linebackers the past few years, hopefully that will continue this week but it is going to be tough.

I will take savy and experience over athleticism any day of the week. I have beating drum for some young LBs for years but yesterday was a great example of why football sense is more important. Monty Beisel was a good athelete, Michael Vick is a great athelete... I would rather have Bruschi and Brady.

There was a play yesterday I watched about 5 times. I was blown away by how smart Vrabel was. He started inside, moved to the slot, re-routed a receiver and then ran all the way across the field to be in position to tackle Coles short of a first down. (I think it the play in bold below)

Vrabel is 6'4 , 260 and in college ran a 4.8, I don't think he has gotten any faster but he really understands the game. A lesser player would have chased the WR down the field like a dog and a frisbee.

Sunday's game will come down to execution.


NY Jets - 7:47
1st-10, NYJ30 7:47 L. Washington rushed up the middle for no gain
2nd-10, NYJ30 7:07 C. Pennington passed to L. Washington to the left for 11 yard gain
1st-10, NYJ41 6:20 C. Pennington incomplete pass to the right
2nd-10, NYJ41 6:12 L. Washington rushed up the middle for 1 yard gain. NE committed 15 yard penalty
1st-10, NE43 5:45 C. Pennington incomplete pass to the left
2nd-10, NE43 5:39 P. Ramsey passed to B. Askew to the right for 1 yard loss
3rd-11, NE44 4:56 C. Pennington passed to L. Coles to the left for 8 yard gain
4th-3, NE36 4:11 B. Graham punt, no return

 

[patsfan13]

In the 3-4 the key is gap discipline not speed. We have the smartest team in the league. I like our chances if the SD team is anywhere near as ****y as their fans they will get killed. I wonder if they believe their own press clippings?

 

[nickelbolt]

In the 3-4 the key is gap discipline not speed. We have the smartest team in the league. I like our chances if the SD team is anywhere near as ****y as their fans they will get killed. I wonder if they believe their own press clippings?

The answer is no. The players have their heads on straight, unlike many of our fans. I have the utmost respect for the Patriots. But like Lorenzo Neal said... "If you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best." I consider the Pats the best team of the current decade. But I've seen things from this Chargers team that I haven't seen in my 30 years following them.

My feeling is this: If the Chargers can't win the Superbowl with this team... they never will. They are THAT talented. You can bet they have nothing but the highest regard for the Patriots... which is why they'll be focused, determined, and will play their best game of the year.

So while the fans are c()cky as hell, the players will be taking this game as if they're the underdogs. Because by game time, 90% of all "experts" will be picking the Patriots to win... despite whatever odds the bookies are throwing out there.

 

[PatsMan26]

Here's a set they're sure to see...
Tomlinson split wide, gates inside, Vincent Jackson in the slot, Eric Parker @ WR, Michael Turner at TB.

Vincent Jackson is a burner and nearly as big as Gates. It's gonna be interesting to watch how Cam Cameron executes his gameplan.

Because as much as Marty vs. Belichick will be the story... this game is going to be called offensively by Cam Cameron... as it has been all year.

I like our chances. But the Patriots were the one team I was concerned with playing.

Everything you said is true with the exception of Vince being a burner. He is fast for his size but calling him a burner is a stretch. Watching him play at UNC for four years i never saw him blow to many people away with pure speed.

 

[tedy hagler]

Tomlinson is a tough matchup for any linebacker: too fast for big guys and too strong for speed merchants. But I don't agree that Vrabel and Bruchsi are "unathletic". Vrabel is a big backer who has a quick first step (not elite top end speed) for such a big body, long arms to shed blockers, and pure football smarts. Bruchsi moves well laterally, and just is always in position to make plays.

I see the Patriots making LaDanian work extremely hard for his 90-110 yards and trying to disrupt him at the line in the passing game (more of a Banta Cain and Colvin duty, ala the mugging McGinest did Marchall Faulk in 2001).

If only Rodney was playing: the return to San Diego might inspire him to actually decapitate a Charger running back.

 

[nickelbolt]

Everything you said is true with the exception of Vince being a burner. He is fast for his size but calling him a burner is a stretch. Watching him play at UNC for four years i never saw him blow to many people away with pure speed.

That was my point... big as a tight end, but much faster. He always seems to be the guy getting open deep. And he catches everything thrown at him. It's gonna be a tough matchup for the LBs or Safeties.

 

[FloridaPatsFan]

Not trying to be the devils advocate here but I disagree completely with the opinion that Vrabel, Rosie, Bruschi and TBC are not athletic.

To the contrary I believe they are incredible athletic.

Vrabel is a good enough athlete that as a LB he has more TD receptions than some pretty good WR's in the past few years.

Bruschi is an athletic freak. He was a DE in college...set the NCAA division 1 record for sacks and we moved him to LB and he has been unbelievable. Some of his interceptions are jaw-dropping. He's caught lasers 20 feet from the LOS and held on with gloves that have padding for protection...not WR's gloves.

Rosie Colvin has freakish speed. Some of his sacks this year came on delayed blitzes where he covered ground so quick the QB's looked like deer in the headlights.

TBC has some proving to do but since he has played regularly...he has made one great play after another. I love this guy.

Sorry if you don't agree but I see our LB's as some of the better LB's athletically speaking in the league in the last 5 years IMHO.

 

[SVN]

Not trying to be the devils advocate here but I disagree completely with the opinion that Vrabel, Rosie, Bruschi and TBC are not athletic.

To the contrary I believe they are incredible athletic.

Vrabel is a good enough athlete that as a LB he has more TD receptions than some pretty good WR's in the past few years.

Bruschi is an athletic freak. He was a DE in college...set the NCAA division 1 record for sacks and we moved him to LB and he has been unbelievable. Some of his interceptions are jaw-dropping. He's caught lasers 20 feet from the LOS and held on with gloves that have padding for protection...not WR's gloves.

Rosie Colvin has freakish speed. Some of his sacks this year came on delayed blitzes where he covered ground so quick the QB's looked like deer in the headlights.

TBC has some proving to do but since he has played regularly...he has made one great play after another. I love this guy.

Sorry if you don't agree but I see our LB's as some of the better LB's athletically speaking in the league in the last 5 years IMHO.

i dont think bruschi is the same player as in the past...he may have been great in college and even past yrs ..but sadly he is not the same player this yr and believe me i like him a lot...

 

[FloridaPatsFan]

i dont think bruschi is the same player as in the past...he may have been great in college and even past yrs ..but sadly he is not the same player this yr and believe me i like him a lot...

Granted...I know he's lost a step but he still is doing a great job...I'm sure if a ball runner gets in Tedy's sights he's not thinking "oh good, its only Bruschi".

 

[maddmann]

id watch out for LT's stiff arm

 

[FloridaPatsFan]

id watch out for LT's stiff arm

I bet a lot of our LB's and DB's have seen it in practice with Maroney

 

[AzPatsFan]

This Bolts team is good. But its not perfect no matter how you Bolts fan think so.

There are weaknesses:

You're playing a rookie OLT
You're playing a mediocre RT
You're playing power Guards not pulling Guards
You're playing smallish inside LBs
You're playing secondary players whose clippings outweigh their play
You're possesion receiver has gone over the hill
You 're missing a competent possesion receiver.

Some of these might not be weaknesses as much as attributes that can be exploited. Of such are game plans built.

 

[SVN]

Granted...I know he's lost a step but he still is doing a great job...I'm sure if a ball runner gets in Tedy's sights he's not thinking "oh good, its only Bruschi".

watch the jax game...maurice drew ran over him...maybe folks like Box and Pats1 who break down film week after week can be more accurate but he has been avg this yr IMO..i hope iam wrong. of course the leadership he provides is unquestioned and valuable but not the same physical player..in fact i read in si.com also today
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/01/07/snap.judgments/1.html

Whatever happened to Tedy Bruschi? The Patriots middle linebacker might still be an inspirational presence in the middle of New England's defense, but he hasn't made a play in about three months. Mike Vrabel is the Pats' finest linebacker, and people who know football realize it's not even close.

of course this statemnet may be over the top but its not entirely in accurate

 

[FloridaPatsFan]

watch the jax game...maurice drew ran over him...maybe folks like Box and Pats1 who break down film week after week can be more accurate but he has been avg this yr IMO..i hope iam wrong. of course the leadership he provides is unquestioned and valuable but not the same physical player..in fact i read in si.com also today
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/01/07/snap.judgments/1.html

of course this statemnet may be over the top but its not entirely in accurate

I have a feeling that Maurice Jones-Drew will be running over LB's alot in the next few years.

Hopefully Tedy will read that SI article this week....and show a few "Experts" that he ain't done yet. I, for one, still believe that he has it in him.

 

[Mike the Brit]

watch the jax game...maurice drew ran over him...

Actually ran under him, more like! Drew was a problem for everyone this year.

I accept that Tedy hasn't been the fearsome playmaker of other years, but he has had injury problems -- and the record of the team against runs inside this year (even after Junior's sad departure) has been great. It's runs to the outside and passes to LT that challenge the tackling of the secondary that have me more worried. I wish we had Rodney there.

 

[maddmann]

I bet a lot of our LB's and DB's have seen it in practice with Maroney

theres no Stiff arm like LT's

 

[FloridaPatsFan]

Actually ran under him, more like! Drew was a problem for everyone this year.

I accept that Tedy hasn't been the fearsome playmaker of other years, but he has had injury problems -- and the record of the team against runs inside this year (even after Junior's sad departure) has been great. It's runs to the outside and passes to LT that challenge the tackling of the secondary that have me more worried. I wish we had Rodney there.

I doubt Rodney will play this weekend but the game sunday is what Rodney Harrison was born for......