McCourty at Safety!

[PATSYLICIOUS]

I'd rather hold out hope on him regaining last year's form or finding a FS that he works better with. A bonafide #1 CB is much more valuable to us IMO. Plus Moore also looks good.

 

[deroc5050]

I would rather see him at DB. I did not think he was that good at Safety, not to mention it's way too late at this point of the game to risk a new position with Playoffs around the corner.

I don't know they seemed to play much better when they made the switch.. Some of that was on fitzpatrick under throwing his long balls. But after the first 3 scoring drives by the bills, the defense played better over all. It cant get that much worse..

 

[Patriot Missile]

It's hard to pin point McCourty's slump this season. Injuries have been a factor I'm sure. His inability to play man has been tough to watch this season as well as not turning his head to find the ball. I'm wondering if this can be fixed or not? He certainly had the instincts last year so I'd assume they just don't go away.

He looked great today at safety with the exception of a couple of plays. When he can keep the receiver in front of him he's a stud. Interesting scenario playing out here. Wonder if it continues?

 

[Ring 6]

I don't know they seemed to play much better when they made the switch.. Some of that was on fitzpatrick under throwing his long balls. But after the first 3 scoring drives by the bills, the defense played better over all. It cant get that much worse..

On the other hand since they shut them out AND forced 4 turnovers it couldn't get much better either.
Opinion on this defense has a lot to do with whether you see the glass half full or half empty, as well as whether you look at cumulative statistics or consider situations.

 

[Ring 6]

It's hard to pin point McCourty's slump this season. Injuries have been a factor I'm sure. His inability to play man has been tough to watch this season as well as not turning his head to find the ball. I'm wondering if this can be fixed or not? He certainly had the instincts last year so I'd assume they just don't go away.

He looked great today at safety with the exception of a couple of plays. When he can keep the receiver in front of him he's a stud. Interesting scenario playing out here. Wonder if it continues?

Really, McCourty has played a lot better overall than people give him credit for.
He has struggled basically in one area, the deep pass down the sideline. Ironically, that was how he got most of his Ints last year.
He has done a good job with all of the other responsibilities in this defense, but the area he struggled with is the one that is most noticable. No one sees the good coverage that doesn't result in a throw to his man or area.
I tend to think there is an injury contributing because what we are seeing is the deep sideline route being thrown as often as last year, but last year he was baiting the QB into the throw, LOOKING beat, while this year he is beaten.
I have lost zero confidence in the long term prospects of McCourty as our #1 corner this season. I wish he didn't have this issue, but I seriously doubt it will linger.

 

[Ring 6]

I'd rather hold out hope on him regaining last year's form or finding a FS that he works better with. A bonafide #1 CB is much more valuable to us IMO. Plus Moore also looks good.

It may be a matter of that right now, with this secondary, he is more valuable at safety.

 

[Haley]

I've never missed Merriweather but I am starting to miss Bodden now that we're potentially moving McCourty.

Also, I don't really understand why Moulden is getting so many snaps. And Edelman was good in the slot I thought.

Things did look pretty good out there today once we got past that ugly first quarter.

 

[Big-T]

A ball hawking safety is not only what this team needs, but it's something that can make an average defense look good. McCourty plays better when the game is played in front of him so he's perfectly suited to play that role on the team.

Next season it should work out better because you get Dowling back who is built like a #1 CB, but for the playoffs this year if Arrington and whoever plays on the other side, be it Molden or Moore - if they can just keep their receivers in check and not give them easy catches, the improvement at safety with McCourty & Chung instead of Dig & Brown will make the defense look a lot better than it has done all season, and today showed (after the first quarter) they can be dominant (albeit against the Bills)

 

[crowell33]

A ball hawking safety is not only what this team needs, but it's something that can make an average defense look good. McCourty plays better when the game is played in front of him so he's perfectly suited to play that role on the team.

Next season it should work out better because you get Dowling back who is built like a #1 CB, but for the playoffs this year if Arrington and whoever plays on the other side, be it Molden or Moore - if they can just keep their receivers in check and not give them easy catches, the improvement at safety with McCourty & Chung instead of Dig & Brown will make the defense look a lot better than it has done all season, and today showed (after the first quarter) they can be dominant (albeit against the Bills)

Agreed. McCourty is also an excellent tackler. I thought the last 3 quarters was the best the secondary has looked this year even without Carter there to add QB pressure.

 

[oldrover]

Eugene Wilson stunk at CB, but was a darn good safety for the 2nd and 3rd championships when he had an enforcer for a mentor. And Chung is now back. The defense played well after the first quarter. Why wouldn't you stick with McCourty at safety? Nothing else has worked.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Really, McCourty has played a lot better overall than people give him credit for.
He has struggled basically in one area, the deep pass down the sideline. Ironically, that was how he got most of his Ints last year.
He has done a good job with all of the other responsibilities in this defense, but the area he struggled with is the one that is most noticable. No one sees the good coverage that doesn't result in a throw to his man or area.
I tend to think there is an injury contributing because what we are seeing is the deep sideline route being thrown as often as last year, but last year he was baiting the QB into the throw, LOOKING beat, while this year he is beaten.
I have lost zero confidence in the long term prospects of McCourty as our #1 corner this season. I wish he didn't have this issue, but I seriously doubt it will linger.

Andy, smoking that fine stuff is still illegal, my man

 

[Ring 6]

Andy, smoking that fine stuff is still illegal, my man

Smoking nothing, just not caught up in the apparently enjoyable phenomenon of isolating a handful of plays and calling it the overall performance of the player.
McCourty experienced one issue this year that was not an issue last year at all, and I have every bit of confidence it will get addressed.
Give him last years perfornance on about 6-8 plays this year and he had a very similar season. I understand that many fans take bad plays way too personally to see through that, but I do not.

 

[Rob0729]

Although I am not giving up on McCourty returning to his rookie form next year at CB, he does have the skills to be an excellent FS/split safety. He is a good tackler and strong against the run.

I still think the little we saw on Ras-I Dowling, he could be a very good CB in this league. If he is, the Pats will have all but one CB position sewn up in this scenario for the future.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It may be a matter of that right now, with this secondary, he is more valuable at safety.

I don't know if he is. In this case, either Molden or Moore would be our #2 CB are you sure that's what you want instead of just keeping Moore at FS?

Besides he hasn't even played a full game at safety, we can't be so sure that he is the answer at FS although he appears to be a fit. He played the entire 2010 season as an apparent stud at CB.

 

[buile]

It looks like the MAJOR momentum switch occurred when McCourty switched to Safety.

I'm not savvy enough to know, and I only had the radio call; but, Zolak mentioned McCourty was already playing safety through the Bills' first couple scoring possessions. So, maybe he wasn't the lone reason for the turnaround. The other tidbit Zo mentioned after 14-0 was NE was playing the Bills' receivers physically -- 10 guys at the line in bump-and-run coverage. The Bills' receivers were beating them at the physical game, and he emphasized NE had better change their tactics quick.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't know if he is. In this case, either Molden or Moore would be our #2 CB are you sure that's what you want instead of just keeping Moore at FS?

Besides he hasn't even played a full game at safety, we can't be so sure that he is the answer at FS although he appears to be a fit. He played the entire 2010 season as an apparent stud at CB.

I wasn't endorsing the idea, just adding a possible perspective.

 

[ahmed]

I don't know if he is. In this case, either Molden or Moore would be our #2 CB are you sure that's what you want instead of just keeping Moore at FS?

Besides he hasn't even played a full game at safety, we can't be so sure that he is the answer at FS although he appears to be a fit. He played the entire 2010 season as an apparent stud at CB.

I agree, McCourty is better than any other CB excluding Arrington. CB mistakes are usually a lot more costly than S mistakes so I would rather have him at CB.

 

[groundgame]

Agreed. McCourty is also an excellent tackler. I thought the last 3 quarters was the best the secondary has looked this year even without Carter there to add QB pressure.

McCourty is so excellent he grades out to a D+ for the year.

 

[crowell33]

McCourty is so excellent he grades out to a D+ for the year.

I wasn't defending McCourty's CB play this season. I was merely stating that as cornerbacks go, McCourty is a well above average tackler enhancing his chances of being a successful safety. Just my opinion, but while I was surprised that McCourty graded as high as "a D+" this season at CB, for a guy playing a new position, I thought he played well today at safety.

 

[groundgame]

I wasn't defending McCourty's CB play this season. I was merely stating that as cornerbacks go, McCourty is a well above average tackler enhancing his chances of being a successful safety. Just my opinion, but while I was surprised that McCourty graded as high as "a D+" this season at CB, for a guy playing a new position, I thought he played well today at safety.

Good point on McCourty's tackling skills.