The emergence of Sterling Moore

[supafly]

I think he should play full-time CB in place of McCourty, not just in subs.

He's earned that right at this point, and has shown us all something throughout the season, really since his first start on MNF.

He has quick hands, good coverage skills, gives a damn near perfect amount of cushion, and most importantly---he looks back for the ball and tries to make a play. On top of all that, he may actually even tackle better than McCourty, at least the 2011 version of McCourty anyway.

While most will not agree (at all), I think he has the potential to be the most all around complete CB on the team. Arrington is okay, but his stats are very inflated due to many tipped balls. I think Arrington is certainly very talented, but just not as good as many think.

Sterling Moore has made many big time plays in the past few games, and the obvious one today (actually two in a row) may have saved the season.

What is the consensus of the fellow Patsfans posters?

Moore as a full-time CB in place of McCourty, or no? I feel much better in the nickle package with Moore, Arrington, and Edelman at CB, and McCourty and Chung at safety.

Also interested in other thoughts about the secondary, and how we can hopefully keep the NYG's top 3 WR's to more of a minimum, along with Ballard.

 

[oldskool138]

He made one awesome play (that apparently he didn't know the defensive call on) and one horrible one.

I wouldn't say he "emerged". Not after this past game.

 

[andrewgarrr]

Nicks, Cruz, and Manningham.

I'm thinking we'll see a lot of Moore as the nickel CB next game.

 

[supafly]

Nicks, Cruz, and Manningham.

I'm thinking we'll see a lot of Moore as the nickel CB next game.

With who taking McCourty's place?

Or are you saying that McCourty won't move to safety in subs?

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

There is no doubt he should play opposite Arrington with McCourty and Chung at Safety.

I have seen him makes plays in each and every game he has been in.

It is still a small sample and he is a rookie and we saw a major decline in McCourty in his second year...but still this kid looks like a special athlete and is right up there with some of our draft picks in terms of talent.

Belichick would have to be nuts to even think about cutting this kid again because next time,he won't be available to pick up the phone and get back on the team,he will be gone to another team.

This kid is not Ventrone....a one time cut is enough

 

[ALP]

moore is good i like him....

but Devin maybe the best tackler in the secondary, he would have dropped Smith on that screen pass, not let him go 17 yds for the TD....

lets not make him the second coming simply because evans doesnt know how to hold on to a football


i hope mccourty is back to 2010 form next season, and arrington is better than you think...he of course lets up 2-4 completions a game, but the other guy gets paid too, and hes a ball hawk

moulden seems OK, but i think when the guy we drafted this past season (name escapes me atm) comes back, he will be extremely good too, which will give us 4 cb's that are either #1 or #2 in any team...

we just need to find a REAL S to put next to chung

 

[patsox23]

ridiculous. more bad plays than good.

 

[supafly]

He made one awesome play (that apparently he didn't know the defensive call on) and one horrible one.

I wouldn't say he "emerged". Not after this past game.

The play that pretty much saved the game, and the season.

Then he came back on the very next play and made a nice play on that one too, on a crucial 3rd down to force the missed FG try. Great way to bat the ball down.

Besides one sideline route where the ball was placed perfectly and he had good coverage, what did you see that he did not do well? I also saw somewhat of a missed tackle, but McCourty chalks those up all game, every game like no one's business.

Moore just had that game where he made TWO great reads on those INT's, returning one for a TD a couple/few games ago, and has really shown us all something since his very first game.

After being cut earlier in the year, everyone had their "WTF" threads about it, and all he's done is shown up 10x more.

I'm going to respectfully disagree here.

 

[oldskool138]

The play that pretty much saved the game, and the season.

One great play does not an emergence make.

Nice player but it's really too soon (or perhaps too late this year considering there's only one more game to play) to say he's emerged.

 

[supafly]

ridiculous. more bad plays than good.

Obviously you did not like the missed tackle on the Torrey Smith play for a TD, but I'm talking about his coverage skills.

Can you give some examples of something that maybe I didn't catch?

I think his tendency to play the ball has been great. The 2 INT's he made a couple of games ago were very nice, and he has looked more than servicable.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

ridiculous. more bad plays than good.

Of course he is going to look bad at times,this is a rookie in a playoff game but he looked better than Molden for example who is a seasoned veteran.

 

[supafly]

One great play does not an emergence make.

Nice player but it's really too soon (or perhaps too late this year considering there's only one more game to play) to say he's emerged.

It's not one great play though. He also made the next play on 3rd down to force the game missing FG.

We just saw him make 2 sweet picks a couple of weeks ago, and another on MNF.

He's certainly looked better than McCourty at CB this yr, no doubt about that. McCourty got beat all year on a very consistent basis, Moore has not.

 

[supafly]

Of course he is going to look bad at times,this is a rookie in a playoff game but he looked better than Molden for example who is a seasoned veteran.

Moore has looked about 5x better than Molden has at any time this yr.

 

[supafly]

One great play does not an emergence make.

Nice player but it's really too soon (or perhaps too late this year considering there's only one more game to play) to say he's emerged.

Also NFL rookie of the week this yr too, after the BUF game.


On top of that, he was our practice squad player of the week 2 times (I know, a much lesser accomplishment, but still good to see).

 

[patsfan06]

He should play any time over Arrington. Arrington is terrible. By far the worst CB on this team. If it wasn't for the picks, he would probably be cut.

The Ravens picked on him over and over again. Pretty much every catch besides the Torry Smith bomb in the first half which was a miscommunication with McCourty at safety, was at Arrington and than Edelman in the 4th.

Enough is enough with Arrington. He sucks.

 

[PatsFan24]

Time to order a Sterling Moore jersey!

 

[supafly]

He should play any time over Arrington. Arrington is terrible. By far the worst CB on this team. If it wasn't for the picks, he would probably be cut.

The Ravens picked on him over and over again. Pretty much every catch besides the Torry Smith bomb in the first half which was a miscommunication with McCourty at safety, was at Arrington and than Edelman in the 4th.

Enough is enough with Arrington. He sucks.

Well, I'm not sure I would take it that far personally, but I definitely agree with you that he is not a #1 CB that a lot of people think he is.

He has lucked out on a number of tipped balls leading to INT's this yr.

That said, I do think he has the capacity to do just fine as the #2 or #3 CB, but I still want some much needed improvement next yr at the same time.

He had decent numbers about halfway through the season vs opposing QB's, but that was also when McCourty was getting torched on every other play. I haven't seen his opposing QB rating lately, or his defended passes.

Bottom line with Arrington (IMO), is that he's "good" for where he was expected to be etc, but he's nowhere near the kind of everydown CB that we need as a #1 or #2. (wherever you'd rank him in comparison to DMcC) I think Arrington is an okay #2, a very good #3.

I'm hoping Moore stays as a potential nickle/backup starter next yr, and that Dowling and McCourty step up. I am also hoping for a nice free agent grab for some depth and competition.

 

[Sciz]

He should play any time over Arrington. Arrington is terrible. By far the worst CB on this team. If it wasn't for the picks, he would probably be cut.

The Ravens picked on him over and over again. Pretty much every catch besides the Torry Smith bomb in the first half which was a miscommunication with McCourty at safety, was at Arrington and than Edelman in the 4th.

Enough is enough with Arrington. He sucks.

No, he'd be back in his stud special teamer role

 

[ausbacker]

He should play any time over Arrington. Arrington is terrible. By far the worst CB on this team. If it wasn't for the picks, he would probably be cut.

The Ravens picked on him over and over again. Pretty much every catch besides the Torry Smith bomb in the first half which was a miscommunication with McCourty at safety, was at Arrington and than Edelman in the 4th.

Enough is enough with Arrington. He sucks.

Arrington wasn't particularly good today but he has a knack for being opportunistic when it comes to interceptions, similar to Asante.

 

[supafly]

No, he'd be back in his stud special teamer role

You think Arrington and McCourty etc can hang with the big 3 WR from the NYG Sciz? I know they did for the good part of the first meeting, but the NYG look like another team since then.

I'm assuming doubling Cruz? That would still leave Manningham and Nicks. I think our CB's are a HUGE part of this matchup.