Bruschi /Banta Cain Targeted?

[JR4]

Seems like teams have identifyied these two players as weak links
according to this article.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=177401

Is this only really true with big power backs?
Is Banta/Cain not so good in run defense?

 

[TeamPats]

Banta Cain seems to have the least amount of discipline on the edge in our system. Plus he tends to overpursue at times and take risky angles which will either lead to great plays in the backfield or 15 yards gains, kind of like what we saw out of Jason Taylor in the Miami game only on a far less skilled level.

 

[shmessy]

Sadly, (especially in the Bruschi case) I'd have to agree. The man has the heart of a warrior, but the age and what he's gone through the past few years are weighing him down a bit now. He'll always be the Greatest to me, however.

TBC - is still not there yet as a good starting OLB in the NFL. Yes, he has gotten better, and is very good as a pass rusher, but how many times on Sunday did he fail to seal the edge? Granted LT is LT, but at least seal an edge and force him to the inside! I was yelling at the TV all game for him to at least move further outside to keep the edge. Never happened.

 

[dtbrks]

Sadly, (especially in the Bruschi case) I'd have to agree.

I am sad to say that Brushi seems to have lost his big play ability. There were a few times in the charger game that he rushed the QB and just got lost in the line, turned around completely and was just controlled.

 

[Patfandango]

Are people forgetting that Bruschi is still playing with a broken wrist? I think it has affected his aggressiveness because he can't wrap up. I would wait until next year to pass judgement unless of course he retires and you are correct. Tully is still learning but may always be better at pass rushing than setting the edge.

 

[shmessy]

Are people forgetting that Bruschi is still playing with a broken wrist? I think it has affected his aggressiveness because he can't wrap up. I would wait until next year to pass judgement unless of course he retires and you are correct. Tully is still learning but may always be better at pass rushing than setting the edge.

Understood, and he did an unbelievable job in coming back from that so quickly (I'm hoping the problem is that he came back too quickly and that is the reason, not the rest of his body).

However, he broke that bone 4 and 1/2 months ago. He was playing within 4 weeks. If it was something that could heal adequately within a short period of time enough for him to play early on:

a) He could have missed the "crucial" first 4 weeks of the season so that he could be 100% for the last 15.

or

b) That wrist isn't the main reason for his play this year.

Once again, that injury occurred in August. I honestly do hope you're right and I'm wrong on this.

 

[Michael]

Are people forgetting that Bruschi is still playing with a broken wrist? I think it has affected his aggressiveness because he can't wrap up. I would wait until next year to pass judgement unless of course he retires and you are correct. Tully is still learning but may always be better at pass rushing than setting the edge.

I was going to ask isn't he still wearing a cast? I said while watching the the SD game that Bruschi was getting bounced around like crazy. But, I saw it as more of an attempt by their O-line to neutralize him. He's still a threat and perceived as one.

 

[wdkantro2]

I think it is more Banta-Cain that is targeted than Bruschi. If you noticed, the Chargers were perfectly comfortable having Lorenzo Neal lead block on TBC. This created a double whammy because Neal was eating up TBC, so the Chargers were free to put LT Marcus McNeill on Seymour, while their guards could pull out and pick up Bruschi and the other linebackers. Bruschi had trouble making plays once again, but I think it is a product of the fact that TBC couldn't get off a fullback block, so it gave the other linemen a lot of flexibility.