Hightower and Jones will be starters before the Bye Week

[MrNathanDrake]

Agree or Disagree?


:rocker:

FTR - I think they both start Week 1. But they'll both definitely be starting before the Bye Week at the latest.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Agree on Hightower, not Jones though

 

[Dingleberry]

The defense will have so many revolving parts that "starter" is kind of tough to define.

I will say...

Hightower will have a major (starter like) role immediately.

Jones will have a specialized role immediately, perhaps growing into more time by the bye week.

 

[Peachhead]

IMO, Hightower starts game 2 (rookies rarely start game 1 under BB, it's like a tradition with him). He may even come in after the first D series in game 1, but no sooner I think.

I agree with you about Chandler, I think he starts about halfway through the year.

 

[BananaRepublican]

Agree or Disagree?.

Hightower will be starting before we wake up tomorrow.

Mmmm, Jones, I'm still waiting for my radar return on him.

 

[Spergon Wynn]

There are no definite starters on the Patriots D besides Wilfork and a healthy Mayo.

 

[patchick]

IMO, Hightower starts game 2 (rookies rarely start game 1 under BB, it's like a tradition with him).

Hmm, I really don't see the pattern. Solder and Dowling started game 1 last year; McCourty, Gronkowski and Hernandez in 2010; Chung and Vollmer in 2009; etc.

 

[Deus Irae]

Wilfork
Spikes
Mayo
Hightower
Chung
McCourty
Dowling/Arrington

That should be 7 of the 11 starters (8 of 12 if you count the nickel), right there, IMO. For the rest, I'm going to wait and see where they are playing and what the team is coming out in. Ninkovich likely starts week one in the 3-4, for example.

 

[IllegalContact]

right now, this is my prediction for a starting lineup:

DL - deaderick,wilfork,fanene
LB - hightower,mayo,spikes,ninko
DB - mccourty,chung,grewgory,dowling

another flavor:

DL - scott,love,wilfork,jones
LB - hightower,mayo,ninko
DB - mccourty,chung,gregory,dowling

the 2nd one can be a zone-blitzing nightmare

on pasing downs:
DL - scott,fanene,jones
LB - fletcher,hightower,mayo,ninko
DB - mccourty,chung,dowling,arringotn

 

[MrNathanDrake]

DL - scott,love,wilfork,jones
LB - hightower,mayo,ninko
DB - mccourty,chung,gregory,dowling

the 2nd one can be a zone-blitzing nightmare

I don't see Spikes losing his starting spot.... he was a huge presence late last year. He brings a lot of toughness and energy to our defense. Don't forget the year before we drafted Spikes, the defense had a reputation for being "soft".



in the 4-3.....

Hightower - Spikes - Mayo

 

[IcyPatriot]

Jones will start maybe when he learns how and when to drop into coverage ... that always takes time.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Jones will start maybe when he learns how and when to drop into coverage ... that always takes time.

Won't matter if we're running a 4-3 like we have been in Training Camp.

 

[patchick]

I don't see Spikes losing his starting spot.... he was a huge presence late last year. He brings a lot of toughness and energy to our defense. Don't forget the year before we drafted Spikes, the defense had a reputation for being "soft".



in the 4-3.....

Hightower - Spikes - Mayo

That's my feeling too. I picture BB tailoring the packages to the talent available, and wanting to put that threesome on the field together. Three very different and complementary talents, IMO.

 

[PatsBoy12]

They'll both play a lot.

 

[JackBauer]

There are no definite starters on the Patriots D besides Wilfork and a healthy Mayo.

Chung is a starter, without a doubt.

 

[BananaRepublican]

There are no definite starters on the Patriots D besides Wilfork and a healthy Mayo.

Kyle Love inside, Vince outside, bank on it.

 

[BananaRepublican]

I don't see Spikes losing his starting spot...

Abso-effing-lootly.

 

[PP2]

Kyle Love inside, Vince outside, bank on it.

Both on the inside as DT's. No other reason for Wilfork to have lost so much weight, I would think.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Won't matter if we're running a 4-3 like we have been in Training Camp.

Always matters in Bill's defense ... even if you have to drop back one time a game or season ... if he can't it's a weakness and it will be exploited - that's how Bill does things.

Not sure why some here keep trying to decide if we are a 4-3 or a 3-4 ... Last year we were basically a 6-5 defense 65% of the time. In today's spread offense hard to see where we play less nickel. New terminology is needed.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Not only will Hightower start but I could see him as a potential candidate for ROTY...he seems very intense in a non meaningful practice,I could just imagine his tenacity in a REAL game.

We have gone from a very weak LB corps just 4 years ago to what I could see as being one of the best corps in the league very soon.

Chandler Jones will likely be brought along slowly and will be a work in progress,there is some good depth on the team so no sense rushing him...I would be shocked if he were a major factor on defense this year.