Do we have too many similiar players on defense?

[patsfaninpa]

Hightower is a "little" faster than Spikes? Seriously?

Yes. Hightower ran a 4.68 at the combine. Spikes ran a 5.0. But, wasn't healthy and got re-timed at Florida. I'm sure it was much faster. I'm guessing 4.8-4.85. That's the speed he plays at. So, Hightower is a little faster.

 

[mgteich]

Do we have enough of a pass-rush to be considered a top five front 7? Perhaps, this could be so by the time of the playoffs, presuming the improvement of Jones and Hightower.

As far as the defensive backfield, we got to the Super Bowl last year with a weaker backfield than we have now, and we came very close to winning, so it is not clear that this is a "critical flaw". HOWEVER, this does not explain how we can be so poor, after having devoted so much resources to improving the secondary.

I think our front 7 could be top 5 in the league when healthy. I think our back 4 is worst 1 or 2 in the league. It's a shame too since so much consideration has been given to the secondary on this team the last 5 years. For whatever reason they simply cannot draft/develop DB's well. Not sure why it's such a problematic issue for the braintrust but, it's critical enough that if not rectified, it'll likely prevent this team from winning another SB title.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Yes. Hightower ran a 4.68 at the combine. Spikes ran a 5.0. But, wasn't healthy and got re-timed at Florida. I'm sure it was much faster. I'm guessing 4.8-4.85. That's the speed he plays at. So, Hightower is a little faster.

Even if Spikes had run a 4.85, 0.17s is pretty significant, even if you ignore the fact that Hightower ran it while outweighing Spikes by 20 pounds. Hightower is significantly bigger and significantly faster than Spikes, and he appears to have the same type of playmaking instincts. Once he has a bit of itme under his belt in the NFL, he's going to be scary. Almost as athletic as Adalius Thomas, just as big, a harder worker, and not an *******.

 

[captain stone]

Mayo, Spikes,and Hightower could make up the best trio of linebackers in football...

I agree with everything in your post, except this.
They are almost certainly the slowest LBs in football, and just as almost certainly not the best.

 

[captain stone]

Too many big, strong, tough defenders. Not so many fast, athletic ones.

Vince Wilfork - NG - Perfect NG. Not a great pass-rusher

Kyle Love - DT - Strong, tough run defender. Not a great pass rush. Is he a good compliment to Vince considering he can't get after the qb.

Jerrod Mayo - LB - Strong tough lb. Not as athletic as i though he'd be. Doesn't make a lot of plays in space.

Brandon Spikes - LB - An absolute force vs the run. Not so good in space.

Donta Hightower - LB - Looks similiar to Spikes. A little faster

Devin McCourty - CB - Big cb. Tackles well. Plays ST. Coverage..Not so good

Pat Chung - SS - Big, tough run stuffer. Coverage. Not so good.

See a pattern? Are we building a defense to stop old man football? The game is all about getting players matchups in space. We don't seem built to defend that style of football. Chandler Jones was a great move up and pick. Thank God. Is the Hightower picking looking a little repetitive?

I completely agree, esp about Wilfork, Mayo & Hightower.
I am sick to feckin death seeing Wilfork on the field during obvious passing situations.
He is absolutely useless out there. I'd rather see Love, Brace or Deaderick instead,
although my preference is having no fatbodies on the field at all during those times.

 

[manxman2601]

I completely agree, esp about Wilfork, Mayo & Hightower.
I am sick to feckin death seeing Wilfork on the field during obvious passing situations.
He is absolutely useless out there. I'd rather see Love, Brace or Deaderick instead,
although my preference is having no fatbodies on the field at all during those times.

Draw play - 10 yards - 1st Down.


BB forces opposing QB's to beat us. Yes there are the occasional aberrations like last Sunday but considering our win-loss record of the previous however many years, I'd suggest to you that it's a pretty good strategy overall.