Oswlek
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
- Messages
- 9,086
- Reaction score
- 5,955
The blood stopped pumping when I reached item 6. in the article. I agree with King.
Compare our D to last season:
D-line: about the same
LB: most of the old guys slightly weaker than last year. AD an obvious improvement, but he's just one guy.
DB: weaker at CB with Samuel gone. (We'll see.) About the same at Safety. (I don't count on Wilson to improve the unit.)
So overall, AD counterbalances the decline elsewhere at LB, and maybe even helps make up for some of the loss at CB, but not all. Overall unit: equal to or slightly weaker than last year's, which the Colts ate up twice.
I agree with King.
Samuel is most certainly a wildcard, but you don't give enough credit to the LBs or safeties.
In the early games where Bruschi and Seau manned the middle, Vrabel looked very good. It was only after he had transfered back inside and his back started acting up that his play dropped off. Assuming the AD frees Vrabel up to play more on the outside, that is a big win. On top of that, from what I have read, Bruschi has played a different ILB position since Johnson retired. It seems as if AD's arrival lets Bruschi move back to his more suitable position.
Even if if is assumed that Bruschi and Vrabel slope downward, Colvin should be just as effective and AD is a *huge* upgrade over TBC (or even Seau if you want to play it that way). Seau is now the 5th LB and one would have to think that someone out of Alexander, Mays or Woods will at least become a decent part-timer.
With regard to safeties, NE only allowed more than 17 points when Harrison was on the field once. And that game was the game where the Jags where stymied for nearly the entire game, but got a fluke TD from MJD and a TD against NE's prevent D at the end. I can see the argument that Harrison cannot be counted on to stay healthy, but it is also unlikely that Harrison, Wilson and Gay will all miss most of the year and Hawkins (if he makes the team) and Sanders will both then miss a good amount of a playoff game.
Hell, even if that happens, NE should still be in better shape with Merriweather (I realize that he is a rookie, but NE has a tremendous track record with 1st rounders) and another year for Andrews and Baker.
I realize that injuries will influence everything, but I can't see how those two positions will be anything other than improved over last year. Frankly, as long as NE's DL stays healthy, I am not all that worried about Samuel's absence. I sincerely believe that Hobbs and Gay of 2007 will be at least as good as Samuel and Gay of 2004.