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- Jul 11, 2005
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This will probably be my last offering for the next few weeks. The team has their HOF, season ticket holder elitist practice tomorrow (I wasn't invited.....again), and then it will be off to Virginia for a week of work with the Redskins. But for me it was a day of highlights and here are a few observations
BTW- for a midweek practice, the place was packed. Well over 10,000 and a packed bleachers. I mean I have an excuse being retired. I have to wonder if employers know where their employees are.
1. BB let his foot up a bit on the physical intensity today. A lot more team and situational work, so more time for players to be standing around. As a former coach, one of t he things that has always impressed me about BB's practices is how little stand around time players get. They are organized and planned so well. But today with all the team work, players got more of a break.
2.Highlight #1 - Marcus Cannon was once again starting a RG with the first group. This makes hme very happy. The only negative was that for much of the day, our front 7 made the OL miserable. But the D SHOULD be ahead of the offense at this stage of the game. And yes haters, Wendell DID get most first team snaps.
3 Highlight #2 Josh Boyce and Matthew Slater both returned to the practice field. Unfortunately Hooman and Stork remained sidelined (along with Dobson and Easley)
4. IN a team situational period with the offense coming out of the shadow of their own GL, the defense DOMINATED. Revis came off his man to jump a route and picked off Brady cleanly for a pick 6. It should also be noted that the coverage before the pick was excellent as Brady was forced to throw the ball to his 3rd or 4th look in his progression. Revis saw the man breaking open, left his man, and made the pick
5. The defense's reaction to the pick was notable. Wilfolk got right up in Brady's face. The whole defense celebrated, and together they chanted something like "hell no, we won't go" under the crossbars. It could be I was having a flash back to the 60's. Maybe someone who was on the hill could tell us what was actually being chanted. At any rate this defense is playing with a real swagger, and Brady was REALLY pissed
6. The Pats played a lot of 3-4 for the third straight day. Than alignment saw Mayo and Collins in the middle with Hightower coming off the edge as the SLB. I think I'm getting a feel for HIghtower's rush abilities. I'd put it on a par with Ninko's and I'd be very happy if he turns out to be that good a rusher.
I saw one rush where he paired up with Jones to do a crossing stunt with him, good enough to cause a pressure. He also had at least one good rep in coverage on a TE in 7 on 7's
7. The "other safety" carousel was in full swing as Nate Ebner got a lot of first team repws. Also seeing more limited time with first group was Chung and Harmon. And for the record, Ebner looked the part. It was interesting to me that although he's the biggest of the "other safeties" most of the time he wound up with the deep coverage.
8. Highlight #3 - while I was standing in my usual spot by the stairs at the back row, a middle aged couple told me they they had come from Denmark and could I point out Tom Brady to them. I not only pointed him out but gave her my Binoculars (because he was on the far field). They couldn't have been more pleased. I couldn't happier to see them that pleased. Later, I also was able to point out a couple of open seats in the bleachers below us, thus securing my future entry into heaven for this good deed.
10, The biggest highlight of my day, however, was meeting the great and powerful ZEUS. It was a pleasure and honor to spend some time and chat with one of the best posters on this board. He is actually smarter in person if you can believe it. If you ever get the pleasure to meet him you won't be disappointed. I look forward to our next meeting down the road.
BTW- for a midweek practice, the place was packed. Well over 10,000 and a packed bleachers. I mean I have an excuse being retired. I have to wonder if employers know where their employees are.
1. BB let his foot up a bit on the physical intensity today. A lot more team and situational work, so more time for players to be standing around. As a former coach, one of t he things that has always impressed me about BB's practices is how little stand around time players get. They are organized and planned so well. But today with all the team work, players got more of a break.
2.Highlight #1 - Marcus Cannon was once again starting a RG with the first group. This makes hme very happy. The only negative was that for much of the day, our front 7 made the OL miserable. But the D SHOULD be ahead of the offense at this stage of the game. And yes haters, Wendell DID get most first team snaps.
3 Highlight #2 Josh Boyce and Matthew Slater both returned to the practice field. Unfortunately Hooman and Stork remained sidelined (along with Dobson and Easley)
4. IN a team situational period with the offense coming out of the shadow of their own GL, the defense DOMINATED. Revis came off his man to jump a route and picked off Brady cleanly for a pick 6. It should also be noted that the coverage before the pick was excellent as Brady was forced to throw the ball to his 3rd or 4th look in his progression. Revis saw the man breaking open, left his man, and made the pick
5. The defense's reaction to the pick was notable. Wilfolk got right up in Brady's face. The whole defense celebrated, and together they chanted something like "hell no, we won't go" under the crossbars. It could be I was having a flash back to the 60's. Maybe someone who was on the hill could tell us what was actually being chanted.
At any rate this defense is playing with a real swagger, and Brady was REALLY pissed6. The Pats played a lot of 3-4 for the third straight day. Than alignment saw Mayo and Collins in the middle with Hightower coming off the edge as the SLB. I think I'm getting a feel for HIghtower's rush abilities. I'd put it on a par with Ninko's and I'd be very happy if he turns out to be that good a rusher.
I saw one rush where he paired up with Jones to do a crossing stunt with him, good enough to cause a pressure. He also had at least one good rep in coverage on a TE in 7 on 7's
7. The "other safety" carousel was in full swing as Nate Ebner got a lot of first team repws. Also seeing more limited time with first group was Chung and Harmon. And for the record, Ebner looked the part. It was interesting to me that although he's the biggest of the "other safeties" most of the time he wound up with the deep coverage.
8. Highlight #3 - while I was standing in my usual spot by the stairs at the back row, a middle aged couple told me they they had come from Denmark and could I point out Tom Brady to them. I not only pointed him out but gave her my Binoculars (because he was on the far field). They couldn't have been more pleased. I couldn't happier to see them that pleased. Later, I also was able to point out a couple of open seats in the bleachers below us, thus securing my future entry into heaven for this good deed.
10, The biggest highlight of my day, however, was meeting the great and powerful ZEUS. It was a pleasure and honor to spend some time and chat with one of the best posters on this board. He is actually smarter in person if you can believe it. If you ever get the pleasure to meet him you won't be disappointed. I look forward to our next meeting down the road.
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