Criticizing the 2015 Secondary is Overdone

I think if you look at our team now, without a doubt, the biggest question mark is the corner back position. It's going to be interesting to see what type of schemes and coverages Bill uses this year.

AzPatsFan said:

I agree except I would add one more question. Tom Brady. Or rather the lack of Tom Brady. And I'm equally worried if he he suspended away; OR if so distracted that he is NOT the Tom Brady of old even if available to play. OR he has gone Over the Hill, since the last Super Bowl, as it appears Peyton has done. Time waits for no man.

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Since the damn future remains stubbornly unknown, I guess all of these questions have merit. But I think the far more likely outcome in Brady's case is that he plays flawlessly. Many hope for 2007-style flawless, as in, record-breaking flawless. He's eight years older now, and missing the ridiculous range of weaponry of that year, so while I'd like to see scary numbers, I think what we'll see is (Brady's forte anyway) unmatched awareness, concentration, and will to win. He will find the open man, and he will hit the open man. If I had to guess I would say that the most likely case is that unless your defense is perfect against him, he will beat you.

As to suspension games, that's another unknown. Then again Tom took 4 games off at the start of last year too

(Okay okay multiple causes of games 1-4... but just liked saying that line.)

billdog3484 said:

in response to the original post...if you dont think there are major question marks with our secondary you live in a fantasy world

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Having question marks and being hyper critical are two different things.

I'm with the original poster, I'm fed up with supposed fans who think the sky is falling just because some players are unproven instead of perennial all-pros. Face it, every training camp the entire team is unproven. Last year it took four games to start to gel. Take a deep breath, relax, and be glad you aren't a Titans fan.

n6249c said:

Having question marks and being hyper critical are two different things.

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Hyper-critical?

How many here have criticized Belichick's choice of not re-signing Revis and browner? Not many! Folks aren't being hyper-critical.

mgteich said:

[...]
This may not be the worst talent among the playoff teams. It is certainly close.

BOTTOM LINE
We have among the worst set of corners among playoff teams. This group is an extreme weakness in a critical area of the defense.

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mgteich said:

Hyper-critical?

How many here have criticized Belichick's choice of not re-signing Revis and browner? Not many! Folks aren't being hyper-critical.

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I'd say going from having questions about the quality of our secondary to labeling them "worst" is being hyper-critical. Obviously you don't see your own comments that way, but I do. Ymmv.

To me, the questions could be answered either way. The Pats might have among the worst corners, they might have among the best. We do not know yet.

One other thing, re "worst talent", I posted workout numbers for some of the current CBs over in the thread about Swagg that showed raw athletic talent is not lacking. It remains to be seen what they do with it on the field this year, of course, that's why there are questions. But jumping to negative conclusions is premature and unjustified.

Hypercritical lecteur - mon semblable, mon frere

[QUOTE="n6249c, post: 4258908, member: 32599"

One other thing, re "worst talent", I posted workout numbers for some of the current CBs over in the thread about Swagg that showed raw athletic talent is not lacking. It remains to be seen what they do with it on the field this year, of course, that's why there are questions. But jumping to negative conclusions is premature and unjustified.[/QUOTE]

I certainly don't think that it is hyper-critical to point out that we had (Cox and Brown may have changed the equation) the worst talent among playoff teams. We've won with the worst talent among playoff teams before.

mgteich said:

Thanks for the reminder about Cox. Belichick has THREE reclamation projects, plus Ryan and Butler, one of whom should be solid in the new defense.

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Brown gives him 4 now.

Nunchucks said:

The only real "known" good player in the secondary is McCourty. Every other player has serious questions.

If questioning that is overdone, then we should question the point of a patriots message board.

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Amen.

It's all right to say "Hey, I root for the Team and I love the Team, but there're only 24 hours in a day, and I simply have too many other Priorities that preclude me from studying the Game deeply enough to form an educated Opinion on whether or not the guys we have are or are not up for the Challenges ahead."

That's 100% Fair and Reasonable, and it makes you no less a Fan than Lunatics such's myself.

The @$$Clowns that I take Issue with are the ones who fit the above description ~ which again is perfectly respectable ~ but then pump out Sewage like "Hey, nobody knows anything. In Bill We Trust!!"

Owl Schytte.

Some'f us do make a Study of The Game.

Some'f us know that anyone with even a rudimentary Understanding of things understands that our Secondary is obviously poised to take a step or three back. And that's perfectly OK. It's part of the Ebb & Flow of things in the Salary Cap Era, signing Revis would've crippled us, and the Front 6 or 7 has the Potential to more than make up for the Secondary's being entirely expected to recede a bit or three.

*Seriously, though: Everyone here ~ save the helplessly stupid ~ does recognize Mad Bill's Genius, so if you've got nothing better to say than "In Bill We Trust" or "we won't have a clue until we see them play" simply because you have no Capacity of your own ~ as opposed to Sewage you regurgitate from Squawk Radio ~ to judge the Merits of individual Players or their Prospects for Success with us, I, for one, would be infinitely grateful if you'd simply clamp your gaping Orifice and Shut Your PieHole. But that's me.

As I understand it the Pats questions are interior OL and CB. And Brady availability of course.

But both positions have major possibilities of success. In the case of the interior OL, BB has drafted several highly rated, gargantuan players over the past couple of drafts and really needs only one or two to blossom.

In the case of the CBs, BB has gone bargain shopping, selecting and signing several formerly high rated veterans who have had injuries and/or falloffs in performance. Success with two of the half dozen possibilities will produce a pretty good CB situation; and a very good secondary overall, considering the quality he has developed at S.

I'm sanquine that this fits the way the BB has acted, and then succeeded before. Bring on the season.

mgteich said:

Hyper-critical?

How many here have criticized Belichick's choice of not re-signing Revis and browner? Not many...

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Mevis no; Browner yes. I still don't understand that one.

captain stone said:

Mevis no; Browner yes. I still don't understand that one.

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I do. Without the Key man for press, the Defense has to change. Browner became the expensive square peg in the round hole, and an older one at that.