Awakenings, the Alan Branch Story

RayClay · Oct 25, 2015

Ha ha. I was going to post a clip, but watch it, it's a true story with Robin Williams and Deniro.

Anyway, where did this Alan Branch come from? Is he her to stay? Not only stuffing the run consistently, but going after the QB and snorting like a bull in the early going.

He's plain scary when he has a head of steam like that. I'm hoping our 5 DTs will all play their roles so we can have every type of defense and fresh players. That's a damn good line and RB to just stuff, it's too bad we weren't able to maintain discipline with the QB on key plays.

He's got to be one of the players of the game and Hicks looked good too.

Marqui · Oct 25, 2015

Good thing we cut him in TC like people here wanted

deters · Oct 25, 2015

No clue why people wanted to cut him. Hes a good player.

RayClay · Oct 25, 2015

No doubt he's a decent run stuffer if uninspired, but he's a beast when he's hot like he was in the first quarter. I've never seen him that fired up.

RobertWeathers · Oct 25, 2015

Malcolm Brown loosened things up for him

upstater1 · Oct 25, 2015

This D-line is going to come on and terrorize if/when they all come back healthy.
Siliga may go from starter to rare back up role.

Branch, Easley, Malcolm Brown in the middle, Siliga and Hicks to back them up.
Chandler Jones, Ninkovich and Sheard on the edges, Grissom, Flowers and Rufus J. to back them up.

Chris Jones must be looking on and thinking, WTF??!?!?

patchick · Oct 25, 2015

The Pats have the depth of DT talent now to take the Seattle approach of rotating fresh beef throughout the game, and the variety of talent for all kinds of game plans. And that's with Chris Jones still on PUP. Good stuff.

RayClay · Oct 25, 2015

upstater1 said:
This D-line is going to come on and terrorize if/when they all come back healthy.
Siliga may go from starter to rare back up role.

Branch, Easley, Malcolm Brown in the middle, Siliga and Hicks to back them up.
Chandler Jones, Ninkovich and Sheard on the edges, Grissom, Flowers and Rufus J. to back them up.

Chris Jones must be looking on and thinking, WTF??!?!?

Yeah, and i think Hicks will be pushing for time. hard to say that many players will find roles to work together in harmony, but I'd sure love to see it.

If Melvin can play some big receivers I think they'll have a decent secondary and the front seven could combine to make this a great defense come playoff time.

patriot lifer · Oct 25, 2015

It's amazing to reflect on the 2013 season when we lost our two starting DTs and were sorely lacking in depth. Losing Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly crippled that defense and team, leaving them with an insurmountable critical weakness.

Fast forward to today where BB has bolstered the DT position with much needed talent and depth, and it was completed in a relatively short period of time. It's not that we have JJ Watt's in our midst, but in those early years in the decade, we carried so few serviceable DTs. I'm curious why the change in philosophy--or is it entirely due to increased availability?

RayClay · Oct 25, 2015

patriot lifer said:
It's amazing to reflect on the 2013 season when we lost our two starting DTs and were sorely lacking in depth. Losing Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly crippled that defense and team, leaving them with an insurmountable critical weakness.

Fast forward to today where BB has bolstered the DT position with much needed talent and depth, and it was completed in a relatively short period of time. It's not that we have JJ Watt's in our midst, but in those early years in the decade, we carried so few serviceable DTs. I'm curious why the change in philosophy--or is it entirely due to increased availability?

Outstanding job by BB. DT is maybe the hardest position to fill with top players. The gap between outstanding and JAG might only be equal at cornerback.

He spent firsts on Easley and Brown, but almost nothing on Branch, Siliga and Hicks, with Jones ready and likely having to accept a PS spot or go.

Outstanding front office performance to fill the roles with castoffs to complement low, first round picks.

SEA_Pat · Oct 25, 2015

Not sure who it was, but on many of the plays there was one guy inside who just was a half-step faster than everyone else, you could see it every time the ball was snapped. I thought it was Easley, but could have been Brown or perhaps a combination of the two of them. But wow, just came off the ball like they were shot out of a cannon.

upstater1 · Oct 25, 2015

SEA_Pat said:
Not sure who it was, but on many of the plays there was one guy inside who just was a half-step faster than everyone else, you could see it every time the ball was snapped. I thought it was Easley, but could have been Brown or perhaps a combination of the two of them. But wow, just came off the ball like they were shot out of a cannon.

It was Easley, but they had so much success playing 5-technique that Easley didn't get much playing time. The two DTs were occupying 3 and sometimes 4 blockers on running plays.

RayClay · Oct 25, 2015

SEA_Pat said:
Not sure who it was, but on many of the plays there was one guy inside who just was a half-step faster than everyone else, you could see it every time the ball was snapped. I thought it was Easley, but could have been Brown or perhaps a combination of the two of them. But wow, just came off the ball like they were shot out of a cannon.

Good catch, but i didn't notice it. I did catch Brown and Easley got a sack no? I guess it's no.

meatface · Oct 26, 2015

Marqui said:
Good thing we cut him in TC like people here wanted

People here want to cut everyone in training camp

wolverinejoe80 · Oct 26, 2015

it's always about the motivation when it comes to alan branch. i know this guys from high school days. this is a talented dude. for a such a big guy he has a fluid hips and good hands. he just never was motivated to be the best. i always thought branch was the most talented stud from michigan's 06 team, not woodley or harris.

i think the professional setting of our locker room, and not making him play every snaps really help him alot. it would be great to see if we can squeeze 3-4 years of solid work out of him at low $.

TheFlyingWedge · Oct 26, 2015

deters said:
No clue why people wanted to cut him. Hes a good player.

He was good last year too - a lot of these mid-season signings from last year that panned out well were let go to sign elsewhere. Glad that Branch worked out and stayed.

mihap · Oct 26, 2015

RayClay said:
Ha ha. I was going to post a clip, but watch it, it's a true story with Robin Williams and Deniro.

Anyway, where did this Alan Branch come from? Is he her to stay? Not only stuffing the run consistently, but going after the QB and snorting like a bull in the early going.

He's plain scary when he has a head of steam like that. I'm hoping our 5 DTs will all play their roles so we can have every type of defense and fresh players. That's a damn good line and RB to just stuff, it's too bad we weren't able to maintain discipline with the QB on key plays.

He's got to be one of the players of the game and Hicks looked good too.

i remember some douches want him to be cut. so probably this was just one lucky game for him

RayClay · Oct 26, 2015

wolverinejoe80 said:
it's always about the motivation when it comes to alan branch. i know this guys from high school days. this is a talented dude. for a such a big guy he has a fluid hips and good hands. he just never was motivated to be the best. i always thought branch was the most talented stud from michigan's 06 team, not woodley or harris.

i think the professional setting of our locker room, and not making him play every snaps really help him alot. it would be great to see if we can squeeze 3-4 years of solid work out of him at low $.

It takes different personalities. Antowain Smith was a first round pick with a great combination of size and speed that carried that team while tom was in training wheels, yet he needed to get hit in the head before he got going.

I think Mr Branch sees competition from Hicks and in this case we've got real healthy competition at DT. Hicks might benefit from that motivation too, from what I've read.

FreeTedWilliams · Oct 26, 2015

At least once a game, Branch lays a giant hit down in someone. he has played wel. obviously the game plan yesterday was to stop the run and make Fitzpatrick beat them.

RobertWeathers · Oct 26, 2015

Branch is another well-traveled soul that this place gets the best out of.

Awakenings, the Alan Branch Story

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