From: Team Preview: New England Patriots - NFL - ESPN (yes, I know some of you here hate espn and won't click on it...that's fine):
"DIVISION FINISH: 1 With Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker -- not to mention a rejuvenated Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway -- this is the best offense in the NFL and could rewrite records. And it'll need to be, with a defense relying on two rookies and a bunch of aging vets." (by Seth Wickersham)
Ok, so two rookies and a bunch of aging vets? Let's look at their projected defensive roster:
DL
Warren - 28
Green - 30
Burgess - 31
Wright - 27
Pryor - 23
Brace - 22
Wilfork - 27
Avg age: 26.8
LB
Mayo - 23
Guyton - 23
Alexander - 27
Thomas - 32
Woods - 27
Banta-Cain - 29
Ninkovich - 25
Avg age: 26.5 (25.6 without Thomas)
DB
Bodden - 27
Springs - 34
Wilhite - 25
Butler - 23
Wheatley - 24
Sanders - 25
McGowan - 25
Slater - 23
Meriweather - 25
Chung - 22
Lockett - 22
Avg age: 25.0 (24.1 without Springs)
So this defense has 4 guys over the age of 29. 14 of the 25 (56%) are 25 or younger. It's precisely the *opposite* of what Wickersham said. He said they are relying on a couple of rookies and a bunch of aging vets. In reality, they're relying on a few aging vets and a bunch of young guys.
"DIVISION FINISH: 1 With Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Wes Welker -- not to mention a rejuvenated Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway -- this is the best offense in the NFL and could rewrite records. And it'll need to be, with a defense relying on two rookies and a bunch of aging vets." (by Seth Wickersham)
Ok, so two rookies and a bunch of aging vets? Let's look at their projected defensive roster:
DL
Warren - 28
Green - 30
Burgess - 31
Wright - 27
Pryor - 23
Brace - 22
Wilfork - 27
Avg age: 26.8
LB
Mayo - 23
Guyton - 23
Alexander - 27
Thomas - 32
Woods - 27
Banta-Cain - 29
Ninkovich - 25
Avg age: 26.5 (25.6 without Thomas)
DB
Bodden - 27
Springs - 34
Wilhite - 25
Butler - 23
Wheatley - 24
Sanders - 25
McGowan - 25
Slater - 23
Meriweather - 25
Chung - 22
Lockett - 22
Avg age: 25.0 (24.1 without Springs)
So this defense has 4 guys over the age of 29. 14 of the 25 (56%) are 25 or younger. It's precisely the *opposite* of what Wickersham said. He said they are relying on a couple of rookies and a bunch of aging vets. In reality, they're relying on a few aging vets and a bunch of young guys.