Alfonzo Dennard

[Reckedtrek]

I think Dennard has shown enough natural ability and awareness to warrant more (continued) time on the field.

 

[chicowalker]

He had a rough one this week (I believe three holding penalties, or was one on Dowling?), but I like his physicality and in-your-face style. He also seems to turn and try to locate the ball even when beat, and played the trail technique to perfection on that INT.

Dowling had at least 2

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Dennard had way too any penalties called on him yesterday,he is playing like where he was drafted....a 7th rounder.

 

[VrabelJr]

Despite a up and down game yesterday, I really like what I see from Dennard. I'm not going to go crazy over the kid yet but he's showing some serious potential. You can tell already he plays with an attitude that we haven't seen in our CBs since Ty Law was here. I think he might be our only CB that LOVES to play man to man coverage.

 

[supafly]

Dennard had way too any penalties called on him yesterday,he is playing like where he was drafted....a 7th rounder.

On top of that there were a handful of plays where he took the wrong assignment altogether, leaving a NYJ player wide open.

That said, I don't exactly see many other potential options so we may as well continue to get him some time.

I can't say that I'm too excited about him, but maybe he'll turn out to be better than the rest. Like someone else said, he should do a little better in man to man situations.

 

[ausbacker]

Was it just me or did Dennard and Dowling display attitude in the Secondary yesterday? That's something I haven't seen in years.

 

[patsinthesnow]

He's shown some flashes and has potential, but most of all doesn't suck. He should continue to start.

However, Ras-I does suck. How the hell did he run a 4.4 40, he looks like a super slow robot man out there, stiff as hell and holding other WRs.

 

[supafly]

Like I said during the off season, I would much rather see McCourty play at FS than CB, much to many "experts'" dismay.

According to Shalize Manza Young and Greg Bedard, McCourty was slated to be our FS heading into the season as the coaches agreed that he was better suited to play safety.

That all changed when the coaching staff saw a lack of depth at CB, and apparently that's how he ended up back at corner.

It will be interesting to see if he stays there or not, and how often he plays FS.

"If McCourty transitions to safety permanently, which the Boston Globe's Greg Bedard and Shalize Manza Young reported was the team's intention prior to the season and before the Patriots saw a lack of depth at cornerback, that would leave Dennard and Arrington the starting cornerbacks with Dowling or Sterling Moore the nickel corner. Wilson would be able to transition back to the dime role he had earlier in the season -- playing a hybrid safety/linebacker position -- and Gregory would be the odd man out -- once healthy. "

Devin McCourty's Switch to Safety Could Finally Tie the Patriots' Struggling Secondary Together - New England Patriots - NESN.com

 

[supafly]

Was it just me or did Dennard and Dowling display attitude in the Secondary yesterday? That's something I haven't seen in years.

I think you are right. They obviously need to work on their technique and assignments (understatement), but they did seem to at least be a little more physical than McCourty and Arrington have been.

Hopefully they continue to improve, but it probably can't hurt anymore than it already has to get them both more live game reps.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I'm all for McCourty moving to safety full time. I hate cover 2 cuz the safeties are miles away from the play. If McCourty moving to safety means I don't have to watch the garbage we've consistently seen then I'm all for it.

 

[robbomango]

Looks like a fiesty phisical guy, me likes. Also looks like a mini-Rodney in that #37 jersey...

 

[Marqui]

Was it just me or did Dennard and Dowling display attitude in the Secondary yesterday? That's something I haven't seen in years.

Yea I noticed it too. These guys really need to step up and make sure the likes of Arrington and Moore never play in the base defense again.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Like I said during the off season, I would much rather see McCourty play at FS than CB, much to many "experts'" dismay.

According to Shalize Manza Young and Greg Bedard, McCourty was slated to be our FS heading into the season as the coaches agreed that he was better suited to play safety.

That all changed when the coaching staff saw a lack of depth at CB, and apparently that's how he ended up back at corner.

It will be interesting to see if he stays there or not, and how often he plays FS.

"If McCourty transitions to safety permanently, which the Boston Globe's Greg Bedard and Shalize Manza Young reported was the team's intention prior to the season and before the Patriots saw a lack of depth at cornerback, that would leave Dennard and Arrington the starting cornerbacks with Dowling or Sterling Moore the nickel corner. Wilson would be able to transition back to the dime role he had earlier in the season -- playing a hybrid safety/linebacker position -- and Gregory would be the odd man out -- once healthy. "

Devin McCourty's Switch to Safety Could Finally Tie the Patriots' Struggling Secondary Together - New England Patriots - NESN.com

Btw that was an excellent article. By nesn.

 

[supafly]

Yea I noticed it too. These guys really need to step up and make sure the likes of Arrington and Moore never play in the base defense again.

I didn't think that Moore was ever playing in the base defense this year. I thought that he simply moved over to RCB in sub packages, thus moving Arrington to the slot.

I certainly could be wrong though.

At any rate, I agree with what you're saying.

 

[ausbacker]

I think you are right. They obviously need to work on their technique and assignments (understatement), but they did seem to at least be a little more physical than McCourty and Arrington have been.

Hopefully they continue to improve, but it probably can't hurt anymore than it already has to get them both more live game reps.

Yea I noticed it too. These guys really need to step up and make sure the likes of Arrington and Moore never play in the base defense again.

It was odd wasn't it? I'm not sure there could have been a great disparity in size between the two but both appeared to play with the same spirit. IMO, the more reps these two see the better. I'm prepared to wear their growing pains if it finally means an improvement in the Secondary.

 

[supafly]

I'm all for McCourty moving to safety full time. I hate cover 2 cuz the safeties are miles away from the play. If McCourty moving to safety means I don't have to watch the garbage we've consistently seen then I'm all for it.

I certainly agree. I know we've heard the cliche about McCourty being able to "keep the ball in front of him and see the field from a better angle," but I have been buying it from day one to be honest with you.

I don't know, sometimes McCourty really looks okay at CB, but too often he doesn't. Maybe this would give us some consistency.

 

[supafly]

It was odd wasn't it? I'm not sure there could have been a great disparity in size between the two but both appeared to play with the same spirit. IMO, the more reps these two see the better. I'm prepared to wear their growing pains if it finally means an improvement in the Secondary.

Absolutely. As long as the offense can make some improvements and put up 27+ pts in most games, this could work out in the long run with the younger/greener players in the secondary. I mean, it came damn close to working last year with less talent, right? It may even allow for more pressure in the front seven, with some actual blitz packages thrown in too.

At least Belichick is trying to mix/match some of the players up, so I give him credit for that, along with injuries to the starting safeties. That was something that made me feel much better about the potential of our secondary in the off season, so hopefully they find the right grouping back there.

 

[ausbacker]

Absolutely. As long as the offense can make some improvements and put up 27+ pts in most games, this could work out in the long run with the younger/greener players in the secondary. I mean, it came damn close to working last year with less talent, right? It may even allow for more pressure in the front seven, with some actual blitz packages thrown in too.

At least Belichick is trying to mix/match some of the players up, so I give him credit for that, along with injuries to the starting safeties. That was something that made me feel much better about the potential of our secondary in the off season, so hopefully they find the right grouping back there.

One thing we can agree on is that Belichick is an incredibly intelligent man. The fact that he would allow the defense to reach its current state is boggles the mind. That said, he makes the necessary changes.

Hopefully the team can get out of London with a win, hit the bye at 5-3 then come home with the necessary schematic changes to build some belief and momentum.

 

[jah]

Right now, it looks like the best option to have a secondary of Dowling (RCB), McCourty (FS), Wilson (SS), Dennard (LCB) with Arrington in the nickel. If we get a second NFL-caliber safety, McCourty should move back to CB and push Dennard to nickel where his lack of speed won't hurt as much.

I must say, though, it feels weird seeing someone wearing #37 and getting lots of playing time...I'm really surprised he didn't change it out of respect to 31 or something. Up until this season it seemed like they tried to avoid letting players keep 37.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I certainly agree. I know we've heard the cliche about McCourty being able to "keep the ball in front of him and see the field from a better angle," but I have been buying it from day one to be honest with you.

I don't know, sometimes McCourty really looks okay at CB, but too often he doesn't. Maybe this would give us some consistency.

Not turning the head for the ball has become the biggest pet peeve of this season for me. Hopefully Dennard and Dowling do us proud in this part of the game. I can handle young players getting burned for Td's. No problem there as long as its not epidemic. But turning your head is so fundamental that we all learned in pee wee's on up. Keep your guy close, keep a light hand on him and turn.