...And this is why we are going to pay Asante 20 million...

[marionbutts1995]

This is BS. Our offensive line didn't show up last night and our coaching svcked balls. We limited the Giants to 10 pts before that miracle drive. With this offense we should have beaten a team that scored only 17 pts. Not to mention that it was Asante who gave up the TD to Plaxico.
I think everyone needs to take a step back and realize that a team that wins 18 straight games but then falters in the Superbowl doesn't need these knee jerk reactionary overhauls of any one part of the team.

wasnt it Hobbs? Samuel dropped the INT.

 

[Remix 6]

I would rather spend the money on Terrell Suggs. Samuel can get his money elsewhere. He did not come up clutch when it mattered most. He gave up a TD to David Tyree? Also, if he would have caught the ball on the final drive, the Pats are champs. But that didn't happen. The Patriots will set a price tag and tell him to take it or leave it.

neither did Seymour, Green, Harrison, Hobbs, Meriweather or any other guy who was in front of eli on the would be sack. none of them were clutch to end the plays

 

[sebman2112]

wasnt it Hobbs? Samuel dropped the INT.

Hobbs gave up the Plaxiglass TD. Samuel gave up Tyree's TD, and couldn't make good on that INT. I don't really blame him for missing that INT though. It was just off his fingertips and would have been a very good catch. That TD he gave up to Tyree was a mistake on his part though. Asante reached in with both hands to make an attempt at the INT, when he should have just reached around with one arm and knocked the ball down. That was the much easier play considering his position/angle toward the ball.

 

[sebman2112]

neither did Seymour, Green, Harrison, Hobbs, Meriweather or any other guy who was in front of eli on the would be sack. none of them were clutch to end the plays

I thought Meriweather had good coverage for most of the game, and he made a few saving tackles when the LB's, Gay, and Sanders got beat in coverage. He had good coverage in the endzone againt Plaxico, and registered a PD.

Brandon wasn't successful on the blitz, but that was a great blitz pickup by the G-men. He also took a good hit from Jacobs, but Jacobs didn't really gain any extra yards as Meriweather slowed him just enough for Sanders to cleanup. So while he technically missed that tackle, it didn't really effect anything. You didn't see him get beat, and didn't hear his name much, which was good since he was in coverage a lot.

The fact that BB had him playing most of the game in the SB tells you a lot about where he is in terms of his progression from the start of the season, and how much BB trust him. I think he'll eventually develop into one of the top 3-5 FS's in the NFL.

 

[QuinielaBox]

I think we need help at all levels of our defense - Line, Linebacker, and Secondary.

That is where Belichick is going to go for help this off-season.

Assante Samuel aint worth the franchise tag in my opinion. He missed his game ending INT (Oh yeah that was the 4th lucky break the Giants got).

 

[Remix 6]

I thought Meriweather had good coverage for most of the game, and he made a few saving tackles when the LB's, Gay, and Sanders got beat in coverage. He had good coverage in the endzone againt Plaxico, and registered a PD.

Brandon wasn't successful on the blitz, but that was a great blitz pickup by the G-men. He also took a good hit from Jacobs, but Jacobs didn't really gain any extra yards as Meriweather slowed him just enough for Sanders to cleanup. So while he technically missed that tackle, it didn't really effect anything. You didn't see him get beat, and didn't hear his name much, which was good since he was in coverage a lot.

The fact that BB had him playing most of the game in the SB tells you a lot about where he is in terms of his progression from the start of the season, and how much BB trust him. I think he'll eventually develop into one of the top 3-5 FS's in the NFL.

agree but the point of my post was to defend Samuel because it was unfair to say he wasnt clutch so i posted everyone who was involved in the last drive. Meriweather has been very good. Needs to bulk up to take on bigger bodies better but his coverage and closing speed will make him a true playmaker sometime soon..once he gets his hands fixed. Would've been great if he made an amazing catch jumping like a WR for it though. im glad his playing time increased a lot over last few weeks of regular season and into playoffs..confidence and hes clearly working hard enough to get himself better and confidence of coaches that he can make an impact and not screw up in the big games

 

[TripleOption]

How did the Giant WEAK secondary do yesterday? Do they have a shut down corner? No, they don't. That is what a ferocious pass rush does for a secondary. It makes it better than it actually is. I would rather see the Pats spend their money on linebacking and pass rush...Samuel is in NO WAY a shut down corner, period.

If Meriweather could actually catch the ball, he would be pretty good at the Nickel or FS.

As far as a pass rush, the kind of players you play in a 3-4 do not lend themselves to a fierce pass rush. The front 3 are big run stuffers. Jarvis is good. The main pass rush comes from the 2 OLB's. On pass rushing downs, the Pats were subbing in DL. The Giants made some great moves with Justin Tuck.

You just don't get the upfield pressure inside from a 3-4 as you do with a 4-3.

 

[upstater1]

What really sucks as I read this thread is that we could really use that #1 pick they took away.

There are a lot of decent CBs coming out, and there will be some available in the 30s.

At #7 we can easily grab the pass rusher we need. They are projecting that OLBs such as Gholston or Harvey will be there.

Heck, Chris Long might be there if they start looking at him too closely at the combine.

 

[IndianPat]

I think all this discussion about Asante will be moot because another team with lots of cap space will step up and make a Nate Clement offer. Jets, maybe? Patriots will have no choice but to say goodbye to Sameul.

Another Adalius type signing for the linebacking group and drafting a good CB will be money better spent. You can buy yourself a Jason Taylor type front line player with that kind of money. They really need to bring FEROCITY to the front 7, which coupled with the 3 superior safeties that we have will IMPROVE the defense.

 

[wdkantro2]

Champ Bailey would have made that pick on the last drive. Asante wants to be paid like Champ but didn't make the play.
Ifso facto, Asante isn't worth the money, and I can't wait to see him in a different uniform.

 

[pats63]

Asante wants big money....I say let him get paid elsewhere....We can use that money for somewhere else....Didn't Richardson still on the team...Wasn't he going to make the team....We have draft picks to fine a db....I am hoping that BB&SP suprize us and use #7 on a Pass rusher or OT....Asante time with the Pats are nearing to the end....Thanks for your work and wish him the best of luck with your new team...

 

[Hardboiled]

CB's who get the money Asante Samuel wants don't let game clinching INT's go through their fingertips.

Amen, brother.

 

[PatsFan24]

He is one of the best in the NFL, maybe a young Ty Law.

 

[unoriginal]

You just don't get the upfield pressure inside from a 3-4 as you do with a 4-3.

And here at last is the story of last night's game.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

And here at last is the story of last night's game.

so are you suggesting we would better to switch to a 4-3 defense?? just wonderin.

as for assante, he's a good corner, but i think he feels he's a h.o.f. corner, and is going to want to be payed like one. wont happen here. he'll be wearing green, and white next year. i agree with everyone about drafting a l.b., and another corner, or 2. hobbs, btw, was far from sucking last night. i have no problem with him being here next year. i was also impressed with gay for the first time in a long time. he showed great toughness last night. bottom line, if you blitz all of your front 7, and dont get to the q.b., your gonna expose your secondary. give the g-men credit there. they picked up our blitzes well, and protected better than our line protected tom.

 

[unoriginal]

so are you suggesting we would better to switch to a 4-3 defense?? just wonderin.

I'm not going to panic and advocate throwing the baby out with the bathwater, after all our defense did its job last night, the Giants scored a mere 17 points.

But I think the single greatest improvement we could make to this defense would be finding a way to bring pressure up the middle consistently. The rules favor passing offense more and more and as the Giants showed, the best way to shut down a great one is to penetrate the middle of the line. Seems to work pretty well against the run as well if you have linebackers behind it that can fill downhill in a hurry into their run fits. I don't know how we'd work that within the confines of the current scheme and players. I don't think we have the speed necessary in our linebackers.

I do know that if I was a newly minted defensive coordinator, I'd go with a one-gapping 4-3 over a two-gapping 3-4 for next year if I had some end/tackle tweeners like Justin Tuck on my roster.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I'm not going to panic and advocate throwing the baby out with the bathwater, after all our defense did its job last night, the Giants scored a mere 17 points.

But I think the single greatest improvement we could make to this defense would be finding a way to bring pressure up the middle consistently. The rules favor passing offense more and more and as the Giants showed, the best way to shut down a great one is to penetrate the middle of the line. Seems to work pretty well against the run as well if you have linebackers behind it that can fill downhill in a hurry into their run fits. I don't know how we'd work that within the confines of the current scheme and players. I don't think we have the speed necessary in our linebackers.

I do know that if I was a newly minted defensive coordinator, I'd go with a one-gapping 4-3 over a two-gapping 3-4 for next year if I had some end/tackle tweeners like Justin Tuck on my roster.

i like the 3-4, the ability to diquise blitzes, but i agree with you. all year, it seemed as though we would 'almost' get to the q.b., so i would like to see some fresh legs in the middle l.b.'s.

 

[PatsFanVancouver]

The 3-4 is fine. DL is fine.

Merriweather looks good. I think Sanders has had a poor postseason. Harrison has his moments, good and god awful.

Gay can't cover anything. Hobb's is not good. Asante is a ballhawk, but gets beat by no names. I don't think he is a good fit in this defense. Definitely, not worth the money. This team needs to fire all there CB scouts.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

The 3-4 is fine. DL is fine.

Merriweather looks good. I think Sanders has had a poor postseason. Harrison has his moments, good and god awful.

Gay can't cover anything. Hobb's is not good. Asante is a ballhawk, but gets beat by no names. I don't think he is a good fit in this defense. Definitely, not worth the money. This team needs to fire all there CB scouts.

hobbs, and gay suck? but merriweather looked good????? . please explain.

 

[Pats726]

I think maybe go MORE 4-3..at times..still a 3-4 D..nothing at all wrong with that..Sunday a 4-3 with MORE of an inside rush would have helped..but..being versatile helps..and an inside rusher would help certain situations.
Not sure about the DBs...Samuel is not worth a ton of money.. agree..letting that INT go through his hands..NOT good..when the game was on the line..They do need some CB help...the safeties will be OK..Sanders..Harrison Meriweather.. Wilson is on the outs..unless they think they can somehow get him back in form..Richardson was IRed..he looked like he was oK..so they will draft a CB make a run for a FA..they will be fine.