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

[PatsFanVancouver]

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

Don't put words in my mouth I didn't not say they SUCK. Hobbs is not good for starting corner. My opinion. Meriweather looks good and is on schedule. My Opinion. Gay can't cover. Opposing QB's pick on him exclusively when he's in the game and they are succesful.

 

[PatsFanVancouver]

Please remember the the Pats defensive scheme. Above all, the corners cannot give up the big play. Asante is more suited, but will occasionally cheat and get burned. Obviously, Hobbs and Gay are not well suited. Also, in the red zone, neither is tall/good enough to defend the endzone against taller/skilled receivers, reliably. My opinion. Maybe I'm being to critical. But, DB's getting beaten on long game winning drives in two consecutive championship games will do that, I guess.

 

[bronk37]

I think keeping assante will keep us from signing anyone else, hate to see him go but there is 11 other players on defense that have to be paid too. If by some miracle he stays I think we go after another corner and move Hobbs to nickel back, say bye to Gay. As far as pass rush it fell off when colvin went down. I love colvin as much as anyone but he has health issues on a regular basis I see him taking a pay cut. I wonder if we would every take a run at Jason Taylor if hes trying to get out of miami? I also think Seymour was never 100% from his injury and that had a lot to do with pass rush and being disruptive.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

As we rank on dudes like Gay and Hobbs let's not forget we were quite successful with Otis "My Man" Smith playing CB and he couldn't move nearly as well as Hobbs or Gay. Our pass rush just isn't enough to cause any concern to another team. In fact, a QB superior to the mediocre Eli would have lit up the Pats if they had played the same way. (meaning, against a better QB, we would have played more ocverage and less blitz).

As for Asante- I blame him for allowing the Tyree TD because he went for the INT instead of first making certain the WR couldn't catch the ball. If he knocks that ball down, G-men might have settled for a FG, who knows. But, to me, Asante put his ego/free agency ahead of his team when he tried for the INT (hey, man, look how many postseason INTs I have, now give me the money!), when he should have just knocked the ball away.

 

[sieglo]

Hobbs is actually a pretty decent corner. Statistically he compares well versus Samuel. He is vulnerable against larger receivers, however.

Meriweather is improving but still has the worst hands I've ever seen. He dropped FOUR game ending interceptions this year, including a playoff game and the Super Bowl. Gay is a decent nickel back and is cost effective. He has some potential to improve.

Our pass rush is pretty good. Second in the league in sacks.

The problem with our defense right now is that it's hard to identify where the Pats should try to improve. Developing a faster LB corps seems the logical answer, but given the AD expirement this year I don't see many guys in the league being able to come in and play linebacker on this team out of the gate.

 

[LiveShot]

Hobbs played a pretty good game despite the one big screw up Plaxico lit him up on.

Other than than Mrs Lincoln, did you enjoy the play?

 

[SDMan]

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 was also the guy that made a crucial interception in the Chargers game, the interception he made was almost as great a catch as Tyree's. Even though it was pass interference (and I'm not complaining here, scoreboard says it all) it was an amazing catch. Oh, for those that don't think it was pass interference check this out....

http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9282/vlcsnap611036iv6.png

...a great play and catch by Samuel. I'm not sure the Patriots can sign him AND address their other needs but he is most definitely "clutch" imo.


pao

 

[SDMan]

Hobbs is actually a pretty decent corner. Statistically he compares well versus Samuel. He is vulnerable against larger receivers, however.

Meriweather is improving but still has the worst hands I've ever seen. He dropped FOUR game ending interceptions this year, including a playoff game and the Super Bowl. Gay is a decent nickel back and is cost effective. He has some potential to improve.

Our pass rush is pretty good. Second in the league in sacks.

The problem with our defense right now is that it's hard to identify where the Pats should try to improve. Developing a faster LB corps seems the logical answer, but given the AD expirement this year I don't see many guys in the league being able to come in and play linebacker on this team out of the gate.

Hobbs is a great player on defense and special teams imo. This is an opinion from a guy who hates the guy for what he did last year. He got beat on ONE play that mattered and I don't think there is a 5'10" DB in the league that should be one on one in the end zone with Plaxico Burress.

pao

 

[BrianPat]

My take on Asante.

If he's worth all that money, how did he miss a game winning pick in the SB ???

Granted that's not the only reason we lost, but if he caught it, we would have won.

 

[captain stone]

I realize that I just posted in another thread that Assante should "get paid", but after reading this thread, I would be OK with his departure IF the $$ slotted for him would be spent on BOTH a 1B/2A CB, with height, and a pass-rushing OLB/DE. They could be acquired through the draft, free agency, or both.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I like Asante, but then again I liked Seymour too. Looking back on his contract I wish we would of let him walk. It's untradeable and I don't want to see the team get strapped like that on another player again.

 

[BRiZ]

Asante is gone dont kid yourself.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

My take on Asante.

If he's worth all that money, how did he miss a game winning pick in the SB ???

Granted that's not the only reason we lost, but if he caught it, we would have won.

Watching the replay now . On that first Giants drive Asante gave up 2 of 3 third and long conversions, Gay gave up the other, and Asante got run over by the smaller back on another play. Hobbs on the other hand stuffed a Bradshaw run and had an almost pick pass defensed on Plax in the EZ. Gay went out early injured.


We had them third and 6 or 7 and the just kept converting until they were in FG range and tried to pick on Hobbs...go figure.

 

[ATippett56]

Asante is good as gone especially when you consider how much money the 49ers shelled out for Tully Banta-Cain last year.

 

[dhamz]

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.

It was James Sanders who jumped up on the play fake and left Tyree open inside. He gave up the TD. Samuel had outside coverage. The fact that he read the play better than Sanders and closed on the throw making him the guy on the screen didn't make it his fault.