Asante Samuel plays role of leader

[Seymour93]

Here's a good article about "without a doubt" Asante's best NFL game yet. There's some telling quotes from teammates in it.

http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2006/11/27/news/sports/sports04.txt

Easy pickings for Asante Samuel
By Glen Farley, Enterprise staff writer

[...]

“He had a Pro Bowl game straight up and down,†New England Patriots safety Artrell Hawkins said after cornerback Asante Samuel tied a franchise record by contributing three interceptions to the Patriots' 17-13 win over the Chicago Bears at Gillette Stadium. “He could have had five picks.

“He played the pass perfectly. Even the pass that they caught on him earlier in the game, he was in position to make that play and just didn't go up and high-point it.â€

While Samuel didn't toss a perfect game at the Bears — wide receiver Bernard Berrian outfought him for that 47-yard reception late in the first quarter — he came close.

“Without a doubt,†Samuel answered when asked if this game was the finest hour in his four-year NFL career. “Prime time against the best in the NFC. You gotta love this game.â€

While the game wasn't actually played in prime time, Samuel's effort produced a prime-time performance.

“Asante,†said Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, “picked our team up with those three picks.â€

[...]

All this came a week after Samuel sat out the Patriots' 35-0 shutout of the Packers at Green Bay's Lambeau Field with a knee injury.

“I got a good feel of the game,†Samuel said at the conclusion of Sunday's win. “He kept coming at me and trying me, and I just made the plays.â€

[...]

“He was in the huddle (prior to that play) saying to everybody, 'Try to step up,†Patriots outside linebacker Rosevelt Colvin said.

“I had no idea it would be me,†said Samuel. “I was just trying to fire everybody up.

“He kind of threw it deep. I didn't know if I was going to get to it, (but) I knew I was in better position than the receiver.â€

[...]

They do a great job of pattern reading and understanding where the play is going to go and (Samuel) just beat (Davis) to the spot,†said Grossman. “It was a great play by him and we had a good look for it. He's got a lot of speed and a lot of recovery time. That interception was a great play by him.â€

“We played a lot of 'man' (to man defense),†said Samuel. “We wanted to keep the pressure on Rex Grossman and try to create some turnovers.â€

Samuel's three interceptions equaled a franchise record that had been accomplished six times in regular-season play, most recently by safety Roland James in a 31-0 win at Buffalo back on Oct. 23, 1983. Samuel was two years old at the time.

“Samuel played at a Pro Bowl level today,†said defensive lineman Richard Seymour, who's been selected to four of those games. “Bottom line, he had the week off last week and came back fresh and ready to go, and we needed that.â€

I don't want to see another Branch situation unfold. Get Asante re-signed ASAP. Imagine our secondary without him.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

I have upgraded my opinion of Asante by far this season. Last year, he looked like an inconsistent #2, as in prior seasons.

This year he has looked more and more like a real starting quality CB.

I would like to see him carry this level of play into the playoffs, because we need it.

Belichick will offer him what he is worth to the Pats. Asante will have every chance to re-sign with the team. Right now I would pay him more than I would have at the start of the season, based on his performance. But he is not a top five CB, and won't get paid that way by the Pats. Hopefully, he will cut a reasonable deal to stay with the team.

If not, he will keep playing hard for another contract......

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

Asante's stock continues to rise. If the Pats don't re-sign him before FA, it's a certainty that they will franchise tag him.

It looks like Samuel's agent made a good decision in not extending his client before the 11/06/2006 deadline.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

He's good at times. At others, against really good WRs he has shown to not so good. Not many CBs can claim they've won the majority of their battles against Wayne, Harrison, Walker etc.

That said, as what amounts to a defacto No. 1 corner, Samuel doesn't inspire anywhere near the level of confidence Law did when he was in his prime. Contract issues aside, Samuel will never be the CB Law was. If he re-signs, great. If he doesn't, it would be nice to see them draft someone with the speed and quickness Samuel seems to have but also someone who is more physical.

 

[Jimke]

There is no way that the Patriots will franchise Asante Samuel.

The amount to franchise a cornerback in 2006 was over 7 million

dollars. I expect it would be about 8 million in 2007.

Unfortunately, Asante is our only good cornerback and will be

missed if he leaves. If he is not re-signed before the end of the

season, he is probably a goner. Every interception raises his price tag.