Brightest spot tonight? LBs...

[PonyExpress]

I haven't given up on Hobson. Physical run stuffers who are durable and know what it takes to get through 16 games have value. As he gets more acclimated inside he should play "faster".

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I haven't given up on Hobson. Physical run stuffers who are durable and know what it takes to get through 16 games have value. As he gets more acclimated inside he should play "faster".

I Concur.

Stone: I also prefer to see Guyton working inside, but I think both he and Mayo are guys who can slide outside when needed or for scheme purposes. One thing I liked reading about Guyton after the draft was how his GA-Tech coaches seemed to trust him to pick things up quickly if they needed help at a new position. A little over half an hour and we can start making our own impressions. :singing:

 

[PatsFan37]

A little over half an hour and we can start making our own impressions. :singing:

An entire half-hour? What do you do with the other fifteen minutes? Aaah, that would be for lasting impressions.

P.S. I look forward to your thoughts. Particularly on Hobson and Guyton.

Ooops, I misinterpreted the half-hour. You'll actually have three hours to form your lasting impressions, pass judgment, declare winners and losers, make up the 53-man roster and the outcome of this year's schedule ... otherwise you'll have fallen behind the rest of us on the board.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

An entire half-hour? What do you do with the other fifteen minutes? Aaah, that would be for lasting impressions.

P.S. I look forward to your thoughts. Particularly on Hobson and Guyton.

Ooops, I misinterpreted the half-hour. You'll actually have three hours to form your lasting impressions, pass judgment, declare winners and losers, make up the 53-man roster and the outcome of this year's schedule ... otherwise you'll have fallen behind the rest of us on the board.

I'm on sabbatical this season due to home buyers remorse, but I'll do what my peers here do and set my snap judgments in cement.

 

[NEPatriot]

we need to have a strong LB unit if we want to be productive in this season.

 

[patsox23]

I haven't given up on Hobson. Physical run stuffers who are durable and know what it takes to get through 16 games have value. As he gets more acclimated inside he should play "faster".

I hope you're right, but I'm not sure why we think Hobson, a guy who has to this point played OLB (and not well), qualifies as a "physical run stuffer."

 

[Keegs]

Don't forget Guyton. Somehow he ran Figurs down from behind and forced him out at the 2. That's mindboggling.

yeah i just watched the highlights on the NFL website and saw that.

pretty nuts.

 

[PonyExpress]

I hope you're right, but I'm not sure why we think Hobson, a guy who has to this point played OLB (and not well), qualifies as a "physical run stuffer."

Hobson has played for the Jets for 5 years as a starting LB, 3 before Mangini installed the 3-4. He has the strength to consistently stand up a guard. That ability was the reason Mangini elected to play him out of position at 3-4 OLB despite being only 6' tall, because he could set the edge more consistently than any other LB option on the Jet's meager roster.

He is also remarkably durable. However, he does not have the speed to cover or rush the passer. Watching him play for years, I would characterize him as a physical run stuffer, with the chance to become an Ed Hartwell type 3-4 ILB once he becomes acclimated to his new position and new surroundings.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I must admit I was worried how Belichick would rebuild the LB's. He successfully rebuilt the DL then the OL all the while winning a few Super Bowl's. Staying at the top and rebuilding the LB core will be Belichick's greatest sleight of hand ... and so far ... he's dealt himself a decent hand.

I too feared for the Dynasty. BB 's Defense is predicated on great LB play, and how do you both find good palyers and also intelligent ones, and also who can develop very fast?

I am amazed at BB & SP One year, and the LB both starting and depth are rebuilt already. Mayo is a future star; Hobson is at least an adequate player. UDFA Guyton appears to be a developmental prospect, good situation sub and ST player.

At OLB, the starting stars are younger, but Woods has developed, and Crabel looks like a future contributor and starter too. Four ILBs and Four OLBs, in a single offseason! Wow!
Add another good LB draftee, it's immaterial whether it's a ILB or OLB, and he can shift players however he needs to, and the job is done.

It's hard to figure who he will use all the prime draft picks he has next year. LB, OL and CB/S, seem about the only needs. But what to do with the two 3s, two 4s, and all the other picks?

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Hobson has played for the Jets for 5 years as a starting LB, 3 before Mangini installed the 3-4. He has the strength to consistently stand up a guard. That ability was the reason Mangini elected to play him out of position at 3-4 OLB despite being only 6' tall, because he could set the edge more consistently than any other LB option on the Jet's meager roster.

He is also remarkably durable. However, he does not have the speed to cover or rush the passer. Watching him play for years, I would characterize him as a physical run stuffer, with the chance to become an Ed Hartwell type 3-4 ILB once he becomes acclimated to his new position and new surroundings.

I agree I would love to see Hobson step up and claim the spot next to Bruschi. We've seen him in action previously with theJets, and we know he can bring the wood and s not afraid to tackle. However once a guy admits piblically that he is having trouble picking up the scheme, it is never a good thing.

 

[Richter]

Looking back over the game, I think I actually came away more impressed by Woods than any of the other linebackers, and I was very impressed by both Mayo and Crable. Woods came out of college with scouting reports very similar to Crable - tall, athletic, long arms, good speed, questions about playing standing up and in space, but with excellent short shuttle and triangle times. His play leveled off later in his college career, whereas Crable kept improving, but he had the same sort of potential coming out of school. Watching him play against the Ravens with the first string, it was clear his functional strength had improved greatly, and the bulk he's added since he came to the Patriots hasn't done anything to stifle the array of pass rush moves he had in college that got scouts interested in the first place. Most importantly, he seemed to be able to play well when he wasn't headed upfield, rushing the quarterback, which was the big knock on him coming out of college. I think the Patriots may very well have a starting caliber player in Woods now. When Vrabel and Thomas move on, Crable and Woods could be the pieces that step in to replace them, and that doesn't scare me as much as it did only a few days ago.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I agree I would love to see Hobson step up and claim the spot next to Bruschi. We've seen him in action previously with theJets, and we know he can bring the wood and s not afraid to tackle. However once a guy admits piblically that he is having trouble picking up the scheme, it is never a good thing.

I liked the Hobson signing but my money is on Mayo whom Kraft noticed as an early Sunday AM student of the game. Besides we only have Hobson for 1 yr. Re-signing him as starting ILB would be expensive cap wise.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I liked the Hobson signing but my money is on Mayo whom Kraft noticed as an early Sunday AM student of the game. Besides we only have Hobson for 1 yr. Re-signing him as starting ILB would be expensive cap wise.

I see Hobson platooning with Tedy if his grasp of the defense gets firmer, Mayo has the speed for passing downs - as long as he doesn't bite on a lot of play action.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I see Hobson platooning with Tedy if his grasp of the defense gets firmer, Mayo has the speed for passing downs - as long as he doesn't bite on a lot of play action.

That would be a good situation for the pats, both ILBs capable. Because you know that somebody always gets dinged up during the season. Who will be last in the rotation? Guyton? Tank? Seau redux?

EDIT: Tank just IRed

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

That would be a good situation for the pats, both ILBs capable. Because you know that somebody always gets dinged up during the season. Who will be last in the rotation? Guyton? Tank? Seau redux?

EDIT: Tank just IRed

I'm going to be taking a close look at Guyton as I work through the Ravens tape - his speed gives him the potential to play some S/LB hybrid if he can be developed mentally.

 

[PatsFan37]

I'm going to be taking a close look at Guyton as I work through the Ravens tape - his speed gives him the potential to play some S/LB hybrid if he can be developed mentally.

I watched the game a little tonight and though I didn't focus on Guyton, I did see someone (his man?) catch a pass for a 1st down right behind him. Not sure if Guyton was out of position. In another case, he rather flagrantly missed a tackle. He looked like a rookie.