Dean Pees on Ellis Hobbs

[Real World]

It's so funny to see homers get all defensive for calling Ellis Hobbs a mediocre corner. My bad, Hobbs is the next Neon Sanders, only without the lights. Hobbs is an average corner fellas.

 

[rookBoston]

Let me clarify, because I don't think it came across the right way. Was it 2003 or 2004 where we had Harrison and Wilson (who at the time was at least bringing the lumber) at safety, but Randall Gay and Earthwind Moreland playing corner in the super bowl. Now, you can argue that we may never have made it to the super bowl if those were our starters all year, but for that game, we made it work.

And I believe my words were, you CAN win a super with mediocre corners. Not that that they NEVER had good ones.

Look, I'll never claim to be an expert, so maybe comparing me to the bobblehead media is accurate, but I still think football is like most sports. Strength up the middle can make up for relative "weakness" on the outside.

Fair enough. Earthwind was no gamebreaker, that's for sure. And, for the record, I don't think you're a bobblehead... I just suspected you of listening to them. Please promise to completely disregard the Tom Jacksons and Ron Borgeses of the world and we're cool.

 

[Sicilian]

Fair enough. Earthwind was no gamebreaker, that's for sure. And, for the record, I don't think you're a bobblehead... I just suspected you of listening to them. Please promise to completely disregard the Tom Jacksons and Ron Borgeses of the world and we're cool.

No worries there. They both drive me crazy, and not just because they're anti Pats/Belichick, I just can't stand their dimeanor. I try to form my own opinions outside of the national perspective, even if that often causes me to be wrong

 

[Patters]

I'm glad you posted that. Hobbs isn't bad, but he seems inconsistent. Maybe what appears to be inconsistency is just him trying to do his best even when the coverage is blown.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's so funny to see homers get all defensive for calling Ellis Hobbs a mediocre corner. My bad, Hobbs is the next Neon Sanders, only without the lights. Hobbs is an average corner fellas.

It's funny you should say that because Bill Belichick was talking to Hobbs about the game and how to cover Burress. So, I'm just curious.... why is a defensive genius deliberately giving this mediocre corner the assignment of covering the opposing team's best corner and wasting the franchise talent of Asante on the #2 receivers?


Oh, and as a P.S. to the people who complain that Hobbs isn't physical enough, if you watch the film, BB tells Hobbs to use his speed and NOT to get physical, or words to that effect.

 

[tombonneau]

Another note on Hobbs ...

Folks seem to forget he and Asante LOCKED DOWN Harrison & Wayne in the AFCCG.

Of course, we won't talk about what Dallas Clark & Byron Fletcher did in that game ...

 

[rookBoston]

It's so funny to see homers get all defensive for calling Ellis Hobbs a mediocre corner. My bad, Hobbs is the next Neon Sanders, only without the lights. Hobbs is an average corner fellas.

lol. Gotta admit, rose colored glasses make everything beautiful. But it's hard to throw mud on a team that's 16-0 and have it stick.

There are 64 starting CBs in the NFL. Average puts him in the 30s, if you were going to rank them in order.

So, Real World, if you're up for it, I challenge you to give me a list of a dozen CBs that you would trade for Hobbs straight up, to improve our secondary. Then the rest of us Hobbs-lovers can rip your list to shreds.

I can only think of a few CBs that I really admire: Deangelo Hall, Champ Bailey, Ty Law. Trufant? And only a few kids that I'd consider on par with Hobbs: the Ross kid with the Giants, and Marlin Jackson... and they were both first rounders.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I'm glad you posted that. Hobbs isn't bad, but he seems inconsistent. Maybe what appears to be inconsistency is just him trying to do his best even when the coverage is blown.

I think that's a reasonable view of Hobbs. He's a decent CB. Some of us (me) expected a bit better this season but he's been hung for coverages that weren't his primary responsibility. The visibility issue is why NFL CBs command the big bucks.

 

[sebman2112]

Pees also touched on how a player like cornerback Ellis Hobbs can sometimes be involved in plays that look like he's been beaten, when in actuality that isn't the case. He pointed to the 52-yard catch by Plaxico Burress on the second play of Saturday's game as one example.

"Without getting into great detail, sometimes based on a coverage what you end up seeing may not be the reality of what the coverage is. He should have had help on that and he didn't get it," Pees said.

"It's kind of like when you back to the Steelers game and he was hit a little bit on the fact that [Najeh] Davenport caught that ball in the end zone. Being truthful, that wasn't even Ellis' coverage. He was close, trying to help somebody else, but he gets blamed for the coverage. So sometimes what you may see from the stands or the media or someone else, it may not necessarily be what the breakdown was."

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/

Seems a few plays that are seemlingly poor coverage by Hobbs are mistakes in coverages by others that leaves Hobbs on an island.

This is exactly what I've been saying about that play all along. Hobbs originally had coverage on a WR, but broke off to chase Davenport when he noticed him running by uncovered.

 

[TripleOption]

OMG, the Defensive Coordinator stuck up for one of his starting players who's een taking heat for his play? No way! Hobbs is a mediocre corner who hasn't really improved like I thought he would. I don't think anyone thinks every bad play is his fault, but the overall body of work says mediocre to me, and to most. It's ok to say that if your a Patriots fan you know.

Anyhow, I bet if you asked Pees off camera what he thinks of Hobbs' play, he'd probably go

Well, then...since you seem to be implying that Pees is covering for Hobbs and he truly did blow the play against Plaxico, detail Hobbs' responsibilities when he's playing Cover 2, Cover 3, Cover 1, 2 Man, Bracket, Corner Trap, etc...then we will all know that you know what you are talking about and can rest easier at night.

 

[DW Toys]

Rodney hasn't been perfect either...

Hobbs and Assante are not too bad in coverage. Gay has had some good play. We need two safeties for 2008. Either draft or F.A. Rodney will play in 08 but after that we have zero. We need a rotation there. Wilson will be gone. Merriweather...Well he might be o.k. after another few games and more reps. Sanders is the biggest liability on the defense. We have to get an upgrade there right away. He's an o.k. backup only. He positively cannot cover at all. Rodney has not had a great year, but solid playoffs can bring that up to a positive.
Look at most of the big plays against us. Safety problems. Seau has been better than expected in dropping back, as the case with A.D. but they can only go so deep. If I am the other team, I am going over the middle. If Merriweather can step it up for the playoffs he might be less of a liability than Sanders. I might start him.
DW Toys

 

[TripleOption]

Ah, safety coverage. The bane of cornerbacks everywhere.

Ain't that the truth. Watch Asante when they Corner Trap, if he misses the Out the WR is gone if the Safety blows it. Instantly, Samuel looks like a fool who "gambles too much" but the truth is that the Safety screwed up.

 

[FrontSeven]

This is exactly why I've reserved judgment on Ellis Hobbs. I cannot see or know the coverages, and I am aware that sometimes coverages are busted and the guy left holding the bag is sometimes unfairly blamed.

Somebody did screw up though. Obviously this is frightening and dangerous when it happens, and for this reason I don't see as much separation between this team and other teams since somebody figured out how to tool our pass defense.

 

[FirstAndGoal]

Actually, if I remember correctly, it was Rodney who bit on the inside move and was out of position on that play. Rodney jumped the route if that's the short pass for a TD. If it wasn't that one, then there was one where Rodney jumped the route and Hobbs paid for it. It cost a touchdown.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Very informative from Dean Peas. If he is telling the truth, just another reason why they know more than we do.

 

[eom]

I misunderstood the subject line.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

This is exactly why I've reserved judgment on Ellis Hobbs. I cannot see or know the coverages, and I am aware that sometimes coverages are busted and the guy left holding the bag is sometimes unfairly blamed.

Somebody did screw up though. Obviously this is frightening and dangerous when it happens, and for this reason I don't see as much separation between this team and other teams since somebody figured out how to tool our pass defense.

I know, it's frightening to be 16-0 and not nearly entirely perfect...what will we ever do when we have to face some 13-3 or 11-5 team who obviously is.

 

[Fencer]

Hobbs almost made up for a teammate's mistake by getting close to Davenport on that play but he got bashed for it as if that was his man.

Which teammate?

 

[RayClay]

Which teammate?

Since he's a fullback, I imagine it was a linebacker.

Maybe a safety that deep. I don't think I've ever seen a CB assigned to a fullback.

 

[Real World]

It's funny you should say that because Bill Belichick was talking to Hobbs about the game and how to cover Burress. So, I'm just curious.... why is a defensive genius deliberately giving this mediocre corner the assignment of covering the opposing team's best corner and wasting the franchise talent of Asante on the #2 receivers?

LOL! Cuz the Patriots don't rotate their corners to the opposite side of the field, to cover specific recievers. Hobbs always plays the right, and Asante always plays the left.