DefenseRules
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http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/
I thought it was a good read. I'll be keeping an eye on the safety position in the future. If this trend continues, say goodbye to Eugene Wilson, IMO.
October 23, 2007
Defensive look
By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff
From time to time, we'll take a look at the snaps played by defensive players. Some of these numbers might be slightly off, as charting the defense is more challenging than the offense because there are more players and combinations to account for. But the numbers can sometimes provide a general idea of a trend or theme.
From Sunday's game against the Dolphins, here is a breakdown of snaps played by defenders:
CB Ellis Hobbs -- 70 of 70 snaps
S James Sanders -- 68 of 70
OLB Rosevelt Colvin -- 63 of 70
S Rodney Harrison -- 59 of 70
OLB Mike Vrabel -- 58 of 70
ILB Adalius Thomas -- 58 of 70
CB Asante Samuel -- 57 of 70
DE Ty Warren -- 52 of 70
ILB Tedy Bruschi -- 44 of 70
DE Jarvis Green -- 44 of 70
ILB Junior Seau -- 38 of 70
NT Vince Wilfork -- 37 of 70
CB Randall Gay -- 32 of 70
S Brandon Meriweather -- 27 of 70
S Eugene Wilson -- 21 of 70
OLB Pierre Woods -- 15 of 70
DL Le Kevin Smith -- 14 of 70
DL Santonio Thomas -- 4 of 70
ANALYSIS: Eugene Wilson's numbers are a bit surprising -- he has been replaced by James Sanders as a starter but was the first defensive back in when the Patriots went to the nickel. Wilson's play-time numbers are a bit skewed based on the score. Rookie Brandon Meriweather got most of his time on the final three drives, a time in which Wilson probably would have been on the field if the score was closer. ... Playing with the lead, the Patriots went mostly with their nickel and dime packages in the second half, which helps explain some of the Dolphins' success in the running game. The Patriots were in a defense generally reserved for passing and the Dolphins were running. ... CB Asante Samuel missed eight plays in the first half after he was banged up making a tackle, then took a brief rest in the second half. ... Although only on the field for four snaps, DL Santonio Thomas drew a holding penalty. ... OLB Mike Vrabel continues to be a workhorse for the defense, and one switch was him lining up more on the defensive right instead of his regular position on the left. It looked like the Patriots felt the Dolphins would run more behind left tackle Vernon Carey, so they put Vrabel -- their best outside linebacker -- on that side.
I thought it was a good read. I'll be keeping an eye on the safety position in the future. If this trend continues, say goodbye to Eugene Wilson, IMO.