Has Butler Supplanted Bodden?

[patsfan-1982]

Did Butler start in place of Bodden? The Minnesota/Baltimore game ran over, so they didn't show the first part of today's game where I lived, but when it did cut to the game, I heard Jim Nantz saying the Patriots were starting 2 new corners today, and I noticed it was Wilhite and Butler.

Butler is a stud. What do you think?

Oh, and how do you think AD is feeling now?

QB12

whilhite and butler both started and they looked good but they did get some help from the titans WR droping every ball throw at them and they only had 16 pass att

i think butler is and is going to be a realy good corner

i think AD is pissed

im not sure if this was a one week thing to lite a fire under him or is he the new galloway

 

[jeffbiologist]

We gave up drives of 98 and 90 yards in our loss to Denver last week. We made Orton seem like Brady, thats hard to do. Someone had to pay.

 

[furry]

The issues in the Denver game were game plan issues imo, they happened far too often to be the corners fault on blown plays. We played far too deep against them.

I wouldn't complain if we started Butler and Bodden moving forwards, haven't seen much from Springs yet and still not sure about Whilhite from the physical point of view

 

[RobertWeathers]

No question after the DEN game BB was absolutely rip-&*@#. He sent major messages to everyone...Getting Seau, benching AD. Giving more playing time to Butler..

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Butler has earned the starting job. Bodden will still see plenty of action. I think that Whilite over Wheatley is pretty much a done deal, as he has consistantly outplayed him. The Pats have a surplus of defenseive backs, most likely because of the years of having a dearth of them. Butler looks as if he is going to be a player, imagine if his game takes a Merriweatherian rise over the next three seasons???? I really like what I've seen (so far) from Butler, he has been quite impressive for a rookie (in the BB system).

Merriweather is now officially a BEAST, and he has alot to do with the drops that are happening. He makes at least one (Sunday it was three or four) game changing plays every game.

 

[JackBauer]

I wouldn't say Butler has supplanted Bodden. I would expect Bodden and Butler to start, eventually.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Butler has earned the starting job. Bodden will still see plenty of action. I think that Whilite over Wheatley is pretty much a done deal, as he has consistantly outplayed him. The Pats have a surplus of defenseive backs, most likely because of the years of having a dearth of them. Butler looks as if he is going to be a player, imagine if his game takes a Merriweatherian rise over the next three seasons???? I really like what I've seen (so far) from Butler, he has been quite impressive for a rookie (in the BB system).

Merriweather is now officially a BEAST, and he has alot to do with the drops that are happening. He makes at least one (Sunday it was three or four) game changing plays every game.

More than anything, we finally, since Rodney in his prime, have a guy that will scare people to catch on us over the middle. So much of a good defense against it is honestly intimidation. I realize the NFL is full of pro receivers, but I promise even they will fear a blow from a hard hitting safety.

 

[BionicPatriot]

No question after the DEN game BB was absolutely rip-&*@#. He sent major messages to everyone...Getting Seau, benching AD. Giving more playing time to Butler..

I think it's more of a message to the front 7 than anyone in the secondary.

 

[Ring 6]

The issues in the Denver game were game plan issues imo, they happened far too often to be the corners fault on blown plays. We played far too deep against them.

I wouldn't complain if we started Butler and Bodden moving forwards, haven't seen much from Springs yet and still not sure about Whilhite from the physical point of view

Benching both starting corners would seem to indicate it was execution, not game plan.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Butler has amaszing quick twitch and it really showed yesterday. However he is far from a finished product. He has technique issues, especially in zone, that need a lot of work.

However his ceiling is very high and I expect him to claim a starting spot full time by season end.

I think an equally amazing fact at the CB position is that Wilhite appears to have passed Wheatley on the depth chart.

 

[D-cleater]

I think Butler gets a chance to start moving forward, and no better teams to build confidence against than TN and TB. Butler should be getting more confident with the defense now - I for one would like to see at least one BB-picked second round corner, even a rookie, get on the field and show what he can do, regardless of what we are paying Springs/Bodden.

 

[Synovia]

I think an equally amazing fact at the CB position is that Wilhite appears to have passed Wheatley on the depth chart.

Why? He passed him the second Wheatley got hurt in about week 6 last year. He's been above Wheatley on the depth chart pretty much their entire careers.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Tenn. doesn't have gamebreakers like Marshall and Royal. Pressing crappy receivers is the way to go...even if you miss the jam, they're not able to take it to the house. I think this strategy, like all Pats gameplans, was opponent-specific.

Its a delightful to see the wisdom of other Pats posters.

I would note that the Pats Defense, is now the sixth rated Defense in the league, in yardage and as low as fourth in Points Allowed. PA is actually better than that, as two of the top three have had byes and played one fewer game, so the Pats are really second.

There is a genuine benefit to "Bend but don't Break" and Bill Belichick has the Lombardi's to prove it. Meanwhile the league has caught up to Wrecks blitzes, catalogued them and countered; and even the lowly Bills without a QB can beat them. Its shades of Pete Carroll's DC second half of the season defensive collapses, after everyone knew the blitzes, and they didn't work any more...

The Jests have fewer sacks then we do. That's alright for a "Read and React" Defense, but horrible for an all out blitzing Defense.