I'm saying Week 1 Starters: Mayo and Wheatley

[spacecrime]

If the game situation calls for Mayo to be in on the first play I guess he'll "start"

What would be the "game situations" that you have you start Mayo or not start Mayo?

 

[patsox23]

Way too early to say who will be starting at CB in Week One.

 

[BelichickFan]

Way too early to say who will be starting at CB in Week One.

So let's not talk about it then

I expect Hobbs and Bryant to be the starters but for Wheatley to play a lot and to push whichever of the starters gets off to the weaker start.

Mayo is looking like a forgone conclusion.

 

[JoeSixPat]

What would be the "game situations" that you have you start Mayo or not start Mayo?

I'd think it would involve whether they think the opposing offense will pass or run on the first play - doesn't that about cover it?

Although Mayo's skills overtime don't look like they'll limit him to playing outside or inside, at this point I'd think that Belichick is planning on keeping his duties simple - likely looking at him playing on the inside, taking on run protection or short screens and rotating him and others on the field accordingly.

This shouldn't come as a shock - Belichick usually has a rotation of LBs that he rotates in and out in different situations. All of that makes defining someone as a "starter" somewhat less relevant.

 

[Rob0729]

Belichick is usually very weary of starting a rookie early in the season unless there is no other option or he stands out so much in the preseason that he wins the job outright. Mayo looks like he may be on the way to the latter, but I don't think Wheatley falls into either category yet.

I think people are putting too much weight on one preseason game. Let's wait to see how the preseason plays out. If Bryant has two interceptions on Sunday night, are we talking about Wheatley starting assuming Hobbs is healthy enough for the start of the season?

 

[signbabybrady]

Belichick is usually very weary of starting a rookie early in the season unless there is no other option or he stands out so much in the preseason that he wins the job outright. Mayo looks like he may be on the way to the latter, but I don't think Wheatley falls into either category yet.

I think people are putting too much weight on one preseason game. Let's wait to see how the preseason plays out. If Bryant has two interceptions on Sunday night, are we talking about Wheatley starting assuming Hobbs is healthy enough for the start of the season?

no we would be talking about how Bryant equalled a career best in one preseason game. Bryant isnt much of an INT guy his career high is 2.

Note: I am high on Bryant as he is a career starter and seems to be having a good camp, one preseason game doesn't change that.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Belichick is usually very weary of starting a rookie early in the season unless there is no other option or he stands out so much in the preseason that he wins the job outright. Mayo looks like he may be on the way to the latter, but I don't think Wheatley falls into either category yet.

I think people are putting too much weight on one preseason game. Let's wait to see how the preseason plays out. If Bryant has two interceptions on Sunday night, are we talking about Wheatley starting assuming Hobbs is healthy enough for the start of the season?

No. on the two picks. I'm just saying the Pats drafted high and Wheatley will end up outplaying Bryant to earn the job. I'm saying he stands out.

 

[JoeSixPat]

No. on the two picks. I'm just saying the Pats drafted high and Wheatley will end up outplaying Bryant to earn the job. I'm saying he stands out.

Keeping in mind this was just the first pre-season game, the veteran (Bryant) underperformed and the rookie (Wheatley) outperformed expectations.

That's not to say that Wheatly's performance earned himself a starting position - at times he looked completely over his head. Well, maybe that's a bit unfair - he looked like what he is - a rookie.

Bryant did himself no favors but things are still very much up in the air. Heck - I'm still hoping that Hobbs has no lingering effects from his injury. Given that, both Bryant an Weatley could be looking at plenty of time.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Keeping in mind this was just the first pre-season game, the veteran (Bryant) underperformed and the rookie (Wheatley) outperformed expectations.

That's not to say that Wheatly's performance earned himself a starting position - at times he looked completely over his head. Well, maybe that's a bit unfair - he looked like what he is - a rookie.

Bryant did himself no favors but things are still very much up in the air. Heck - I'm still hoping that Hobbs has no lingering effects from his injury. Given that, both Bryant an Weatley could be looking at plenty of time.

time will tell.

 

[14thDragon]

I'd think it would involve whether they think the opposing offense will pass or run on the first play - doesn't that about cover it?

I don't buy it. Pass, Run, Punt Mayo will be on the feild. The guy is a beastimal and anytime he comes off the field the defense is less talented and less versitile.

With Hobson looking more and more like a JAG, then I suspect the rotation will be with Bruschi and Hobson with Mayo being the three down guy.

IMHO Mayo is picking up the defense fine and will be a dominant play maker from week one through week last.

 

[Deus Irae]

Keeping in mind this was just the first pre-season game, the veteran (Bryant) underperformed and the rookie (Wheatley) outperformed expectations.

That's not to say that Wheatly's performance earned himself a starting position - at times he looked completely over his head. Well, maybe that's a bit unfair - he looked like what he is - a rookie.

Bryant did himself no favors but things are still very much up in the air. Heck - I'm still hoping that Hobbs has no lingering effects from his injury. Given that, both Bryant an Weatley could be looking at plenty of time.

How did Bryant underperform?

 

[JoeSixPat]

How did Bryant underperform?

Aside from the fact that the Ravens singled out Bryant, starting off the game by throwing three straight passes to his side and completing all three of them for 49 yards total - or about 50% of Boller's pass production for the night - I guess he looked pretty good.

I'm assuming you'll illustrate how statistically that's a great performance?

 

[Deus Irae]

Aside from the fact that the Ravens singled out Bryant, starting off the game by throwing three straight passes to his side and completing all three of them for 49 yards total - or about 50% of Boller's pass production for the night - I guess he looked pretty good.

I'm assuming you'll illustrate how statistically that's a great performance?

Feel free to go to BOR's thread on this. He didn't see it the same as you did.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showpost.php?p=957149&postcount=1

 

[JoeSixPat]

Feel free to go to BOR's thread on this. He didn't see it the same as you did.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showpost.php?p=957149&postcount=1

I think BoR's probably right that Bryant wasn't pulled because of the 49 yards of receptions before 2 minutes of the game had elapsed. The first pre-season games isn't exactly the time when you'd expect to see someone "benched" - just a matter of getting a good look at someone else.

Saying its a zone defense however doesn't necessarilly get Bryant off the hook. I do know that what I saw were three straight passes to the left where Bryant was - and three straight completions. That's not great.

As I was trying to note in my original post, there's higher expectations for veterans and lower expectations for rookies - which is why we shouldn't get too high or too low about eithers performance in the first pre-season game.

 

[tombonneau]

Feel free to go to BOR's thread on this. He didn't see it the same as you did.

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showpost.php?p=957149&postcount=1

There is no way to spin three straight completions for 50 yards as a positive. Sorry. And I like Bryant. Maybe it was the defensive coverage, I don't know. I'm certainly not holding it against Bryant; it was the first possession of the preseason. I'm going to put very, very little stock in it.

But what little stock I put in says, Bryant Hold, Wheatley Buy.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

Are you asking why they might not play Bryant a great deal in game two/three? His old coach Dom is the new secondary coach, I would be surprised if Bryant isn't fairly conversant with the system already.

Let's look at our current CB pool:

Veterans: Hobbs, Bryant, Webster, L. Sanders, the new cat signed after Tank's IR. I'm treating Spann as a S.

Kids: Wheatley, Wilhite, Richardson.

BB is going to keep around 5 CBs, Hobbs and Bryant seem to be locks. Wheatley looks like a lock. Richardson looked to be making the roster last season before being placed on IR, both he and Wilhite seem to have been doing okay in camp before recent injuries. L. Sanders is a career STs player, Webster is good, but has missed 12 or so practices, the new guy is a long shot. Richardson might clear waivers for the Practice Squad considering he was a low round draft pick in a poor year and dropped out of sight for a year. Right now I'd risk Richardson and keep Wilhite (not knowing injury status) and L. Sanders. That's 5, with the two rookies your nickelback contenders - I get them extra reps in preseason, especially if the vets appear to grasp the system. Hobbs started on PUP and needs to get his football conditioning back, I play him more and rest Bryant. That leaves me with three players whom I want taking extra preseason reps for various reasons, assuming Bryant is up to speed on his job. L. Sanders is garbage time STs. Those are my priorities.

I agree with most of what you say, except I see Richardson making it. He just seems to be one of those kids that 'get's it'. And after last years fiasco with trying to sneak kids to PS, I don't think it will happen.
With Tank on IR, can L. Sanders play more of a Safety role?

CB - Hobbs, Bryant, Wheatley, Wilhite, Richardson

S - Harrison, J. Sanders, Meriweather, Spann, L. Sanders

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I agree with most of what you say, except I see Richardson making it. He just seems to be one of those kids that 'get's it'. And after last years fiasco with trying to sneak kids to PS, I don't think it will happen.
With Tank on IR, can L. Sanders play more of a Safety role?

CB - Hobbs, Bryant, Wheatley, Wilhite, Richardson

S - Harrison, J. Sanders, Meriweather, Spann, L. Sanders

I recall reading that L.Sanders took some Safety reps in one of the practices or BB had touched on him as someone who could play some Safety. Certainly as a career STs player he's got to be someone who has had some back of the depth chart exposure to S. I also think Reiss listed him as a "DB" in the injury inactives report from tonight's practice.

Reiss and Guriegian also listed Hobbs and Bryant running with the ones, Wheatley worked with the twos.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I am proud to resurrect this thread. I imagine Wheatley is starting? what other candidates are there?

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

Wheatley must be pretty good, or Ty Law is coming back...

 

[spacecrime]

I know Mayo is a no brainer. But I'm saying Wheatley is going to win the job over Fernando Bryant. The starting corners will be Hobbs and Wheatley.

This wins the GOOD CALL of the preseason.

Congrats!