Jason Cole's secondary rankings - let the disrespect begin

[stinkypete]

Just to give you an idea of what the people who clearly don't pay any attention at all are thinking about our Patriots. Cole has the secondary ranked #22 in the league. Despite ranking #12 last year in defensive pass yards and #13 in defensive passer rating.

DB rankings: Here's why Jets top the Pack - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

"Between draft picks Brandon Meriweather(notes), Darius Butler(notes), Patrick Chung(notes), Jonathan Wilhite(notes) and now Devin McCourty(notes), the Pats have found only one consistent starter (Meriweather) and he still looks clueless from time to time. The Pats still have some stopgaps with vets like Leigh Bodden(notes), but they really need to find some good, long-term answers."

Well, apparently both Butler and McCourty are already busts. Must have slept through the 2010 and 2011 seasons. How'd we do?

 

[Rob0729]

Who cares? I do think his comment of only finding one consistent starter of draft picks and including at least McCourty in that mix is stupid considering McCourty hasn't even had his first training camp.

Darrell Revis wasn't a stud his rookie season so writing off Butler is a bit early. Not that I think he will ever be as good as Revis.

BTW, Coles says in his QB ratings that he thinks Brady may be falling apart due to injuries:

After two years of dealing with injuries, you have to wonder if Tom Brady is starting to fall apart. Brady is incredibly tough, right there with the likes of Brett Favre(notes) and Phil Simms. He’s also amazingly accurate. But there’s normally a cost with taking so much punishment and maybe the pounding from early in his career (104 sacks in first three years as starter) is starting to catch up with him. Hopefully this is wrong and he has three or four great years left.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Atai.cvwiuHpeTk6yJPpbT_sYNAF?slug=jc-qbrankings051810

I never liked Coles because he is a Miami rump swab and Pats hater and he lets his biases show in his writing. Hence why he is at Yahoo Sports and not a legitimate publication.

 

[RussFrancis]

Our secondary is still largely unproven. Two of our projected starters, at least imo, Chung and Butler, have alot to prove. I think we'd all agree with that. And alot of people's lasting memory of Merriweather right now is that absolutely pathetic angle he took on Ray Rice during that opening TD scamper of the Baltimore game. Not saying he stinks or anything, but as a leader of our secondary, and it definitely needs a leader, he's still pretty much unproven. I like Bodden alot, but we're asking him to be our #1 more than likely, and Im not sure alot of outsiders really see him in that light. Theyve just got alot to prove as a unit, and there's nothing wrong with that. Im hopeful rankings like this will change drastically during the course of the season.

 

[Nikolai]

I'm sure someone will be along any minute to explain to us that we're irrationally attacking the media, who is most assuredly unbiased in their analysis and judgment, and that Mr. Cole has many cogent and well-researched points about the Pats secondary.

This is not to mention the inevitable mantra that the only way we would be happy with any media reports is if they were complimentary toward the Pats.

It's not possible that the media could ever be wrong. After all, it IS published, right?

 

[DarrylS]

Despite all of the semantical arguments.. #22 is a bit low.

 

[NSPF]

Bodden's only a stopgap? And we signed him for 22 million?!

 

[RussFrancis]

I'm sure someone will be along any minute to explain to us that we're irrationally attacking the media, who is most assuredly unbiased in their analysis and judgment, and that Mr. Cole has many cogent and well-researched points about the Pats secondary.

This is not to mention the inevitable mantra that the only way we would be happy with any media reports is if they were complimentary toward the Pats.

It's not possible that the media could ever be wrong. After all, it IS published, right?

I dont know that we need to get into a whole lot of that, but 22 IS pretty low. Especially considering we've got a Pro Bowl safety, and our head coach has pretty much proven himself to be a Dback specialist. Not that it really needed alot of respect. Youd expect maybe just a little more than 22.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

And alot of people's lasting memory of Merriweather right now is that absolutely pathetic angle he took on Ray Rice during that opening TD scamper of the Baltimore game.

If you ask me to name a play from Meriweather, the first thing that will always come to mind for me is that absolutely perfect safety blitz against the Seahawks.

 

[Rob0729]

I'm sure someone will be along any minute to explain to us that we're irrationally attacking the media, who is most assuredly unbiased in their analysis and judgment, and that Mr. Cole has many cogent and well-researched points about the Pats secondary.

This is not to mention the inevitable mantra that the only way we would be happy with any media reports is if they were complimentary toward the Pats.

It's not possible that the media could ever be wrong. After all, it IS published, right?

Coles was so "cogent and well-researched" that he apparently hasn't realized that McCourty hasn't even had a chance to play a down in the NFL yet.

I personally don't give a crap about his rankings, but Coles was and always will be a moron. He could have the Pats ranked #1 in every category and I would think that. I have never respected the guy as a writer and it has nothing to do with article. In fact, I am glad he ranks the Pats' secondary so low.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Bodden's only a stopgap? And we signed him for 22 million?!

bodden won't be around after his contract expires. he is a stopgap until mccourty is ready to start.

the future of our secondary is:

CB - Butler

CB - McCourty

SS - Meriweather

FS - Chung

Every time I think about our secondary I am reminded of peyton and brees carving it up from last year. with that said, i don't think the jets secondary is that great. I think they are very good at CB but their safeties are nothing to write home about.

 

[Rob0729]

Bodden's only a stopgap? And we signed him for 22 million?!

Yeah, that was another stupid comment. Bodden was a solid #2 CB last year. Not good enough to be lining up against the opposing team's best WR, but good enough to line up on the right side and not let any big plays by and make a few picks while he is at it. Rather have him than say Cromartie who's reputation is far better than his production.

 

[Calciumee]

If you ask me to name a play from Meriweather, the first thing that will always come to mind for me is that absolutely perfect safety blitz against the Seahawks.

I think of that, and his pick 6 against TB this season The first Patriots TD I saw

 

[Rob0729]

bodden won't be around after his contract expires. he is a stopgap until mccourty is ready to start.

So he is a four year stopgap?

 

[Calciumee]

So he is a four year stopgap?

More of a stophole Bigger than a gap

 

[ScottieC]

Just to give you an idea of what the people who clearly don't pay any attention at all are thinking about our Patriots. Cole has the secondary ranked #22 in the league. Despite ranking #12 last year in defensive pass yards and #13 in defensive passer rating.

DB rankings: Here's why Jets top the Pack - NFL - Yahoo! Sports

"Between draft picks Brandon Meriweather(notes), Darius Butler(notes), Patrick Chung(notes), Jonathan Wilhite(notes) and now Devin McCourty(notes), the Pats have found only one consistent starter (Meriweather) and he still looks clueless from time to time. The Pats still have some stopgaps with vets like Leigh Bodden(notes), but they really need to find some good, long-term answers."

Well, apparently both Butler and McCourty are already busts. Must have slept through the 2010 and 2011 seasons. How'd we do?

Cool, so the Jets with the July 2010 Super Bowl - Excellent. Not sure what that get's ya, but they can have it.

 

[RussFrancis]

If you ask me to name a play from Meriweather, the first thing that will always come to mind for me is that absolutely perfect safety blitz against the Seahawks.

This is a what have you done for me lately, specifically in the playoffs, league. And that Seattle game was 2 years ago and it was against a horrible, 4-win team in a non-playoff game. So, no offense, but nice play, didnt mean much. The Ray Rice debacle of an opening run leaves far greater a memory for me, personally. And I hope Merriweather feels the same way. Because that play would have been burning a hole thru Rodney Harrison's pride all offseason. He's become a nice player. We just need more overall consistency from him.

 

[patriotscpfc]

bodden won't be around after his contract expires. he is a stopgap until mccourty is ready to start.

the future of our secondary is:

CB - Butler

CB - McCourty

SS - Meriweather

FS - Chung

Every time I think about our secondary I am reminded of peyton and brees carving it up from last year. with that said, i don't think the jets secondary is that great. I think they are very good at CB but their safeties are nothing to write home about.

Meriweather will be locked in at FS this year.

 

[mcgraw_wv]

I would say it's a fair assessment of the patriots secondary.

 

[Deus Irae]

I would say it's a fair assessment of the patriots secondary.

Indeed....

The last consistent NFL-level CBs drafted were Hobbs and Samuel, and that's obviously from some time back. I think Coles missed the boat regarding Sanders, though, who might not be great, but is consistent. He also may, or may not, be selling Bodden a bit short, but time will tell on that one.

If McCourty, Butler and the rest of the kiddie corps play well this year, evaluation articles like this one will be much more positive next year.


Follow up:

It's not as if it's just Cole pointing this stuff out. Here's Curran on the topic:

The evidence submitted last season is what we have to go on, and until we see otherwise, the Patriots secondary is a serious tender spot to this team’s hopes of returning to the elite.

http://www.csnne.com/07/19/10/Patriots-secondary-should-be-first-prior/v1_landing_patriots.html?blockID=273637&feedID=3352

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Baltimore at #5? I can't believe nobody has mentioned this. Talk about overrated. Take away Ed Reed and they have the worst secondary in the NFL. They are one of the best of hiding their deficiencies with their scheme (but not from me).

And to whoever thinks the Pats are being disrespected, go pound sand. They haven't shown anything yet.