Meriweather at FS?

[captain stone]

I thought it was funny to be honest with you.

Thanks, K. Glad to see that not all of us have lost our senses of humor.

Unless and until BM becomes better-known for his hands - as in securing INTs - instead of his feet - as in kicking opposing players while they lay helpless on the ground - then Stomper he is, and Stomper he shall remain. So there.

 

[PatsFan37]

On passing downs, I'd expect to see Sanders/Meriweather at safety, Mayo at ILB, and Wheatley at NB. That's a huge increase in team speed over the middle, which was a weakness last year, perhaps the most notable defensive weakness.

Rodney is still a big asset and none of us know either how Rodney will be used with the faster safeties available, or how Tank Williams will be used, who has some of Rodney's physical abilities. Williams has more speed, but doesn't have Rodney's grasp of the defense or his anticipation, which are exceptional.

It's a lot of smart, fast, moving parts, and a good mix of veterans and newbies. What's fun is they have a great secondary coach with an agressive attitude. I could see this as being one of the top units league-wide in turnovers.

Young QB's especially will find this a tough unit to read.

 

[Gon_Trevil]

I think you guys are a year out of date. There are four Safeties on teh team now, all four of whom are starter capable players.

This is Rodneys' last year, and I would not be surprised to see his playing time dwindle to almost nothing.

Cleavon Wiliams is a big, good, Strong Safety, just like Rodney. Brandon and James are cureent equally good smaller safeties; but Brandon has a higher upside and can be a Star.

Do you remember Troy Brown's last seasaon. He was on the roster, still helped to provide leadership and lockerroom presence, but didn't play much.

This is the Rodney phase out scenario.

I wasn't aware we had signed the defensive back equivalents of Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Donte Stallworth. No room for Rodney this year then. Better that they cut him.

 

[bradmahn]

Thanks, K. Glad to see that not all of us have lost our senses of humor.

Unless and until BM becomes better-known for his hands - as in securing INTs - instead of his feet - as in kicking opposing players while they lay helpless on the ground - then Stomper he is, and Stomper he shall remain. So there.

I haven't lost my sense of humor, in fact it's the very presence of said sense that tells me your weak nicknames of Ruud and Meriweather aren't funny.

I think you should change your last statement to say "Unless and until BM becomes better-known [to me] for his hands..." You're about the only person who feels the need to harp on a single mistake made by a player when he was in college. Do you sit in your room and call Seymour "Tarik Two-Step" or Mankins "Donkey Punch"?

"Boo hoo, my feelings are hurt because the Patriots drafted players I didn't think they were going to draft. Wahhh. Now I'm going to belittle those players even though they play for the team that I supposedly root for."

Grow up.

 

[Dragda]

I agree. Sanders maybe a decent backup but not a starter.
DW Toys

I think Sanders and Tank are about the same talent level. That means we have a great rotation, good depth, and some gas in the tank in December.

I'm guessing playing time will be split betweeen Rodney and Tank or Sanders and Meriweather.

 

[signbabybrady]

Remember our OLBs are typically DEs in the nickel/dime.
So really what you are doing is removing 1 or 2 DL (we can use 3 or 4 man line in either) moving 2 LBs to DL, and adding 1 or 2 dbs (nickle or dime) and the remaining 2 LBs can either play a LB spot, or be replaced by an additional DB with one safety moving to a "LB" spot.
In the dime for example, we can have 3 or 4 DL (2 of which are LBs by trade) and as many as 7 DBs, with some of them aligned as 'LBs'.
that is one of the best parts of BBs system, is that he has versatile players who may be called a safety but are really an undersized great cover LB in those situations, or may be called an OLB but are really a pass rushing DE in those situaitons.
The point being that when you are in passing situations, the skillset required at many positions is different than what it is in a base D, and BB uses personell to adust to that.

Very nice elaboration on my point. Talk about added speed. Taking a guy like Wilfork off the field on obvious pass down and putting an extra DBack on the field and rotating the DB to LB and LB to end.

BB has been talking up versatility for years but is it just me or does he seem to have the most versatile team he has fielded???

 

[Dragda]

I'm watching ESPNU and they are showing a FL state vs Miami game from 2005. It's half over, but Meriweather is making a lot of plays.

 

[Wotan_the_Wanderer]

Don't rule out a three safety set on goal line or short yardage situation where it's Rodney and Tank with Meriweather as the cover safety/CB.

 

[AzPatsFan]

BillBelichick is all about matchups and situations.

When discussing the third and long situations, I think you have to be more analytical.

Does the opponent third and long package include a good pass catching Tight End? Do they get their conversions from a shifty RB with draws or checkdown? Do they convert with a pair/trio of possesion WRs?

In each case there is a different crew that BB would send out.

In the TE case, he might have Tank or Rodney serve as a OLB, to cover the TE, along with Brandon.

In the shifty RB case, he might have Tank or Rodney play in the box, and put speed in with Mayo and and a quick nickle like Wheatly or Webster to defend the short RB routes.

In the case of multiple short "possesion WRs", then he might play three or four experienced "quick twitch" man-on, CBs like Ellis, Fernando, TWheat and Brandon and/or Webster,expecting them to smother the quick but not fast WRs.

Different strokes for different folks.

One of the things that made our Offense in2007 so formidable, was that we had the deep threats in Moss and Stallworth, the possesion guys in Welker and Gaffney, the pass receiving TE in Watson and at the same time could field the shifty RB for draws, screens and circle routes, in Faulk. Did I mention the quick slot guy in Welker too?

We lost several of these guys to dings, Faulk and Neal and Watson, in the SB, and the Offense bogged down some.