... Schwartz this week faces a problem that all defensive schemers are struggling with these days: what to do with his linebackers versus the pass. Specifically, what to do with starting middle linebacker Brandon Spikes. The fifth-year veteran is the most prototypical, old-school middle linebacker in the NFL—he’s a sensational downhill run-stopper but a shaky pass defender. This paradox is a large reason why Spikes is no longer with the Patriots. Bill Belichick decided that in today’s NFL, great run-defending no longer trumps subpar pass-defending, not even for a middle linebacker.
Schwartz, however, might feel obligated to keep Spikes on the field because the Patriots, as expected, are going back to being a base two-receiver offense. The tricky part is it’s a diverse base, featuring both two-RB personnel with fullback James Develin and two tight end personnel with Tim Wright accompanying Rob Gronkowski.