No Spikes, Fletcher on Sunday night

[Rob0729]

You have Dowling penciled in as a starting CB on this team? Even if he was 100% healthy, I doubt that he would be starting. And cutting 2 of the top 3 safeties was Belichick's choice, and one that I still maintain didn't need to be made.

Dowling started the first two games of the season (the only two games he played).

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Sorry but Spikes is the only glimer of hope on this D against the run and he now won't play? God i don't even know if i want to watch sunday night...

 

[JackBauer]

Sorry but Spikes is the only glimer of hope on this D against the run and he now won't play? God i don't even know if i want to watch sunday night...

Then don't. One less person *****ing in the game thread.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Sorry but Spikes is the only glimer of hope on this D against the run and he now won't play? God i don't even know if i want to watch sunday night...

I feel the same way. He plays with an attitude that nobody else on the D seems to have.

I'll watch of course because that's what fans do, but it won't be the typical festive anticipation of a Sunday night game. More like the anticipation of an appointment with a proctologist.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Then don't. One less person *****ing in the game thread.

I for one am not going into the sewer that will be Sunday's game thread. Sad.

 

[JJDChE]

I for one am not going into the sewer that will be Sunday's game thread. Sad.

I don't know why anyone would. It's impossible to keep up with 1000+posts in 3 hours.

 

[Uncle Rico]

I don't know why anyone would. It's impossible to keep up with 1000+posts in 3 hours.

Heh -- "no one goes there anymore; it's too crowded." It is hard to keep up. Still some insightful posts but our most esteemed regulars make it worthwhile. To an extent.

 

[Speedy Welker]

So it seem the only thing we can hope for a win this Sunday is for Brady and the offense to play like the first game in Miami. But since the Jets have a better defense than the Fins, 500 yards for Brady is not going to happen. This either come down to the last 5 minutes of the game or the Pats got blow out.

Knowing that our D and secondary are decimated, and Brady having difficulty with the Jets D..... All you can hope is for the Jets to beat themselves and Brady play a flawless game.

 

[BlueThunder]

Heh -- "no one goes there anymore; it's too crowded." It is hard to keep up. Still some insightful posts but our most esteemed regulars make it worthwhile. To an extent.

BB came to the fork in the road and he took it

 

[YearbookCurfew]

5-4 won't be too bad...

 

[Tunescribe]

Who is the idiot giving threads like this four and five stars? I smell a New Jersey rat.

 

[cstjohn17]

Welcome to the Tracy White era...

 

[drew4008]

Welcome to the Tracy White era...

Ugh don't remind us haha

Also, I'm not feeling all the love for Spikes that you guys are. He's got some intensity for sure (which sometimes irritates the hell out of me with his dumbass celebrating), and is stout against the run most of the time... but he makes quite a few bonehead moves out there as well. Also seems to... maybe "take plays off" is the wrong word choice... but it definitely seems like there's way too many plays where he isn't moving fast enough or doesn't get a quick enough read and jump on the ball.

I mean I'm def happy with his development this year for the most part, but I don't think he's going to be a deciding factor in any game this year like you guys are insinuating.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I remember as a younger guy when players like the Rams Jack Youngblood and the Steelers Jack Ham would go out there with huge casts on Thier broken arm and wrist and not miss a snap.

Nowadays a guy is out for months with a freaking thumb injury

What next?....putting a player on IR for a paper cut?

 

[cstjohn17]

Take a team. Now put their top two interior pass rushers on IR. Put a starting CB on IR. Release the #3 CB due to ineffectiveness due to injury. Cut two of the top 3 safeties because they both regressed badly in the offseason. Knock out the top two ILBs for a few weeks. Make 4 other defenders questionable on the injury report. No matter what you start with, the result isn't going to look good.

My basic problem is even before the events you listed the Patriots defense was weak. Kinda an older weaker version of 2010. I like the Patriots and hope they win, even if they just beat the Jets that is a mini superbowl.

Even without the loses to the roster it was evident that the defense wasn't any good. All the missing players were basically average or below average, not a single difference maker. Now we are in year 4 of a rebuliding process and the defense has not improved. That is what disapoints some of us.

DL - Wright - coming off a concussion, pretty nice #5 defensive lineman, really hasn't done much or been consistent enough to matter
Pryor - again, an below average player that would be a good $5 or #6 defensive lineman on a good team

S - Sanders & Merriweather - pretty much average

LB - Fletcher and Spikes - most LBs miss some time, these guys are not exactly great, every team in the NFL relies on their subs

CB - Bodden - was a nice player, average NFL CB two years ago before surgery

Even with this cast of JAGS the defense wasn't going to be very good. Not hard to see this coming, the lack of quality additions for the past 2-3 years left them reaching for washed up players like Ellis & Haynesworth making rebuilding even harder. They screwed themselves big time this year and maybe for the next few years.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Sigh. Another game of lanky deer playing at MLB.

I wonder why they don't use lanky deer at weakside LB, the spot he played at Georgia Tech and have Mayo be the thumper at MLB, the spot he played his freshman and I believe his sophomore year at Tennessee.

 

[supafly]

Sigh. Another game of lanky deer playing at MLB.

I wonder why they don't use lanky deer at weakside LB, the spot he played at Georgia Tech and have Mayo be the thumper at MLB, the spot he played his freshman and I believe his sophomore year at Tennessee.

I've wondered the same thing too, but for all of GG's limitations, (and he has many, no doubt) I'm not as down on him as many are. I don't know why--he can't stop the run + is only 'average' at best vs the pass, which is supposedly his strong suit due to his quickness; but there's something about him that tells me he doesn't deserve to be such a whipping boy...maybe his experience in the system, I can't put my finger on it, but I don't feel quite as bad personally about him as most do. I realize I'm in the minority though, for sure.

We certainly could use a major improvement, as he's best suited for a major back-up role. I wouldn't mind if he were still on the team next yr, but really don't want to see him starting too often!

 

[supafly]

I remember as a younger guy when players like the Rams Jack Youngblood and the Steelers Jack Ham would go out there with huge casts on Thier broken arm and wrist and not miss a snap.

Nowadays a guy is out for months with a freaking thumb injury

What next?....putting a player on IR for a paper cut?

Speculation is that D.Fletcher has a right arm injury, as he was seen favoring it/holding it in the sparce moments that the media saw him today. Supposedly he was walking out as some members were walking in, and that was the first they'd seen of him in weeks.

It's gotta be something more than a thumb. We should have him back in a couple/few wks hopefully.

 

[Kontradiction]

Enjoy the loss

The Fletcher Curse continues

The Pats aren't losing this game. We can defend Sanchez.

 

[Kontradiction]

Sigh. Another game of lanky deer playing at MLB.

I wonder why they don't use lanky deer at weakside LB, the spot he played at Georgia Tech and have Mayo be the thumper at MLB, the spot he played his freshman and I believe his sophomore year at Tennessee.

He's too big and bad in coverage to be our Will.