Oswlek
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
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I have assumed that the hwc that frequents this board is the same as the one there. If I am wrong, I apologize.
Do you find it amazing that footballoutsiders is so negatively slanted on the NE defense this year. 6th worst in the league?! This post by you is excellent, it actually captures everything I have been saying during the offseason, right down to the 5-11 comment:
I find it amazing how many people continually overlook all the injuries that NE went through. One of the things I am most excited about this year is seeing the D continuing their dominant play from the end of last year and everyone wondering how they could have been so wrong.
Edited to add that I just clicked on the Rotoworld link. They feel that J.P. Losman is a good play this week?! Whaa..?
Do you find it amazing that footballoutsiders is so negatively slanted on the NE defense this year. 6th worst in the league?! This post by you is excellent, it actually captures everything I have been saying during the offseason, right down to the 5-11 comment:
“I don’t expect the Pats to be as bad as 27th, but they are entering the season with the most questionable defensive line-up and depth they’ve had since the Belichick era was first getting underway.”
——–
Many “pundits” keep saying that, but it’s just pure baloney.
D-Line:
Nobody in the NFL has the kind of depth the Pats have for their 3-4 front. The three starters are ALL young 1st round draft picks with a lot of experience. They’ve added a 1st rounder to play backup NT. How many NFL franchises have a 1st rounder backing up a 1st rounder at NT? Now add Jarvis Green as a backup — a guy who has several years of productive experience as a role player and spot starter. Plus, two more backups who have been in the system for a couple of years now. How could you have more depth? This is less depth than Bobby Hamilton staring at DE?
Linebacker:
Yeah, they lost an aging Pro Bowler in McGinnest. But, they’ve added an aging Pro Bowler in Seau. I expect Belichick to find a producive role for him. On the plus side, they have Bruschi back for the entire season, rather than tentatively returning mid season with no training camp from a stroke. Colvin is now in his second year back from a hip injury that takes two years back. Honestly…how can anyone complain about a starting lineup of Vrabel, Bruschi, Seau, and Colvin. I can think of a lot of NFL teams who would kill to have those kinds of problems. First backup is Banta-Cain, who has seen enough action to be veteran depth. Heck, half the teams in the NFL have rookies as their depth.
Secondary:
Everyone seems to forget that the Pats had six DBs on injured reserve last year. They were signing stiffs off the street on Tues and starting them on Sunday…and then those stiffs would get hurt.
The upshot is that they played about 4 dozen people in the secondary over the last two years and the best of them currently make up an experienced roster. Harrison is back, so Hawkins (who played VERY well in the second half last year) is now the backup. Wilson is back with several productive years as the starting safety. Samuel, Hobbs, and Gay have all been productive starting corners on a SuperBowl team. The reason the secondary sucked last year is because all of these guys were HURT…often at the same time. Yeah, put 6 DBs on injured reserve and your depth will be tested. I’m not sure that people really understand that most NFL teams would have gone 5-11 with the Pats injuries last season.
I find it amazing how many people continually overlook all the injuries that NE went through. One of the things I am most excited about this year is seeing the D continuing their dominant play from the end of last year and everyone wondering how they could have been so wrong.
Edited to add that I just clicked on the Rotoworld link. They feel that J.P. Losman is a good play this week?! Whaa..?
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