Pats Linebackers Need to Step Up

[aluminum seats]

I know it's heresy, but the weak link of this team right now could very well be the linebacking core. Seymour, Warren, and Wilfork are all absolute beasts right now, tying up opponents' O-lines. What we saw happening in the Jets' game was the Jets' offense with essentially zero ability to run the ball, which should have allowed the linebackers free reign to hammer Pennington, or, barring that, totally clog up the middle of the field and prevent completions. What we DID see were just 2 sacks by the LBs after the first play of the game (both by Banta-Cain) and endless completions in the middle of the field by Pennington, particularly in the 2nd half, when he completed something like 85 passes in a row. Sorry, but Chris Baker shouldn't be getting 70 yards in catches. Please.

The problem here is that Bruschi's lost a step, Vrabel's playing hurt, and Colvin has regressed a bit after we all hoped he'd become a monster after getting fully healthy. It was enough to get by the Jets, but these guys simply HAVE to make some plays if the Pats are going to beat the Chargers. The great D-line the Pats have now is set up to allow the linebackers to make plays--they've got to do it this week.

 

[EnglishPatriot]

Haven't you heard? The Chargers have the 53 best players in the NFL and if we're stupid enough to turn up we will get absolutely destroyed, our worry should be getting a first down, not winning the game.

Anyway, everyone knows our LB is getting old but I think you're being a bit harsh. Hobbs is the most penalised player in the NFL and our safeties have made huge mistakes throughout the year allowing massive, massive touchdown runs. That's more of a concern than the LB core...Vrabel has had a few stormers and TBC has had a couple of decent looking games where the improvement he has shown is brilliant.

 

[aluminum seats]

No, I disagree. The Pats did allow the 77-yard TD play against the Jets--Hawkins just didn't have the speed to catch up.........because Vrabel didn't whack him coming off the line, Cotchery had too much of a head-of-steam for him. Cotchery only had 23 yards receiving apart from that.

 

[hwc]

Aluminum seats:

I think your analysis is very superficial. The Pats and the Jets played chess games for the entire game Sunday. They caught each other in bad substitution packages throughout the game.

Without studying the coaches film in some detail, it would be difficult to attribute blame.

I would say the only clear-cut example was Hawkins failing to tackle (or slow down) Cochery on his TD reception. Last time I checked Hawkins is not playing LB.

I think that, if you break down any game, you'll find some plays that were pretty good and some that could have been better. To the best of my knowledge, no NFL team has ever achieved perfection. The Pats certainly haven't.

 

[aluminum seats]

I think your analysis is very superficial. The Pats and the Jets played chess games for the entire game Sunday. They caught each other in bad substitution packages throughout the game.

Chess games aside, the Jets were forced to throw on nearly every down. Vrabel, Bruschi, & Colvin were out there on nearly every down.

Without studying the coaches film in some detail, it would be difficult to attribute blame.

Coaches' film is certainly helpful, but we don't have it. But you can gather quite a bit from simply watching the games. Saying it's difficult to analyze, or "attribute blame," because we don't have coaches' film would reduce boards like this to a lot of GO PATS!! nonsense.

I would say the only clear-cut example was Hawkins failing to tackle (or slow down) Cochery on his TD reception. Last time I checked Hawkins is not playing LB.

I mentioned Hawkins didn't/couldn't make the play, which seemed to me to be more the fault of the LB failing to hit the receiver off the line. I'm aware Hawkins isn't a linebacker, and thought that was clear in my post.

I think that, if you break down any game, you'll find some plays that were pretty good and some that could have been better. To the best of my knowledge, no NFL team has ever achieved perfection. The Pats certainly haven't.

Not talking about perfection, giving my opinion about the importance of one unit improving its level of play in order to win next Sunday.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

I just wish Junior Seau & Rodney Harrison could be playing...

1) For their obvious talent and how mcuh they improve the defense

and

2) So they could celebrate on the Qualcomm Field when the final seconds tick off and the scoreboard reads:

Patriots 31
Chargers 13

 

[aluminum seats]

Harrison is a big loss, for sure--saw a stat to the effect that with Harrison the Pats were 43-6, without 11-7 or some such. Hopefully he'll be back. But either way, plays up with importance that the LBs make plays.