Perhaps We Will See More 4-3, 5-2, and Nickel Looks This Year

[maverick4]

The early 2000 Pats used to play more 4-3 or even 5-2 looks. With Brace as another quality DT and with less proven starting linebackers, perhaps we will be seeing less 3-4 formations this year and more 4-3, 5-2, and also nickel packages?

 

[khayos]

Re: Perhaps We Will See More 4-3 Looks This Year

I'm thinking more 2-5 with Brace/Wilfork

 

[Rob0729]

The early 2000 Pats used to play more 4-3 or even 5-2 looks. With Brace as another quality DT and with less proven starting linebackers, perhaps we will be seeing less 3-4 formations this year and more 4-3, 5-2, and also nickel packages?

The Pats played more 4-3 early in the Belichick era because they didn't have the personnel for the 3-4. A lot of people forget that the Pats started the 2001 season with Seymour at NT and the defense failed. They were forced to switch to a 4-3.

I seriously doubt the Pats will move away from the 3-4 base and using the 3-4 as the dominant defense. I really haven't seen much of a personnel switch to justify a shift in philosophies. The Pats will switch to different formations depending on the competition like they alway do, but they will be primarily a 3-4 team.

 

[BelichickFan]

I'm with the "no" crowd - except for short yardage where this Warren-Brace-Wilfork-Seymour 4 man line could be a beast.

 

[maverick4]

How about more Nickel with the dominant front 4, 2 stud LB's, and 5 d-backs since our depth in the back is a strength now?

 

[mgteich]

Unless the league changed when I wasn't looking, the standard nickel is the 4-2-5 with five defensive backs. In the "big nickel", we used to use three safeties, but usually the nickel is a corner.

How about more Nickel with the dominant front 4, 2 stud LB's, and 5 d-backs since our depth in the back is a strength now?

 

[stinkypete]

Looking at the personnel, I would not be surprised to see more 3-3-5, with a healthy tank Johnson in the big nickel role.

The extra NT will provide a huge boost in the short yardage/goalline defense, but they are not the ideal personnel for a base 4-3. This looks more like a situational allignment.

Looking at the LBs, I assume that guys will be in and out of the game based on situation. None of the group of Woods, Crabel, Redd, Guyton and TBC are ideal 3 down players, but they all have different situational strengths. The base will still be a 3-4, but Thomas and Mayo will be the only true "full-time" starters.

 

[maverick4]

Aside from confirming what nickel means, what do you think about them using it more? It plays to their strengths on the D-line and in the secondary.

 

[apple strudel]

Aside from confirming what nickel means, what do you think about them using it more? It plays to their strengths on the D-line and in the secondary.

It'll be situational. The driving force will be more game situations than personnel, though.

 

[mgteich]

I believe that we already use the nickel as much as anyone in the league. But, yes, I believe that we should use the nickel more considering the fact that we now have a competent secondary.

Aside from confirming what nickel means, what do you think about them using it more? It plays to their strengths on the D-line and in the secondary.

 

[maverick4]

Are Wilfork and the other d-linemen capable of playing 4-3? Mayo is certainly fast enough to play 4-3 linebacker.

 

[apple strudel]

Are Wilfork and the other d-linemen capable of playing 4-3?

Of course. We do it often enough. It's not a question of ability, it's a question of philosophy.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I believe that we already use the nickel as much as anyone in the league. But, yes, I believe that we should use the nickel more considering the fact that we now have a competent secondary.

Competent secondary? Is this REALLY a fact? - Based on what?

I didn't know the team has played a game yet?

I still worry about a player coming from an 0-16 team who may find things difficult to adjust to a winning atmosphere and a very complex defense so quickly and we have no idea what Springs has left in the tank and whether he can adjust from so many years on one team to another - This secondary is far from solid until we actually see these guys in action - Is it better than last year? - Well it can't be much worse but then again nothing to base it on in April.

 

[BradyFTW!]

How about more Nickel with the dominant front 4, 2 stud LB's, and 5 d-backs since our depth in the back is a strength now?

I think we could see quite a bit more nickel against passing teams.

The Pats go legitimately 5 deep at CB now; when's the last time they did that?

 

[mgteich]

In passing situations, we have done this often.

Seymour is fine off the edge. It is just a matter of which LB (or Green) lines up as the other DE. In the past, almost all our linebackers could play this DE roles. Examples include McGinist, Vrabel and Colvin. Both Bruschi and Thomas are comfortable in that role.

On run downs, the groupings are different, since we would use a run 4-3 defense only on goal lines or on short yardage. It is in this grouping where adding Brace could help, compared to Wright.

 

[JoeShmoe]

I think much the same. BB loves his different looks and schemes. With injuries and sub par secondary last year we were hanging on but I think Brace gives them options up front and people like Tank, Chung, Springs + the CB corps give options behind

I can see us playing the 4 front nickel quite a bit with some of the passing teams like Indy .. esp now we have a legitimate shot of playing man coverage without leaving people like Hobbs and O'Neal against people like Wayne and Harrison

Ditto against the running teams like the Ravens and the Steelers I think Brace could be important

 

[mgteich]

I guess we shouldn't post anything about the quality of our team until the day after the Super Bowl each year.

What do you think we are going to do for the next four months other than to speculate, without facts, on the quality of the team and its players.

BASED ON WHAT
Wheatley and Wilhite have one more year of experience and looked good in preseason.
Bodden is a quality corner.
Springs is a quality corner who Belichick chose to pay $4.55M to play this year.
Butler was so good that when he was drafted, Hobbs was fired by Belichick.
( yes, fired. We could have gotten more for him if we waited for his contract to end)

BOTTOM LINE
Last year we had one competent corner. This year, we have 2-5.
As with the situation at LB, if Belichick thought that we didn't have a competent secondary, he would have kept Hobbs for the year.

Competent secondary? Is this REALLY a fact? - Based on what?

I didn't know the team has played a game yet?

I still worry about a player coming from an 0-16 team who may find things difficult to adjust to a winning atmosphere and a very complex defense so quickly and we have no idea what Springs has left in the tank and whether he can adjust from so many years on one team to another - This secondary is far from solid until we actually see these guys in action - Is it better than last year? - Well it can't be much worse but then again nothing to base it on in April.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

How about more Nickel with the dominant front 4, 2 stud LB's, and 5 d-backs since our depth in the back is a strength now?

the nickel and dime packages are about putting more players in coverage, not fewer

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

I guess we shouldn't post anything about the quality of our team until the day after the Super Bowl each year.

What do you think we are going to do for the next four months other than to speculate, without facts, on the quality of the team and its players.

BASED ON WHAT
Wheatley and Wilhite have one more year of experience and looked good in preseason.
Bodden is a quality corner.
Springs is a quality corner who Belichick chose to pay $4.55M to play this year.
Butler was so good that when he was drafted, Hobbs was fired by Belichick.
( yes, fired. We could have gotten more for him if we waited for his contract to end)

BOTTOM LINE
Last year we had one competent corner. This year, we have 2-5.
As with the situation at LB, if Belichick thought that we didn't have a competent secondary, he would have kept Hobbs for the year.

FACT is not the word to use,thats my point - The FACT that you used the word fact in "Its a fact we now have a competent secondary" is an opinion you have based on the players accomplishments on previous teams,NOT fact that our secondary is competent until proven so.

Belichick thought Duane Starks was a competent CB,he also thought that Monty Beisel was a competent LB,He also thought Doug Gabriel was going to fit well as a 3rd WR,He thought that Chad Jackson was going to be a superstar - In other words,What BB thinks of a player who is competent usually he gets it more right than wrong as his great career as HC shows in NE, but there has been mistakes in the past 4 years mostly in the defensive area and no one knows what Bodden and Springs will do here in a complex defense that neither one has yet to be a part of.

 

[maverick4]

If we play 4-3, who are the 3 linebackers? Mayo, Thomas, and... ? I would be shocked if Bruschi is anything but a sub at this point. He is too slow for 3-4 so unlikely an option for 4-3.