Pro Football Focus: Rob Ninkovich - Secret Superstar

[jays52]

Ninkovich is incredibly fundamentally sound and agile for his size. He's not the most athletic guy in the world but he plays his position extremely well. In that playoff game against Denver he was a stud against the option- and that's not an easy responsibility. Look at any championship team at any level and you'll find players like him. Solid, dependable, smart, sound football players. He's a much better linebacker than an athlete and you need guys like that. Love Nink.

 

[Ive_Killed_People]

If PFF told me the sky was blue I'd question their facts they are full of horse-pucky...nothing against Nink I just dont respect the source.(when Brady last won the MVP they didnt have him in their top 30)

 

[Marqui]

If PFF told me the sky was blue I'd question their facts they are full of horse-pucky...nothing against Nink I just dont respect the source.(when Brady last won the MVP they didnt have him in their top 30)

...really?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Secret Superstar: Rob Ninkovich, LB, New England Patriots | ProFootballFocus.com

Didn't see this posted before,so if it was, excuse the oversight.

I was not keen on Rob when he first arrived on the scene but he has really been quite a pleasant surprise at a position that was in need of a playmaker.

I think Rob has improved to a point of being a very important cog in this defense and if he continues to improve,I could see him being a captain on the defense within a few years.

If there is one underrated player on defense,it's Rob.

Same here, I wasn't enthused at all when he signed with the Pats, but he's since proven my lack of enthusiasm wrong many times over

 

[BradyFTW!]

...really?

Yeah, it's true. A few years ago, I think they rated Stylez G. White as one of the best defensive linemen in football, too, ahead of Wilfork and a lot of other superior players. PFF is a crap source, but I do agree with them re: this article.

 

[Pape]

Same here, I wasn't enthused at all when he signed with the Pats, but he's since proven my lack of enthusiasm wrong many times over

When he signed, did you even take notice or just think he was another jag? Up until then he has very little playing time in the league, bouncing between new orleans and miami.

All in all he's been better than a lot of the higher profile names BB has brought in during his tenure. Better in that he was able to improve his play over the years vs flatlining and droppign off the face of the earth.

 

[BradyFTW!]

When he signed, did you even take notice or just think he was another jag? Up until then he has very little playing time in the league, bouncing between new orleans and miami.

All in all he's been better than a lot of the higher profile names BB has brought in during his tenure. Better in that he was able to improve his play over the years vs flatlining and droppign off the face of the earth.

The latter, for the most part. Only took note in passing, didn't expect a whole lot, definitely wasn't expecting him to do a credible Mike Vrabel impression.

 

[unoriginal]

The thing that stands out most to me in recalling Ninkovich's rise from JAG to defensive stalwart is how, despite him being a late camp addition and seemingly an end-roster ST guy, almost every sideline-shot of the defense after a possession change in the last preseason game was of Belichick talking directly to Ninko.

Including one where BB was squatting on his heels while Ninkovich was sitting on the bench, the rest of the defense nowhere in sight.

It was difficult to tell then whether BB was investing an inordinate amount of his coaching time in a promising player, or they shared a passion for lacrosse and Jon Bon Jovi.

 

[patchick]

So he needs to double his sack production to become a probowler?

Yes, and to get a certain segment of the so-called fan population to stop calling him "Stinkovich" as well. Because of an obsession with sacks as the measuring stick for a DE/OLB.

The steady, jack-of-all-trades types inevitably fly under the radar. Instead, the Clay Matthews types become "superstars" because OMG DID YOU SEE HOW MANY SACKS HE GOT? Who cares that he's a liability in other phases of the game, let's count the SACKS again!!!

No, I'm not trying to start a Matthews vs. Ninkovich debate, heaven forbid. Just saying that...well, how about this:

Did you know that Mike Vrabel had exactly one double-digit sack season in his career? And that by some remarkable coincidence, that was also the one and only year he made the Pro Bowl? Vrabel wasn't really any different a player that year; in fact, at age 32 he was starting to slow down a bit. But the 2007 Patriots offense forced opposing teams into a whole lot of pass-only situations, yielding a lot of OMG SACKS!

 

[doesntmatter1]

Nink is very good but he has one problem. Its his short arms and guys occasionally slip out of his arm tackles.

 

[shmessy]

Nink is very good but he has one problem. Its his short arms and guys occasionally slip out of his arm tackles.

FINALLY!

I was reading this thread and couldn't believe the willful blindness to the arm-tackling issue of this guy. He has made some big plays, but I have never seen a player his size whiff as often on arm tackles.

Is he better than expected? Yes.

But this defense will remain suspect if Rob Ninkovich is a starter in 2012.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

FINALLY!

I was reading this thread and couldn't believe the willful blindness to the arm-tackling issue of this guy. He has made some big plays, but I have never seen a player his size whiff as often on arm tackles.

Is he better than expected? Yes.

But this defense will remain suspect if Rob Ninkovich is a starter in 2012.

I'll still take a player with short arms and a big heart for the game (which Nink obviously shows) over a longer armed player who may be a bit of a better tackler but doesn't leave it all out on the field and is inconsistent.

We could do much worse than guys like Nink who does not always make those tackles we wish he could,but anyone can see he is always focused and aware of what is going on out there,Rob appears to me to be a very bright player who we all know Belichick highly enjoys having smart players on his team.

 

[Calciumee]

Ninko isn't a superstar, but he is a good player!

As some said, it's the middle players that take us over the top! It's great having a Brady, a Wilfork, a Gronk, but if the other players are about as good as... The Jets, 'you're gonna have a bad time!'

 

[JackBauer]

But this defense will remain suspect if Rob Ninkovich is a starter in 2012.

So, for the sake of argument, if Ninkovich were your worst starting defensive player, the defense would still be suspect by virtue of him being in the starting lineup?

Makes sense.

 

[Jackson 2]

I was struck recently by an article from a writer who knows the team well that talked about the strong, steady tone struck at OTAs by locker room leaders Wilfork, Mayo...and Ninkovich.

He may not be a real standout in any single phase of the game, but his versatility and his approach to the job make him very valuable to the team. I suspect he gets more respect from his coaches and teammates than from the fanbase.

Very well-put...

 

[Deus Irae]

FINALLY!

I was reading this thread and couldn't believe the willful blindness to the arm-tackling issue of this guy. He has made some big plays, but I have never seen a player his size whiff as often on arm tackles.

Is he better than expected? Yes.

But this defense will remain suspect if Rob Ninkovich is a starter in 2012.

We'll know more about how BB feels when we see a few things:

1.) Whether the "base" defense for the Patriots is a 3-4 or 4-3

2.) If the "base" is 3-4, do we see Hightower and Jones getting real OLB time

3.) If the "base" is 4-3, do we see Hightower/Spikes/Mayo as the starting LBs

If 2 and/or 3 are yes, it seems to me that such would indicate the Patriots see Ninkovitch as a backup/Jack-of-all-trades guy moving forward, if not beginning this season.

 

[Triumph]

If PFF told me the sky was blue I'd question their facts they are full of horse-pucky...nothing against Nink I just dont respect the source.(when Brady last won the MVP they didnt have him in their top 30)

Suddenly everyone loves PFF with this positive puff piece on Ninko.

 

[Shockt327]

I guess I'm in the minority...

I want to like Nink. I do. When I go back and rewatch the games, I keep an eye on him, too. Cause it's clear he has a high motor. But man, there really are times where he gets flat out pushed around out there. Like physically pushed off the LOS. Can't hold his ground, let alone collapse the pocket or set the edge.

It's peaks and valleys with Nink. There are certain plays where he gets going and looks great. But I really suspect that he simply can't that extreme pace for an entire game due to his lack of size. I think he's be a fantastic role player with limited snaps; like the kind this D really needs.

 

[JackBauer]

Suddenly everyone loves PFF with this positive puff piece on Ninko.

If you hop off the clown car for a second, you'll see that much of the discussion in this thread revolved around PFF's suckage.

Broken clock, and all.

 

[VJCPatriot]

He's a solid, all-around, OLB. Stopping the run, rushing the passer, and defending the pass (Sanchez ). If he got his 2012 sack totals up to 11 or 12 I could see him being a pro bowler.

I don't see Ninkovich as ever becoming that 11-12 sack a season player because he simply lacks the athleticism and freakish build to do so. What I do see though is a solid, versatile all-around defender who contributes in all phases of the defense, and can be moved around as needed.

Ninkovich has a very high motor, work ethic, and simply brings a solid approach to the game that is something that other guys can look up to. Ninkovich is more of a 'glue' guy than a star, but you need those kinds of guys on winning football teams. Great pickup, and looking forward to seeing him play many more years and contributing to our next Lombardi! Go Pats!