Reiss: Pats are in contact with Jason Taylor

[BritPat]

Would probably end up rotating them until one of them gets hurt, which will likely happen. All in all, though, I agree with you. For all the people who are going nuts about how Woods won't get enough sacks, I can't help but wonder what they're comparing him too. Aside from 2007, Vrabel was never a sack machine, even when the Pats did have a strong pass rush.

No, but he did manage enough to make a difference, plus he was able to get enough QB pressures and hits to put the ****s up them.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Why can't AD play strong-side OLB? It's impossible? He doesn't have the skill-set for it? He doesn't LIKE to? Please elaborate.

AD is a short guy, and a pass rusher. If he plays SOLB he removes all the talent that he is noted for having. When they moved Vrabel from the strong-side, they promoted Woods to play at SOLB. You could say that Woods won a job and they shifted Vrable to allow him some WOLB pass rushing opportunities. I don't recall if that was about the time that AD had his injury, in which case Vrabel was filing in for AD. I don' think AD ever moved back inside like he had played the year before.

AD made his name as a blitzing ILB and a weak-side pass rusher, At 6-2 265 you can see that he fits the dimensions for those positions. To my knowledge AD did not play SOLB at all. But knowing BB, he might have lined up there for a few plays to confuse things.

As for Taylor, he did not want to go to SOLB down in Miami and argued with the Tuna about doing so.
Enough to get a ticket out of town. Even though he occasionally lined up there and everywhere on passing downs. But he never had a steady diet of defending the run at SOLB, which is the prime responsibility of that OLB position. Vrabel was a big guy and Woods is too; both have good talent for setting the edge in running plays to that strong-side, which is where most Running plays go.

If you wanted to get AD and JT on the field on obvious pass rushing situations, I would think JT to WOLB and AD shifts inside to blitz from the ILB position would be the most likely combination. Especially if Wilfork is fresh from some rotations with Brace, and can help pin the inside pass blockers, to give AD a blitz lane. That still leaves Woods/Crabel as the SOLB pass rusher.

 

[patsox23]

AZ, thanks for the comprehensive and well thought out reply. Not sure I see it the same way as you, but I do appreciate the perspective, and I bow to what seems pretty clear is a greater understanding of the issue than I have.

I did wonder, in reading it, if your argument tends to fall into the trap of making the perfect the enemy of the good. Would it really be that bad to have AD and Jason Taylor playing bookend OLBs at the same time? From what you posted, I sense it might not be ideal, but I can't imagine it would be the worst idea in the world or that it's undoable.

Thoughts?

 

[spacecrime]

I'll repeat it again slowly, what have Woods or Crable shown to prove we don't need another body opposite Thomas?

Every position on the team can be inmproved given unlimited resources and money. It works great in Fantasy Football, not so much in hte NFL. The patriots must be the only team on the planet whose 'fans' demand probowl players manning every position.

What we need is a team that functions as a team, with all elements clicking. We don't need more than we have.

The Rams had better players than we did, and our players were better than the Giants' players, to reference two superbowls.

What you post-2001 guys want is a team so dominant that no games will ever be in doubt. What fun is that? Seriously?

I want the Pats to be the best, also. I'll be happy to get improvement, but this, "We need to replace this guy or that guy" when we already clearly have the best team is so whiny it's pathetic.

Are we going to hear this from now to September?

 

[JSn]

Are we going to hear this from now to September?

Only until we finally sign a pro-bowl holder.