Safety depth concerns..

[blackglass3]

Re: Safety concerns..

I too believe that Merriweather is at risk this year. Despite this being his contract year, I just don't like his freelancing and late illegal hits.

Seriously? I don't love the guy anymore, but people make WAAAAAYYYYY too much about his ONE late illegal hit. Besides, that one hit equaled at least 2 dropped balls from the Chargers WR's going over the middle the next week. They heard the footsteps and were shook, and that might have won us the game.

 

[Synovia]

Re: Safety concerns..

This idea that Meriweather couldn't be shipped out is false. The Pats could easily ship him out. And it's not about "BB hating on Meriweather". It's about BB wanting players to play within the system because it works. When you freelance, you leave open holes that the other team exploits and it costs you. The question is will the downgrade in talent outweigh the results from the improvement of defensive play. If the answer is yes, then BB likely won't do it.

If Merriweather doesn't "FIT WITHIN THE SYSTEM" why does BB keep giving him so many snaps? He consistently played more than Sanders, and about the only time he played less than Chung was the Bears game.

 

[BillBelichickFan79]

Re: Safety concerns..

I googled this player, whose first name sounds like "******," which is perhaps as unfortunate as that Weiner fellow, and T. Jackson is suspended indefinitely by the league for substance abuse and can only appeal as early as Sept. 22.

Doesn't sound viable to me.

Tanard Jackson update - Tampa Bay Buccaneers News: BucNews.com

Yes, I acknowledged the fact that he has run into trouble off the field and was suspended. I know a lot of people will dismiss him immediately because of that, but from a pure talent standpoint I think he'd be an excellent FS in our defense. I love his game.

I was looking more long-term than day one starter. We traded for Ojinnaka last year, who was suspended for a game already before we traded for him. We traded for Jarrad Page last year, who held out all of training in KC, signed his tender Sept. 3 and was traded Sept. 4 to New England. Santonio Holmes was suspended for the first 4 weeks of the 2010 season and the Jets still traded for him. The only major difference in this case was that Santonio could practice during camp and Tanard Jackson can't -- which is a big difference.

A lot of the anti-Jackson arguments would be that he is problematic off the field (drugs/substance abuse) and is suspended, or that he wouldn't have enough time to learn the defense. Well, Page was traded to NE a week before the season started and was active in the first 6 games before he got hurt, and finished the season playing in 10 games. His role increased as the season went on and he was fairly productive for us.

If I could get Tanard Jackson for a 7th round pick, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I just feel that Jackson could work his way into the starting FS role by mid-season/November and help make a big impact after Thanksgiving and into the postseason. With Meriweather in a contract year, I think Jackson could be the long term solution at FS. It's kind of do or die for Jackson at this point. He has to keep his nose clean in order to get another contract.

Personally, I don't see a lot of risk in giving up a late round pick for a young, very talented FS who could be a starter for this defense in years to come. If he's suspended again or is a problem, you just cut him. What have you lost? A 7th round pick? That's nothing.

I also love that the Pats are also bringing in Sharper for a look. Pats could use a guy like him in the backfield, but he's a one year option at best.

 

[PushnPencils]

Safety Help

I'm thinking that as wonderful our aggressive pass rush is and how content I am with our top 3 corners, we're going to need some safety help. None have looked overly adequate in pass coverge. Brown looked the best to me against TB.

Chung is suspect on pass coverage, Brown is looking better and BM.....well I just rewatched on DVR...he blew two coverage assignments against TB 's 2nd string.

They may deem we may have to go forward with what we have with Sanders adding depth, but on D it's my area of concern......along with Fletcher's thumb.

 

[supafly]

Re: Safety Help

Yeah, I am a big Brown supporter and feel as though he can offer some youth/depth at the position. He looked fine to me in limited reps last yr.

I'm fine with the current group, as long as Sanders is okay of course.

If they choose to sign someone else for SS depth, then that is great too.

Should be fun/interesting to see what shakes out with the whole Meriweather speculation.

 

[Peachhead]

Re: Safety Help

Meriweather has regressed big time. Ugh.

Not that he was so great to begin with.

 

[Bostonian1962]

Re: Safety Help

I'm thinking that as wonderful our aggressive pass rush is and how content I am with our top 3 corners, we're going to need some safety help. None have looked overly adequate in pass coverge. Brown looked the best to me against TB.

Chung is suspect on pass coverage, Brown is looking better and BM.....well I just rewatched on DVR...he blew two coverage assignments against TB 's 2nd string.

They may deem we may have to go forward with what we have with Sanders adding depth, but on D it's my area of concern......along with Fletcher's thumb.

All good points, but am I the only one feeling very confident with Arrington out there?

 

[Betterthanmost]

Re: Safety Help

There is a one Taylor Mays being shop...

 

[PushnPencils]

Re: Safety Help

One starred again?.........

I hope you know sir....that this means war.

 

[PushnPencils]

Re: Safety Help

All good points, but am I the only one feeling very confident with Arrington out there?

I like Arrington alot. He plays very confidently.

 

[patfanken]

Re: Safety Help

I'm thinking that as wonderful our aggressive pass rush is and how content I am with our top 3 corners, we're going to need some safety help. None have looked overly adequate in pass coverge. Brown looked the best to me against TB.

Chung is suspect on pass coverage, Brown is looking better and BM.....well I just rewatched on DVR...he blew two coverage assignments against TB 's 2nd string.

They may deem we may have to go forward with what we have with Sanders adding depth, but on D it's my area of concern......along with Fletcher's thumb.

Sorry, but I HAVE to ask this question. Unless you have a direct feed to the Pats bench and are kept aware of all the Pats defensive signals, and are also aware of all the formation adjustments; just how are you determining that Merriweather "blew 2 coverages". And are you getting a special feed that allows you to see more of the field than the rest of us?

C'mon PP. how about letting us poor peons know how you are doing it? Otherwise you backhand comments are nothing but baseless slander

 

[spacecrime]

Re: Safety Help

Chung is suspect on pass coverage, Brown is looking better and BM.....well I just rewatched on DVR...he blew two coverage assignments against TB 's 2nd string

Just wondering how you can tell what the assignment was. I used to think I could tell but then there was that famous clip of Randall Gay chasing Plaxico into the endzone and all of us yapping at how Gay was out of position until 2 days later in a presser Rodney happened to mention that he made a mistake and blitzed rather than falling back and that Plax scored a TD because of it. Gay didn't miss his assignment. His assignment wasn't Plax. The guy who missed the assignment wasn't in the TV shot because he was elsewhere, not where he belonged.

So I would love to know how to tell what assignments are in a defense. I can often guess what probably should have been offensive assignments by the mix of skill players (RB, WR, TE, FB) on the field, how they are lined up and where they move at the snap, but I can never tell on defense who should go where and what the hand-off points are.

Any help?

edit: while I was typing this, PFK asked the same question, but I am seriously curious. What are the tells for defensive assignments?

 

[NEPettyOfficer72]

I still think Brandon Meriweather and Patrick Chung make up one of the best Safety tandems in the League. Brandon Meriweather despite what some may think is an excellent Safety who I think will have a better year with more in front of him. And Patrick Chung is as physical as anyone at the position that can play at the line of scrimmage and cover in the secondary. Now I like James Sanders and Sergio Brown at depth but perhaps we could use a little more. And grabbing James Ihedigbo was a good pickup both in Special teams and on Defense. Sometimes, its not about the known names but about what that player can bring to the team and I like his enthusiasm and excitement for wanting to contribute. A solid player in my eyes who can contribute right away when given the opportunity.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm a bit concerned that Sanders has not taken the field yet, and his injury could be more severe than we think. I'm good with Meriwhether, Chung, Sanders, but not so good with only 2 of the 3.