Semi-OT: Predict Talib's success this year

[MrNathanDrake]

Talib was awesome for us last year. He was on fire and possibly our best defensive player. He made huge plays for us in crucial moments and helped us win games...... for about 8 weeks.


That's where the problem arises. Talib has never been consistent. After the first 8 weeks or so, Talib's nagging injuries started coming around again and his presence was barely felt later in the year.

Then he left the AFCCG with a "deep bone bruise". Call it what you want to. Give it a fancy name. Make it sound worse than it really was. It was still just a bruise. NFL players have lost fingers and stayed in games much less important than the AFCCG. Players have played through torn ligaments. But Talib hobbled off and never came back in most important game of the year because of a bruise.

I always had a feeling, even when Pats were looking at re-signing him, that Talib is the type of guy who is going to regress after he gets paid. And he just got paid big time.

Plus if we face Denver in the playoffs, we know all we gotta do is run a WR into him and he'll most likely stay out of the game.

How do you guys think Talib will do this year?

 

[PATS16N0]

If he was still a Patriot I'd be more worried about him being around when we need him than even Gronk, who left the 2013 season for completely understandable reasons.

Considering the consistency he apparently has for leaving the field for reasons that seem pretty damn lame, my prediction is he won't be there when Denver needs him most.

If I knew we were going to replace him with Revis (or any DB capable of covering someone) I wouldn't have initially been upset he went to Denver at all.

Guy is reliably unreliable.

 

[Big-T]

Injured for when it counts, will likely start off red hot and fade as being hurt takes its toll on him...so just a mirror of his entire career so far.

 

[willdeespats]

So what are the odds that we will even see him on the field in Foxboro this fall? My guess is about 50-50 since its about half way through the season.

 

[PATS16N0]

The thing is, injuries are really crappy, and the only thing I fear this season is losing key people. I have mixed feelings about predicting Talib's future because I don't want to sound like I'll be happy if he goes down. It's just that he leaves the field for what seem to be lame ass reasons.

I don't want to try to judge how much pain someone else is in for an injury (or bruise...) they may have suffered, because at the end of the day it's impossible for me to know.

However, given what I've read about what Talib was actually suffering from in the AFC Championship, it just sounds like if he had any grit at all he could have played through it.

If that's the case, he's one of those dudes who plays in the NFL for the off season (sports cars and water front property) and not for the season itself (Superbowl glory).

Whatever happens to him this season, whether he's flaky as usual, or stays through the whole year, I'm just glad he's gone.

 

[stinebot]

Talib will likely start the year looking like the best CB in the league. That will last about 4 games. Then he will get "hurt" and miss 2 or 3 games. Then he will come back but be less effective. Come week 9 he will start the game, but go out in the 1st quarter when Gronk runs through him on the way to a 57 yard TD. He will be placed on IR before the game is over.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

I don't want to try to judge how much pain someone else is in for an injury (or bruise...) they may have suffered, because at the end of the day it's impossible for me to know.

I like how you put bruise is brackets. Because a bruise isn't a serious debilitating injury. It's just painful., and you should be able to play through that. Especially with all the painkillers they have on the sidelines.

I've had bad injuries before. One of the most painful was a "deep bone bruise" to my forearm. It stung for about 10 minutes, but it wouldn't have taken me out of a AFCCG if I were in the middle of it.

 

[Big-T]

Shane Vereen played a game and went for over 100 yards with a broken wrist, in the same game Amendola tore his groin off the bone and went for over 100 yards - that was week 1 of the regular season never mind a playoff game! Talib not playing in the Championship game because of a bruise just shows he's soft.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Talib has elite ability.... but he doesn't have an elite brain/heart.

If Talib applied himself he could be a Top 4 CB in the league. He showed that last year in the first 6 weeks or so. The problem is he doesn't apply himself consistently. People are creatures of habit and Talib has shown over and over that he will fade during the year. He can't stay consistently good for 16 games + playoffs. Eventually he's going to miss games due to some sort of ailment.

After his big payday this offseason, I can see him losing his motivation and slacking off. Maybe not as bad as Haynesworth, but something similar.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

We obviously upgraded with Revis, but I think Denver did too with Talib over Rodgers-Cromartie.

Denver doesn't need him to be amazing, not like we did anyways. The Broncos have upgraded their secondary significantly by signing T.J. Ward and Talib, and with Chris Harris Jr. returning after injury. So long as Talib is decent, they'll be a much better unit.

 

[TBR]

Hip problems throughout the season

 

[TonyTucker]

Amendola tore his weiner off the bone and played the whole season. Talib is a wuss, and I look forward to him not being there in next year's AFCCG.

 

[Rob0729]

People forget that Talib played like an elite CB for about a half of a season his entire career. I thought his first year with the Pats was overrated. He helped to improve the secondary, but that was because he allowed McCourty to safety and it improved two positions.

The media are talking like he is Revis. The thing is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had a very good year and was more consistent than Talib last year. Talib was better when he was healthy, but he only did that for six games. His best six game stretch of his career. No guarantee he can repeat it even healthy.

 

[OhExaulted1]

I like how you put bruise is brackets. Because a bruise isn't a serious debilitating injury. It's just painful., and you should be able to play through that. Especially with all the painkillers they have on the sidelines.

I've had bad injuries before. One of the most painful was a "deep bone bruise" to my forearm. It stung for about 10 minutes, but it wouldn't have taken me out of a AFCCG if I were in the middle of it.

Oh, I think some bruises can be debilitating.

After we whip Denver on Nov. 2nd, Talib will be out with a bruised ego.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

We obviously upgraded with Revis, but I think Denver did too with Talib over Rodgers-Cromartie.

Denver doesn't need him to be amazing, not like we did anyways. The Broncos have upgraded their secondary significantly by signing T.J. Ward and Talib, and with Chris Harris Jr. returning after injury. So long as Talib is decent, they'll be a much better unit.

On paper. YES. You are right.

But at least DRC played in playoff games. Talib has left the last 2 AFCCG with soft injuries. DRC has been very durable during his NFL career. Talib has never played a full 16 game season.

 

[DocHoliday]

I don't think anyone can match Talib when it comes to covering big WRs.

Revis is a better all around player though. Agree with everyone else though

 

[AzorianPats]

Talib will break a nail, and miss 4 games in the regular season.

Then playoff time, he'll limp away at some point....like he always does.

 

[Baboon]

It would be justice if Denver paid him that much money and he never regained his form again.

 

[Kontradiction]

He'll have his share of good plays for a few weeks, injure his hip, come back at somewhat near full strength before the end of the year, and ****y out in a big game in the playoffs. That last one is assuming that Manning doesn't choke on a fat one again in the divisional round.

 

[Seacoast Fan]

He will successfully limp off the field at a key point during the season, when the Broncos need him the most.