Spikes: healthy scratch, injured, not yet in game shape, or ????

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Spikes?

Bruschi is terrific with insights about the football life, Belichick, and what he sees on the field. When it comes to personnel issues, though...well, remember that Tedy was jumping up and down about drafting Sergio Kindle, and assured us that Logan Mankins would never wear a Patriots uniform again.

Ah, nevermind, this time he's RIGHT about Fletcher because I feel the same way!

(Wait a second...can a woman have "man love" for a player? But surely it's not "woman love," that's...umm....help, vocabulary emergency!)

Mrs Bruschi does not say Hi

 

[Wax Frog]

Re: Spikes?

(Wait a second...can a woman have "man love" for a player? But surely it's not "woman love," that's...umm....help, vocabulary emergency!)

I'd rather shut my mouth and watch this subplot play out

 

[KevinFaulk-33]

When I saw the inactive list I thought he was still injured, but now i found this article:

Spikes a surprise scratch - Boston.com

What do you think?

 

[sbpatfan]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

I think he hates the Patriots, and that's why he didn't play.

 

[The-Hooded-One]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

My super secret analysis of his Twitter tells me he just had the runs.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

Don't have the link because I saw it on my IPhone, but someone asked about Cunningham and Spikes. Reiss wrote, to paraphrase, that Cunningham was injured, while Spikes' absence was more self-inflicted. Didn't sound good.

 

[Sciz]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

Did we really want a recovering Spikes out there trying to cover Reggie Bush?

 

[Displaced - Fan]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

When I saw the inactive list I thought he was still injured, but now i found this article:

Spikes a surprise scratch - Boston.com

What do you think?

I would have to go with his limited time in practice. He was injured for most of the preseason and had just come back. Most likely those who had been practicing were given the nod.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

I just checked Spikes Twitter account and he posted this tweet earlier today:

Good Morning Everyone! #Powwwwwwwww

Yes, I am as shocked as you are that he would post something like this. If you read between the lines, this clearly means he thinks Belichick is an arse, he hates his team and New England, and he is trying to shoot his way out of town. If Spikes continues to post inflamatory posts like this, Belichick will have no choice but to suspend him.

I think there has been way too much over analysis at this point about Spikes. Yes, he practiced all week, but so did Jermaine Cunningham and Taylor Price who neither made the trip. There might be something to all the speculation, but basing it on one game is way too premature.

I swear fans need players they can focus all their rage on. Now that Meriweather and Butler is gone, Spikes and Ochocinco are those guys. Many of they whipping boys deserve the fans' ire, but others do not. Too early to tell with Spikes.

 

[Sicilian]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

Gotta have 7 inactives every week. If they determined Spikes was a bad matchup against the Dolphins after limited preseason exposure, he's one of the positions we have other options at. Couple that with the fact he doesn't play a ton of ST, and he was a logical choice.

If this happens again, I'll be more concerned. One game doesn't worry me.

 

[patchick]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

I swear fans need players they can focus all their rage on. Now that Meriweather and Butler is gone, Spikes and Ochocinco are those guys. Many of they whipping boys deserve the fans' ire, but others do not. Too early to tell with Spikes.

Rage? What I hear is worry.

 

[Metaphors]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

After disposing of Kaczur, Butler, Tate, Meriweather and a multitude of Warrens, does anyone really think Belichick would tolerate a disgruntled (or anything but a fully gruntled) Spikes in the locker room?

 

[Betterthanmost]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

This is what is happening in the organization right now imo. I think the team wants players who are not quick to leave the facility right after practice. Players who aspire more to help the team in as many ways as possible. They expect this from the players they have drafted. If you can garner from Spikes time line on twitter, it appears he is the first to leave the facility right after practice to engage in God only knows what.

Every time he leaves whether through injury or suspension, he comes out of condition and I am basing this on the comments of the coaches. And I think it is a fair question to as how dedicated he is at this level?

Imagine if only he stay as Mayo does and study as hard as we have heard from BB as Mayo does. BB knows what it takes to be a champion and probably not seeing that from Spikes right now. It is not constantly tweeting your location on twitter.
We are showing or going to show that we can stop the run without him. He can't cover Wilfork if he was a receiver. So what good is he to the team?

 

[drew4008]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

Fletcher is just a better LB at this point, so I'm not surprised.

I don't completely understand the reasoning for Guyton playing over half the snaps though. He has some athleticism, I get that, but his instincts just aren't there, and he's washed out of any running play. Miami was forced to pass the ball a ton though, so I'm assuming that's why Guyton was out there so much. I'll be a little worried if he continues to get this many snaps going forward (without elevating his play).

 

[NEPatriot]

Re: Spikes: an healty scratch or injured?

I'm not getting good vibes about how this is going to work out. Listening to Nick Caserio's latest conference call he give the normal Pat's spin on the player. As others have noted, the Twitter is pretty far out there. What amazes me is the number of players, Spikes included, who tweet late into the evening/morning when they have practice/game the next day. I guess some players don't need a lot of sleep.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Re: Spikes?

Fletcher has simply and rightfully passed Spikes on the depth chart.
It is what it is.

I wouldn't say "simply and rightfully," but he's not that far. The guy has made the most of every opportunity, whether it was in the preseason or the regular season. I still remember the game where he came in and put the clamps on Ray Rice and that overtime thriller last season.

I just love Fletcher. I want him on the field more. He is making name for himself and, as mentioned, he could really threaten Spikes for more playing time. We need to find ways to keep him on the field.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Re: Spikes?

(Wait a second...can a woman have "man love" for a player? But surely it's not "woman love," that's...umm....help, vocabulary emergency!)

Not only is it possible but it's encouraged, it makes us men feel a lot more comfortable with our own man-love if you ladies do it too

 

[RayClay]

Re: Spikes?

ESPN Boston confirms the beliefs of this thread:

Quick hits from conference calls - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

That was a fair size article, but i wonder how long they could continue to string words and sentences together without saying a damn thing. I'd say 50 pages, at least.

 

[Dessalines]

Back in the day when BB was in New York wonking for Parcells with the Giants, they used to talk about player who "get it" and those who don't. I think that Dane Fletcher is a guy who "gets it" and Spikes may not be that kind of guy. He's had his off field issues as well.

Last season, being used sparingly, I watched Fletcher make some very heads up plays. As some one above said, Fletcher may simply have passed Spikes on the depth chart and that would be because he "gets it"....

 

[aluminum seats]

I guess the one thing I take issue with in this thread is the disparaging of Spikes the player. He started for the Pats as a rookie last year, and played well. Yes, he had some trouble in coverage--most rookie linebackers aren't perfect. In fact, for years Belichick simply didn't seem to want to ever draft linebackers because of how long it took for them to pick things up.

Now, for whatever reason, Spikes isn't playing. He was hurt and might need more conditioning, but I think it's a fair guess to say there's some attitude issues going on as well. If so, that's too bad, and we'll see what happens. But as promising as Fletcher appears, let's drop the "yeah, Spikes just isn't any good, Fletcher's obviously better, let's move along now" thing. It would definitely be better for the Pats to have Spikes an active member of the squad. Come on.