Going forward, we need production from McCourty, Chung, Spikes and Fletcher.
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I think that you have overstated the bottom line changes in the secondary since the beginning of the year. Three players entered the season recovering from injuries. None are presently on the team.
1) Both Ihedigbo and Molden were here to start the season. Molden had beaten out Butler and Wilhite for a roster spot at corner.
2) McCourty and Chung have been injured and should be here for the playoffs.
3) Molden and Ihedigbo have moved up on the depth chart because of injuries.
4) Jones and Williams have been added to the roster. Adding a street free agent and one of our late draftees certainly isn't unusual at this point in the season, certainly not for Belichick.
BOTTOM LINE (considering Jones a safety)
A) Dowling and Bodden didn't fully come back from their injuries.
B) Barrett (also back from IR) and Brown were failed experiments. Ihedigbo was Plan B.
C) Because of the injuries and failures, Belichick has had to scramble and has had many players come in and out each week in the secondary
COMPARED TO THE START
CORNER
McCourty
Arrington
Bodden (cut) but this was really an injury issue
Molden
Dowling (IR) as he has been almost from the beginning
SAFETY
Chung (injured)
Barrett (IR)
Brown (demoted to special teams)
Ihedigbo
SPECIAL TEAMERS (ALWAYS AVAILABLE IN AN EMERGERENCY)
Slater
Edelman
That was my first thought, but I've long given up trying to get a handle on what the hell is going on in the secondary.
Week 1's secondary:
Dowling (IR)
Arrington
McCourty
Chung (Injured)
Barrett (Gone)
Brown (Cast away to ST)
Bodden (Gone)
It's been a wild ride.