Wilson best "cover safety"

[PATSNUTme]

According to the Sporting News NFL Preview they call Gino the best "cover safety" in the NFL.

Agree?

Also they have Tom as the best "touch passer". Seymour as best DE against the run. And, BB as best AFC coach.

 

[BelichickFan]

And, BB as best AFC coach.

I sure hope they didn't have a best NFL coach whose last name wasn't Belichick. Maybe they just had AFC and NFC ?

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Wison was a stellar corner in college he's just adjusted it to the safety position. I agree with that. He great against slot receivers but sometimes struggles against TE's.

Seymour shuts down halves of offensive lines. Without a doubt correct.

Brady as best touch passer? I know he's good but really surprised it didnt go to Manning.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I sure hope they didn't have a best NFL coach whose last name wasn't Belichick. Maybe they just had AFC and NFC ?

Right. The had John Fox as best NFC coach.

Well, now I'm off to paly 18 hoes. Maybe I'll get ranked as best touch putter.

 

[spacecrime]

Wison was a stellar corner in college he's just adjusted it to the safety position. I agree with that. He great against slot receivers but sometimes struggles against TE's.

This is not unique among safeties. When safeties average around 220, 6'2" and TEs average 260#, 6'5" you're going to have a mismatch. LBs should cover TE's close to the line. TEs that can break it downfield usually catch a bunch of passes no matter who is covering them.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

This is not unique among safeties. When safeties average around 220, 6'2" and TEs average 260#, 6'5" you're going to have a mismatch. LBs should cover TE's close to the line. TEs that can break it downfield usually catch a bunch of passes no matter who is covering them.

I understand that but the thing is Wilson gets beat by the bigger name guys like Gates and Crumpler more than the regular TE's.

 

[bradleybliss]

I just hope he has a better year with Rodney coming in at some point to stiffen his concentration against WRs and TEs. ONLY 22 days until training camp opens and this dreadfully long off season ends!!!!

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Brady does have a better touch on the ball then Manning. Manning has one style of delivery that he really likes to use.

I think that Wilson, after last season, is not the best that the league has to offer at 'cover' safety, he is a little small and he is probably no better than Ed Reed, who obviously gets a lot more attention in most rankings. But he is close enough that a ranking can mention him without controversy. After all, when are these rankings ever 100% accurate?

 

[Kdo5]

Yeah Geno! Hes one of my favorite players, I keep telling my friend to shut up when he says Geno should be backup CB rather then FS.

 

[Keegs]

well is there a link providing a list, or did the guy just say Wilson was the best and thats it?

I'd like to see where he ranked the other safeties in the league.

 

[ilduce06410]

sure, wilson covers great. no one blankets TEs.

This is not unique among safeties. When safeties average around 220, 6'2" and TEs average 260#, 6'5" you're going to have a mismatch. LBs should cover TE's close to the line. TEs that can break it downfield usually catch a bunch of passes no matter who is covering them.

IMHO the pass to the TE is underutilized as an nfl play. theere's almost always a mismatch when the TE's covered by a DB. 2 issues: one: these days LBs are so dang fast that TEs can't get separation. two: throwing up the middle of the field is risky for receivers, and for interceptions. in patriots D, bruschi hangs out and ballhawks passes up the middle.
wilson was drafted as a first-rate cover guy. he IS small for a safety. it's OK when he's standing next to rodney, or some other hard-hitting safety. but when wilson's got to be the first hitter he's out of his element.

 

[Digger44]

I understand that but the thing is Wilson gets beat by the bigger name guys like Gates and Crumpler more than the regular TE's.

Everybody gets beat by those guys. am i missing your point? They are two of the best at their position. Nothing wrong with getting beat by the best 1 on 1, that is why all teams work together to stop these guys.

 

[JoeSixPat]

As I said in the Ty Law post - although there are some concerns to Ty Law's age and mileage - if he's willing to switch to Safety if and when that time comes, I would sign him to a reasonable contract.

Part of my confidence in doing so is my belief that Wilson could now play CB at a very high level - and this rating of him as a cover safey tells me I'm not alone in that.

What is a cover safety but a CB who plays facing the ball? I think Wilson would do just as well with his back to the ball, allowing Law to regain that lost step (if he does lose it) by playing facing the ball.

As far as Wilson not playing TEs well, by nature a S is playing back and is there to cover TEs who go deeper or get away from the LBs - so if a TE has the ball by the time he gets to a S, he's already gained a good amount of yardage.

If Wilson is missing the tackle at that point then that's one thing but ultimately the nature of the safetly position is to cover deep and come in for support on the shorter plays, as long as they are not in a blitz mode

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

maybe they see something I don't, but I rarely see Gino make many plays on the ball. I would have to disagree.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Instability at SS

If you look at Wilson in 2004, you see a true center fielder with tremendous range. But he also lined up a good ways off the LOS at was responsible for the both halves of the field.

By the middle part of 2005 until the end of the season, I saw a FS that was much closer to the LOS and it seemed that his responsibilities were contained to just half a field. That really allowed the opposing teams to throw away from him or expose him on dig and out routes.

In 2005 Wilson was my second biggest Patriot disappointment (Neal). However you can't ignore the fact that the instability at SS affected his responsibilities which affected his ability to make plays.

If Rodney comes back at full strength, then Wilson's game will come back. If the Pats are forced to rush the development of Sanders this coming year (who could be primed for a year 2 leap), then Wilson's game will continue to suffer.

 

[gomezcat]

He can be pretty good as a cover safety, but he surely shares some responsibility for the blown assignments last year?
Ochmed's point is a very good one, though, in that lack of stability as SS didn't help.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

And, BB as best AFC coach.

Who's better in the NFC, I wonder? I can't think of anyone!

BB is the best. Period!

Especially after just finishing "Education of a Coach", I have a an even larger appreciation for BB!

 

[PATSNUTme]

well is there a link providing a list, or did the guy just say Wilson was the best and thats it?

I'd like to see where he ranked the other safeties in the league.

This was from the print editon of The Sporting News NFL Preview magizine. Part of my summer reading.

I also have Pro Football Weekly print NFL Preview that ranks every positions and top 50 overall.

Rodney is the 5th ranked safety in spite of his injury.:rocker: Wilson is ranked the 16th safety.:rocker:

Two different magazines- two different rankings.
.

 

[Kdo5]

Geno can play very very good with Harrison back, but eventually he'll need to take the responsibilities of a DB captain if he is going to be our guy in the secondary for the future. Maybe a few more years with Harrison under his belt, it will help a LOT.

 

[shakadave]

Well, now I'm off to play 18 holes. Maybe I'll get ranked as best touch putter.

Thanks for the laugh! Touch Putter. Peni$ humor never gets old!