Woods: Anyone else having a change of heart?

[BradyToMoss]

I would argue just the opposite. We have seen vitrually nothing of Jackson on game day outside of a couple plays his rookie year. We have seen Pierre Woods consistantly be one of our better STers for a few years and his SB performance was pretty good outside of the missed fumble which isnt what people make it out to be. The missed fumble is not like the play where Bruschi just out muscled the Colt for a fumble recovery it was a misfortunate but not lack of abilty type thing. Woods was just unfortunate that where the ball landed he couldn't see it despite it being under him and then he never could get a hold of it when the pile jumped on he never had any control over the ball.

I agree that the play should have been blown dead, but there was no whistle and Bradshaw continued to dig and dig until he literally ripped the ball out of Pierre's arms. Inexcusable to be honest. I'm sure Pierre will never, ever make the mistake of giving up on a play like that again.

 

[signbabybrady]

I agree that the play should have been blown dead, but there was no whistle and Bradshaw continued to dig and dig until he literally ripped the ball out of Pierre's arms. Inexcusable to be honest. I'm sure Pierre will never, ever make the mistake of giving up on a play like that again.

I am not saying that the play should have been blown dead. I am saying that Woods never had controll of the ball...it was not ripped from his hands it was dug out from underneath him and it was under him with no possesion. The refs actually got that one right.

 

[cstjohn17]

back up and special teamer and nothing else

My opinion has changed, I thought he had limited potential to be a backup. Now I think he could be an ok backup.

 

[dhamz]

After 1 preseason game?

It was an encouraging performance - the first he has shown defensively (he is a beast on ST) but I am still not confident he can help regularly and step in if Vrabel or Thomas get hurt.

Now if he does that for 2 more weeks against regular players on better teams, I will reconsider.

 

[PatsFan37]

One of the things I haven't seen from either this board or the media, in all the preseason game analysis, is a long look at who on the Ravens a given player beat. Some analysis, but not much. This isn't a complaint, since I'm not doing it either, just an observation.

If Woods continues to show up in the preseason, making plays against first team lineman, then we know he's got it. But in a first preseason game, we don't know seem to know enough about their team to know if our team is performing well or they're performing poorly.

A Raven's blog, for instance, reports their punt team as blocking well. We report that Lamont Jordan was doing a piss-poor job holding his blocks. So which is true?

Takes more than one preseason game.

 

[IcyPatriot]

I think Woods deserves a chance to show what he has this season before fans pass judgement on him.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

One of the things I haven't seen from either this board or the media, in all the preseason game analysis, is a long look at who on the Ravens a given player beat. Some analysis, but not much. This isn't a complaint, since I'm not doing it either, just an observation.

If Woods continues to show up in the preseason, making plays against first team lineman, then we know he's got it. But in a first preseason game, we don't know seem to know enough about their team to know if our team is performing well or they're performing poorly.

A Raven's blog, for instance, reports their punt team as blocking well. We report that Lamont Jordan was doing a piss-poor job holding his blocks. So which is true?

Takes more than one preseason game.

The Ravens' "starters" were out for both OT spots. They were also missing Todd Heap at TE and Willis McGahee at RB.

Lamont Jorden was the lead blocker on "Kick" Returns and did struggle in that role (think of Willie Andrews last season leading Hobbs into the holes.) In addition to less than stellar blocking, I wasn't that impressed with the holes he was picking for his KR - as I understand it he works like Evans on a FB lead play, find the best hole for your RB and lead him through.

The Ravens punt team was blocking well, look at the Figurs PR where Guyton drew so much praise for his hustle - a beautiful wall. That was also the return where the Gunners never got off the Line of Scrimmage. Props to the Ravens, they came prepared to execute on PRs.

 

[PatsFan37]

The Ravens' "starters" were out for both OT spots. They were also missing Todd Heap at TE and Willis McGahee at RB.

Lamont Jorden was the lead blocker on "Kick" Returns and did struggle in that role (think of Willie Andrews last season leading Hobbs into the holes.) In addition to less than stellar blocking, I wasn't that impressed with the holes he was picking for his KR - as I understand it he works like Evans on a FB lead play, find the best hole for your RB and lead him through.

The Ravens punt team was blocking well, look at the Figurs PR where Guyton drew so much praise for his hustle - a beautiful wall. That was also the return where the Gunners never got off the Line of Scrimmage. Props to the Ravens, they came prepared to execute on PRs.

I think it's enough that you and AWTE went through virtually every play, cataloging which of our players were in which positions, esp. given all the substitutions and the occasional postage stamp screens while drunken brewmasters were interviewed. So to additionally catalog the Ravens players, who are a mystery anyway for most Pats fans, would be tortuous and thankless.

Just to be sure you knew I wasn't complaining.

So now that I know that both OT's were out, and I did know McGahee and Heap were out, it's not as impressive that Woods was busting down doors. Same as the Ravens fans shouldn't get too excited about whichever DL was playing pattycake with Yates. As far as they know, they were blowing through the Patriots all-pro first-team OL.

Woods did have a great game and the Ravens are an NFL team. So that's not bad news.

Maybe Jordan will have a better STs performance now that he's had a few more practices with his mates.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I never understood why everyone was down on Woods. He made it by busting his tail on ST. Plus he had a story. He was a future first round draftee, after his sophomore season, until he got deep into Lloyd Carr 's doghouse. Belichick has said that several times.

He is athletic, good-sized, fairly fast (high 4.6s,) and and has earned everything he has gotten by playing hard. He has led ST in tackles for two years now, even though he is NOT a gunner. That is almost unbelievable, when you think about it.

I never understood people who bad mouthed him. They are setting themselves up in opposition to what Belichick thinks and has said so on several occasions. Now we are starting to see what Belichick has seen in practice.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I think it's enough that you and AWTE went through virtually every play, cataloging which of our players were in which positions, esp. given all the substitutions and the occasional postage stamp screens while drunken brewmasters were interviewed. So to additionally catalog the Ravens players, who are a mystery anyway for most Pats fans, would be tortuous and thankless.

Just to be sure you knew I wasn't complaining.

So now that I know that both OT's were out, and I did know McGahee and Heap were out, it's not as impressive that Woods was busting down doors. Same as the Ravens fans shouldn't get too excited about whichever DL was playing pattycake with Yates. As far as they know, they were blowing through the Patriots all-pro first-team OL.

Woods did have a great game and the Ravens are an NFL team. So that's not bad news.

Maybe Jordan will have a better STs performance now that he's had a few more practices with his mates.

I remember reading about the Ravens' injury woes, they sat just about as many inactives as BB did.

I did go to the NFL.com roster to look up one player to get a better feel for the opposition talent on one play - can't remember who or what play now - I'm looking more for execution in preseason anyway. I know Yates can play on game day, part of the OL problem stems from lack of game planning leaving players isolated one-on-one where they'd have help in the regular season.

I'm looking for things like Wendell missing the blitzing LB and giving O'Connell San Diego State flashbacks, I'm betting Scar had a few pithy remarks about how players need to have their head on a swivel. Guyton playing his gaps and Mayo playing his warms my heart, especially after Lua's wandering about last year.

You already had a "not complaining" disclaimer, don't go overboard or I'll have to have PATSNUTMe counsel you on guilty conscious tells!

Woods played well. His job is to play his responsibilities regardless of whom the offense fields. He done good.

I'm sure Jorden can improve once Seeley and Fears have some more time to work with him individually for Special Teams. I'm just spoiled by Willie Andrews great field vision.

 

[PatriotNMP43]

Pierre Woods was the best player on the field last thursday. This is huge for Woods to break out now because of the loss of Rosie Colvin, we really needed him to step up. The front 7 i hope is the best unit this year and dominates the game like the Giants did. Defense wins Superbowls.

 

[Fencer]

I still have a hard time with the SB with that fumble

Same here.

But even so, in BB I trust ... (Monty Beisel notwithstanding).

 

[RayClay]

I think the same as ever. Great in preseason and special teams, yet to be given a decent shot during the season.

That's the second year in a row we've held linebacker tryouts in the playoffs (Alexander) or Super Bowl.

If I may question the great Belichick, I don't think 0 minutes during the season, then crucial minutes is the way to develop confidence.

Give them regular snaps for confidence and then we'll see. Unsinkable confidence in backups such as Troy Brown had is the exception, not the rule IMO.

 

[patsox23]

It seemed like a lot of people were down on Woods this Spring. When Darth Bill compared one of the draftees to Woods, a lot of folks said it was just a physique comparison.

It was. Belichick was ABSOLUTELY making a physical comparison - and you're actually thinking about BB comparing Woods, PHYSICALLY, to Carl Banks.

That said, I'm very pleased to see that Woods has had a good off-season and T.C. so far and I have very high hopes for him.

 

[dhamz]

I never understood people who bad mouthed him. They are setting themselves up in opposition to what Belichick thinks and has said so on several occasions.

I have no problem settimg myself up in opposition to what BB says.

Duane Starks sucked.
Rohan Davey did too.

I have now set myself in opposition to BB twice in 2 sentences. BB's public statements about individual players are always positive.

Ignore what he says, watch who he plays. To this point, those public statements about Woods have not translated into playing time even when the aged LB crew was gasping for air down the stretch last year.

 

[satz]

Pierre wood should be say compared to tully banta cane who was a development pick.

some stuff we saw in preason first 15 minutes against starters which banta never did

1) Set the edge and collapses screens. In the play where mayo took rice[ as rice was dropping the ball in the screen] woods rushed the boller to release too early .Banta was never this fast to could never generate pass rush.
2) In the between tackle run where mayo was impressive the run starts onto wood side but the tackle got shred and wood push rice to cut before LOS into Mayo.
3)Out the flat FB release option he ran the FB down in open field tackle. Something we have only seen Mike Vrabel do consistently.He is fast dropping down in coverage of FB or bigger blocking TE who run the 5 yd release route which a OLB must cover.
4)The 3rd 20 Yd stand woods pushes boller to run straight into the tackles and then the pocket collapses.
5)The rice run to the outside where mayo sets the edge their is woods on the cut back lane as the OL pushes Mayo ,once he trips him seymour knocks him down. He needs a little more patiences to drop the RB their but that will come with pratice.

For the first 15 minutes the ravens were running away from seymoure and thomas alot so peirre did a good job once they turned up the heat and done with the zone /no pass rush mode.

 

[signbabybrady]

It was. Belichick was ABSOLUTELY making a physical comparison - and you're actually thinking about BB comparing Woods, PHYSICALLY, to Carl Banks.

That said, I'm very pleased to see that Woods has had a good off-season and T.C. so far and I have very high hopes for him.

I actually recall that BB compared Crable to Woods and I think that was what the OP was refering too but the carl banks thing is interesting too.

 

[reflexblue]

In ONE pre sea game he was maybe the best LB for the pats. But I want to see him do it in more than One game. That being said He did look a lot better than in the past. He played with more confidence,hustle, and smarts.

 

[signbabybrady]

In ONE pre sea game he was maybe the best LB for the pats. But I want to see him do it in more than One game. That being said He did look a lot better than in the past. He played with more confidence,hustle, and smarts.

Not sure if you will ever see Woods be the best LB for the pats for more than one game but I think he will be the 5th or 6th best LBer and more importantly he will be the 3rd best option at outside LBer.

 

[IcyPatriot]

In a perfect world we would have all experienced players out there who could do the job. For every 5-6+ million player you need a player who earns the minimum. Why fans pick on player like Pierre Woods is simply foolish. To stay competitive you need the Pierre Woods of the league ... it is what it is.