Idle thought...retrospective...

[MrBigglesWorth]

if we don't upgrade our pass rush I just don't think they will compete for a superbowl. that's what it really boils down to.

if the defense is fine then why is BB taking over as DC? I don't see him as being happy with it.

 

[chevss454]

Great post.

However I do think the draft can help the pass rush/pressure situation. Sergio Kindle should be available at 22 and Carlos Dunlap should be available in round 2.
Some really good WR's may also be there in rnd 2, such as Brandon Lafell, Damian Williams ,M. Gilyard, Demaryius Thomas, Arrelious Benn, Desmon Briscoe,
Jordan Shipley and Danario Alexander. One or 2 of these could give Brady weapons the way the Saints have weapons. Imo, the fastest way to improve this team is by giving Brady the weapons so he can spread out his passes. With only Welker/Edelman and Moss as legitimate receivers the Pats were too easy to defend in critical situations.
I'm not ignoring other needs such as LB, DE and TE, but, as you said, the D wasn't all that bad. And with BB putting his reputation on the defense, I think it will improve, as you do.

 

[JR4]

........, DEFENSES are at a major disadvantage right now. They are NEVER going to to CONSISTENTLY stop even a decent NFL offense. Sorry but it isn't going to happen.
.................................
the most important guy I want wrapped up early this off season is Leigh Boddin ........

I love our OL, now and for the near future. I think that an OL that is made up of Light, Mankins, Volmer, Kaczar, Koppen, Connolly, LeVoir; is deep and talented..

Good stuff pfk
Totally agree on Boddin.

on defense at a disadvantage. That is true most of the time. But If a
defense Dline is better than the opponents Oline in terms of pass rushing
then the that disadvantage fades.
This ties in to your love for PATs Oline.
In 90% of the Dlines they face they will do very well.

But I have seen two critical games now that the PATs Oline has allowed
Brady to be pressured big time thought the game.
The Giant's in the superbowl and the Ravens in the wildcard weekend.

Both those games there seemed to be a lot of break downs in the middle of the Oline.
Mankins is good but PATs really need to improve the Center and RG position so this sort of thing doesn't happen again. OR they need to to find a way
to help them if it happens again.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

You're forgetting Butler who has more athleticism and speed than Bodden does.

Brady IS our #1 priority. Then Wilfork. As we have seen this season, it doesn't matter if we have the best secondary in the world. If you let a NFL quarterback sit in the pocket all day, he will pick apart ANY secondary.

I see us making Bodden a reasonable offer. If he takes it, great. If not, we go to Butler.

Agree with this. If Bodden gets a great offer somewhere, I think we'll be OKAY at CB. Might need to bring in another cheap veteran for depth, but it's not a dire situation. Concentrate on that front 7 this offseason and interior OL as well as a couple other needs. Wilfork and Mankins need to be locked up IMO.

 

[paradox]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

Agree with this. If Bodden gets a great offer somewhere, I think we'll be OKAY at CB. Might need to bring in another cheap veteran for depth, but it's not a dire situation. Concentrate on that front 7 this offseason and interior OL as well as a couple other needs. Wilfork and Mankins need to be locked up IMO.

Bodden was our best CB. We are not fine at that position if he leaves. Wilhite was terrible and Springs is useless.

Butler was the only bright spot

 

[Metaphors]

I also do NOT want to see him on JETS

Talk about the Jets and not wanting to see something. So I live in Raleigh and I'm half watching the Hurricanes game. I glance up and notice something.

I think, "Isn't that nice of the cheerleaders to give that nice pregnant woman a Hurricanes jersey." But why are the cheerleaders recoiling like they are cleaning a public toilet at the Meadowlands? Then it happens...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I live hundreds of miles from Jersey! Why must I continue to be punished like this? So let AD go to the Jets. Just keep Jabba the Gut off my HDTV for a year. Or 20.

 

[Patjew]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

It seems like alot of assumptions are being made about what certain FAs like Boldin, Peppers and even Watson will demand.

 

[slash83]

Talk about the Jets and not wanting to see something. So I live in Raleigh and I'm half watching the Hurricanes game. I glance up and notice something.

I think, "Isn't that nice of the cheerleaders to give that nice pregnant woman a Hurricanes jersey." But why are the cheerleaders recoiling like they are cleaning a public toilet at the Meadowlands? Then it happens...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I live hundreds of miles from Jersey! Why must I continue to be punished like this? So let AD go to the Jets. Just keep Jabba the Gut off my HDTV for a year. Or 20.

He'd be a greaat NT, if Wilfork leaves I'm sure Rex would play for food.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Talk about the Jets and not wanting to see something. So I live in Raleigh and I'm half watching the Hurricanes game. I glance up and notice something.

I think, "Isn't that nice of the cheerleaders to give that nice pregnant woman a Hurricanes jersey." But why are the cheerleaders recoiling like they are cleaning a public toilet at the Meadowlands? Then it happens...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I live hundreds of miles from Jersey! Why must I continue to be punished like this? So let AD go to the Jets. Just keep Jabba the Gut off my HDTV for a year. Or 20.

NOOOOOOOOOOO! indeed ...

:rocker:

 

[patsox23]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

Always enjoy you, Ken, but I would say that as tempting as it is to point to playcalling - I find myself doing it constantly - I believe it's overrated. The Patriots' issues this year stemmed far more, IMHO, from personnel problems than playcalling. As for Leigh Bodden...

I like him, I'd like to keep him, but I doubt we will and don't think we should if it gets even REMOTELY close to a bidding war. He's fine. He's the best vet FA corner we've brought in since...I guess Tyrone Poole, and he did a good job. But his numbers look better than I think he played - and, again, I think he played well, just not as well as the numbers will make him look to prospective teams.

All in all, enjoyed the read. It'll be interesting to see how things play out.

 

[DW Toys]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

Agree with this. If Bodden gets a great offer somewhere, I think we'll be OKAY at CB. Might need to bring in another cheap veteran for depth, but it's not a dire situation. Concentrate on that front 7 this offseason and interior OL as well as a couple other needs. Wilfork and Mankins need to be locked up IMO.

With Bodden gone we have exactly one CB. I don't know who you see as a NFL caliber CB from perhaps Butler. Wheatley and Whilhite have had three years and that is the telltale indicator. Nobody ever says it but Wheatley was and is a major bust...... but wasn't he a second rounder? He has had a series of injuries that plagued him in his college career and we overdrafted him in the second. No spin on that pick Cousins. He wasn't worth a second healthy.

Whilhite is NOT a starting NFL CB in this league.That leaves Springs who is that capable veteran so check that off. He made some plays and he has one year left on his contract. He knows the system so what the Helsinki.... How are we o.k. at CB if Bodden leaves?

These are not opinions. These are just facts.
DW Toys

 

[JackBauer]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

With Bodden gone we have exactly one CB. I don't know who you see as a NFL caliber CB from perhaps Butler. Wheatley and Whilhite have had three years and that is the telltale indicator. Nobody ever says it but Wheatley was and is a major bust...... but wasn't he a second rounder? He has had a series of injuries that plagued him in his college career and we overdrafted him in the second. No spin on that pick Cousins. He wasn't worth a second healthy.

Whilhite is NOT a starting NFL CB in this league.That leaves Springs who is that capable veteran so check that off. He made some plays and he has one year left on his contract. He knows the system so what the Helsinki.... How are we o.k. at CB if Bodden leaves?

These are not opinions. These are just facts.
DW Toys

Uh, what? Wilhite and Wheatley were drafted in 2008.

 

[pats1]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

With Bodden gone we have exactly one CB. I don't know who you see as a NFL caliber CB from perhaps Butler. Wheatley and Whilhite have had three years and that is the telltale indicator. Nobody ever says it but Wheatley was and is a major bust...... but wasn't he a second rounder? He has had a series of injuries that plagued him in his college career and we overdrafted him in the second. No spin on that pick Cousins. He wasn't worth a second healthy.

Whilhite is NOT a starting NFL CB in this league.That leaves Springs who is that capable veteran so check that off. He made some plays and he has one year left on his contract. He knows the system so what the Helsinki.... How are we o.k. at CB if Bodden leaves?

These are not opinions. These are just facts.
DW Toys

I generally agree with your assessment, but Wilhite and Wheatley have only been in the league two years.

 

[JackBauer]

That said, I think people are too harsh on Wilhite. He could be a fine nickel, or perhaps a #2, depending on how he develops.

 

[RobertWeathers]

That said, I think people are too harsh on Wilhite. He could be a fine nickel, or perhaps a #2, depending on how he develops.

Next year is the tell-tale for Willhite. He had some good moments and some brutal moments. A pass rush will help this secondary.

Same goes for Wheatley.

 

[ALP]

Re: Idle thought....retrospective...

With Bodden gone we have exactly one CB. I don't know who you see as a NFL caliber CB from perhaps Butler. Wheatley and Whilhite have had three years and that is the telltale indicator. Nobody ever says it but Wheatley was and is a major bust...... but wasn't he a second rounder? He has had a series of injuries that plagued him in his college career and we overdrafted him in the second. No spin on that pick Cousins. He wasn't worth a second healthy.

Whilhite is NOT a starting NFL CB in this league.That leaves Springs who is that capable veteran so check that off. He made some plays and he has one year left on his contract. He knows the system so what the Helsinki.... How are we o.k. at CB if Bodden leaves?

These are not opinions. These are just facts.
DW Toys

yea, and to continue pointing out some errors....springs signed a 3 yr contract....1 yr ago....so we have him for 2 more years

 

[JackBauer]

Next year is the tell-tale for Willhite. He had some good moments and some brutal moments. A pass rush will help this secondary.

Same goes for Wheatley.

No doubt. But then again, so did Samuel in his second year.

 

[RobertWeathers]

No doubt. But then again, so did Samuel in his second year.

I'd like to think that in their second year in the league, Asante was better than Willhite. However, I think Asante benefited from a better pass rush and Rodney to help put him in better positions to succeed.

 

[JackBauer]

I'd like to think that in their second year in the league, Asante was better than Willhite. However, I think Asante benefited from a better pass rush and Rodney to help put him in better positions to succeed.

True, but then again I don't think Wilhite has the same upside that Asante had. That's not necessarily a bad thing; if he develops into a good #2, I will be pleased.

 

[JFK]

Wheatley is not a bust. He is a victim of better talent on the team and the coaches not wanting to interrupt Wilhite's progress. I think WIlhite will be a great CB.