The Big Nickel and it's Role in this years Draft...

[yopats]

With BB taking over the reigns this year on D.. and seeing the shift towards the Big Nickel and lots of sub-packages last year.. how will that affect the picks on Defense?

Did we play more 4-2 Nickel or 3-3 Nickle last year how does that impact a pick like Dan Williams or Mount Cody etc..

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

With BB taking over the reigns this year on D.. and seeing the shift towards the Big Nickel and lots of sub-packages last year.. how will that affect the picks on Defense?

Did we play more 4-2 Nickel or 3-3 Nickle last year how does that impact a pick like Dan Williams or Mount Cody etc..

How are they as pass rushers?

 

[yopats]

How are they as pass rushers?

If you look at the Pre-draft visits.. DE/DT have gotten there fair share of attention..

There is no doubt that they are going to go after at least 1 pass rusher.. most likely on that weak side..

 

[VJCPatriot]

As far as big nickel goes, one prospect I have on my radar is Chris Cook CB/S. He's 6'2 and could play the 'big nickel' position and yet have the mobility and size to cover tight ends going over the middle.

Chris Cook Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect

 

[yopats]

As far as big nickel goes, one prospect I have on my radar is Chris Cook CB/S. He's 6'2 and could play the 'big nickel' position and yet have the mobility and size to cover tight ends going over the middle.

Chris Cook Scouting Report - 2010 NFL Draft Prospect

Def.. it will impact that type of pick or if an Earl Thomas is available too..

 

[bucky]

I have no idea what your post means, but I think BB taking more hands-on approach on defense is going to have less impact on Xs and Os and more impact on how the practices are run and more concentration on the basics. For example, last year's team was quite possibly the worst tackling Patriots team I've seen since Parcells came here over 15 years ago. This is the kind of stuff I expect BB to address early and often in TC this year.

 

[yopats]

I have no idea what your post means, but I think BB taking more hands-on approach on defense is going to have less impact on Xs and Os and more impact on how the practices are run and more concentration on the basics. For example, last year's team was quite possibly the worst tackling Patriots team I've seen since Parcells came here over 15 years ago. This is the kind of stuff I expect BB to address early and often in TC this year.

Sorry for the confusion.. I guess what I am trying to say.. is sometimes we think we know the needs but we are def seeing a trend towards more of pass friendly league and I think you have seen a change in the approach that BB has implemented starting last year and I think you will see a bigger change in terms of the sub-package being the main def package..

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

If you look at the Pre-draft visits.. DE/DT have gotten there fair share of attention..

There is no doubt that they are going to go after at least 1 pass rusher.. most likely on that weak side..

Yes, but the question you asked pertained to Williams and Cody, my question played off that one.

 

[yopats]

Yes, but the question you asked pertained to Williams and Cody, my question played off that one.

Correct.. so you see the Pats having lots of DT's being talked to Pre-Draft and one has to wonder if that is because they want to have that flexibility to have two Big Guys to play NT and plug the run and get some penetration in sub packages..

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Correct.. so you see the Pats having lots of DT's being talked to Pre-Draft and one has to wonder if that is because they want to have that flexibility to have two Big Guys to play NT and plug the run and get some penetration in sub packages..

One consistent thing about the DT list where we've noted a PW or V, they all play the run well. Some also can flatten the pocket or even penetrate a bit, but NE is clearly making sure the big guys are strong at the point of attack.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

With BB taking over the reigns this year on D.. and seeing the shift towards the Big Nickel and lots of sub-packages last year.. how will that affect the picks on Defense?

Did we play more 4-2 Nickel or 3-3 Nickle last year how does that impact a pick like Dan Williams or Mount Cody etc..

I love the big nickel. But in my mind the big nickel only works with Mt. Cody in the middle.

Anybody that watched the last two games of last season and saw the Pats defense get pushed around, mauled, abused and spat on like Jets fans at an S&M conference should be screaming for Mt. Cody.

The big nickel defense of Warren-Cody-Wilfork-Dunlap is impossible to run against. It makes opponents 1 dimensional. It allows BB to pull out all the exotic defensive back seven coverages (provided the current batch of MIT graduates back there are capable of executing it).

Bottom line we need toughness on our defense. The current group of pay check cashers are only going through the motion.

 

[Coach42]

Earl Thomas, Brandon Merriweahter, and Patrick Chung all on the field at once would be very interesting. All three "supposedly" are safties who could cover the slot/TE.

 

[cstjohn17]

I love the big nickel. But in my mind the big nickel only works with Mt. Cody in the middle.

Anybody that watched the last two games of last season and saw the Pats defense get pushed around, mauled, abused and spat on like Jets fans at an S&M conference should be screaming for Mt. Cody.

The big nickel defense of Warren-Cody-Wilfork-Dunlap is impossible to run against. It makes opponents 1 dimensional. It allows BB to pull out all the exotic defensive back seven coverages (provided the current batch of MIT graduates back there are capable of executing it).

Bottom line we need toughness on our defense. The current group of pay check cashers are only going through the motion.

I thought the nickel was a sub package used in passing situations. Why would you have Wilfork and Cody on the field for passing downs?

"The Big Nickel" reminds me of the "Aggressive Attack Style" defense Capers was going to be famous for. Remember the Big Nickel originally starred Tebucky Jones, in that feature and in the sequels all I saw was TBuck creaming his own players.

The ideal player for the Big Nickel was Rodney Harrison because he had the size / attitude to play as an OLB which meant coveriong the TE and taking on Offensive linemen. Harrison is a borderline HOF, it is not an easy to pull off as it sounds.

 

[crowell33]

I thought the nickel was a sub package used in passing situations. Why would you have Wilfork and Cody on the field for passing downs?

"The Big Nickel" reminds me of the "Aggressive Attack Style" defense Capers was going to be famous for. Remember the Big Nickel originally starred Tebucky Jones, in that feature and in the sequels all I saw was TBuck creaming his own players.

The ideal player for the Big Nickel was Rodney Harrison because he had the size / attitude to play as an OLB which meant coveriong the TE and taking on Offensive linemen. Harrison is a borderline HOF, it is not an easy to pull off as it sounds.

Taylor Mays.

 

[yopats]

I love the big nickel. But in my mind the big nickel only works with Mt. Cody in the middle.

Anybody that watched the last two games of last season and saw the Pats defense get pushed around, mauled, abused and spat on like Jets fans at an S&M conference should be screaming for Mt. Cody.

The big nickel defense of Warren-Cody-Wilfork-Dunlap is impossible to run against. It makes opponents 1 dimensional. It allows BB to pull out all the exotic defensive back seven coverages (provided the current batch of MIT graduates back there are capable of executing it).

Bottom line we need toughness on our defense. The current group of pay check cashers are only going through the motion.

Agreed 1000%

 

[MaineMan]

I keep hearing about how "it's a passing league". And yet, in 2009, the Pats played 9 regular season games and our playoff game versus top ten rushing teams, including two of the top four twice each (MIA and NYJ). And we face a very similar slate in 2010. I would guess that's a primary reason for all the 40-front/50-front ("nickel") sub-packages and for all the DTs on the roster and apparently under consideration in this draft. However, most of the guys we have on the roster, IMHO, appear better suited for the UT role alongside Wilfork than as NT. Brace, I think, was intended to be the relief man for Wilfork, especially in 40-fronts, but that hasn't worked out particularly well so far.

So, while it's all good to insist that we need a pass-rusher (and I agree), he MUST be a guy who also plays the run very well. And that's not all that easy to find.

 

[Nonentity]

The final four teams left in the playoffs were:

Saints - passing team
Colts - passing team
Vikings - passing team
Jets - running team, who unexpectedly beat the Chargers (passing team)


That's proof enough to me that it's a passing league.

 

[chevss454]

The final four teams left in the playoffs were:

Saints - passing team
Colts - passing team
Vikings - passing team
Jets - running team, who unexpectedly beat the Chargers (passing team)


That's proof enough to me that it's a passing league.

You could include the Jests and Dolphins as 2 teams gearing up to be passing teams with their new WR's. And if the Bills get Big Ben, count them in too. All in our division!

 

[patriotscpfc]

Bearing in mind, that over the off-season, both the Jets and Dolphins have brought in passing attack options for their young QBs.

With the Phins looking to shift Ronnie Brown as well, our division is transitioning to a passing division, and fast.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I thought the nickel was a sub package used in passing situations. Why would you have Wilfork and Cody on the field for passing downs?

The big nickel is the name of the defense with Cody and Wilfork on it. Not sure how that started but are are correct the nickel defense is a subpackage.

In the "Big Nickel" defense I would substitute Pryor for Cody in obvious passing situations and on third and long substitute Wright for Wilfork.

The goal of the Big nickel is to make the opponent a one dimensional pass only offense, then BB can use the little nickel or any exotic subpackages he can dream up.