Why did we choose Cunningham over Dunlap?

[Sciz]

Be careful asking such questions. I got a thread sh*t-canned for asking the same question.

That's because you question every move that doesn't bring immediate results.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Sacks are by far the dumbest stat around.

I think its DUMB to say that

If you don't think starting QBs get a little bit influenced by star pass rushers lined up in front of him,you are nuts.

If a QB feels there will be pressure,its more likely he will throw early and make mistakes with some throws....maybe not elite QBs who know better but mediocre QBs at the least

Go back and watch film on guys like Bruce Smith and Reggie White and opposing QBs feeling pressure before the ball is even snapped...its something you can see clearly affects passing games.

If you are a team with no good pass rushers the opposing QBs will feel more confident they can find an open man and won't panic ....and usually will find someone.

A late 20's aged Willie McGinest is not walking through that locker room any time soon...we need a McGinest Jr. in 2011

Our defense has suffered for quite a few years because its simply a fact that NO team in the NFL fears our pressure to get to the QB....THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE SOON
...Even on a team coming off a 14-2 season

 

[Ring 6]

Be careful asking such questions. I got a thread sh*t-canned for asking the same question.

The reasons given on this forum are mostly lame; YES sacks do matter and YES BB would have found a way to use him. It is ridiculous to think that BB could not adapt the D to use his abilities.

The real reason has to be character concerns especially given BB's relationship with Meyer. There was probably a lot more going on than the public realizes.

BB isnt going to change his system to adapt to the abilities of a rookie. While doing so may get the rookie some nice stats, it doesnt help the team play better.
Perhaps if BB felt like you, Cunningham would have gotten more sacks.
How you can judge his rookie season by sacks when he played most of his snaps as a true OLB in the base, and was off the field a lot in passing situaitons is beyond me.
Someone said sacks are a stupid stat. I think they meant a players sack total is stupid means to use as a complete evaluation of the player, and if so, he was correct.
Also, BB did not use this draft pick, or any other, in order to find the player who would have the best stats as a rookie, he used it to try to find the player who would contribute the most to the success of the franchise over his career.

 

[Kasmir]

Cunningham also had his own injury problems at both the beginning and end of the season. He also rapidly became our best rush-defense OLB and ended up getting platooned into lots of rush down packages. When he was actually able to just pass rush, he got numerous pressures, made some plays and looked quite promising -- except for his upper body strength, which is right now clearly inadequate. It remains to be seen if a single offseason program can improve Cunningham's strength enough to get him to an acceptable level.

 

[Ring 6]

Our defense has suffered for quite a few years because its simply a fact that NO team in the NFL fears our pressure to get to the QB....THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE SOON
...Even on a team coming off a 14-2 season

I think SUFFERED is the wrong phrase here. I'm sure you are talking about the last 6 years, since we won the SB.
In those 6 years we allowed the 3rd fewest points in the NFL, while winning over 75% of our games,the second most wins, tiedfor 3rd most playoff wins, were 9th in sacks, 4th in takeaways, and lost a total of 28 games including the playoffs in 6 years.

 

[Froob]

Going to have to wait another year before we really start comparing them too much. Hopefully Cunningham makes a big jump from year 1 to year 2 like Chung did. Cunningham could of had like 4-5 more sacks if he could tackle. His only sack was a fumble.

 

[randomk1]

We always do this ****.We never take a chance on a talented player.Who was the last impact OLB/DE we drafted that could provide a pass rush? I honestly don't care for looking this "perfect" OLB that can also drop into coverage,just give me a ******* pass rush.And sure i like having these high character team 1st guys but come playoff time talent wins games.McGinest,Seymour and etc. they were all perfect patriots players but they were also extremely talented.I guess i'm still pissed that we didn't take a shot at Matthews who has blossomed into one of the best defensive players in the league in only his 2nd year ffs..I'm ******* sick and tired of watching Sanchez and other douchebag QB's having all day to throw on us.Packers and Steelers were the best at getting pressure on QB's and that's why they play in the SB.

 

[Don Kipines]

We always do this ****.We never take a chance on a talented player.Who was the last impact OLB/DE we drafted that could provide a pass rush? I honestly don't care for looking this "perfect" OLB that can also drop into coverage,just give me a ******* pass rush.And sure i like having these high character team 1st guys but come playoff time talent wins games.McGinest,Seymour and etc. they were all perfect patriots players but they were also extremely talented.I guess i'm still pissed that we didn't take a shot at Matthews who has blossomed into one of the best defensive players in the league in only his 2nd year ffs..I'm ******* sick and tired of watching Sanchez and other douchebag QB's having all day to throw on us.Packers and Steelers were the best at getting pressure on QB's and that's why they play in the SB.

The Patriots absolutely take fliers on talented guys with character concerns. Aaron Hernandez and Brandon Meriweather come to mind. They just haven't picked very many outside linebackers. The hit rate in general in the NFL for draft picks after the first round starts at about 35% and decreases with every round... which means that you normally have to take multiple players at a position before you hit on one. The Pats in recent years have taken Justin Rogers, Jeremy Mincey, Shawn Crable, and Cunningham, and out of all of them, Cunningham is the only fair bet to be a long-term contributor in the NFL.

In the Super Bowl years the Pats generated plenty of pressure, but it had a lot to do with having a big, disruptive DL and a good secondary. If they get themselves even a small upgrade at 3-4 end and another athletic prospect like Cunningham, I bet we'll see a much improved defense without a prototypical Demarcus Ware-type pass-rusher.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Better scheme fit. Where Dunlap was an elephant prospect, Cunningham is seen as a legit option to drop into coverage in more of a true OLB role. Oh yeah, and Dunlap had big character red flags.

Also, a "Cunningham" is now when you get to the QB but fail to tackle him. If Cunningham takes out the "Cunninghams," he has 8 sacks or so. It bodes well for the future as long as he learns how to wrap up the QB.

What's it called when the QB escapes a sack by facemasking him right in front of the umpire?

 

[Rob0729]

We always do this ****.We never take a chance on a talented player.Who was the last impact OLB/DE we drafted that could provide a pass rush? I honestly don't care for looking this "perfect" OLB that can also drop into coverage,just give me a ******* pass rush.And sure i like having these high character team 1st guys but come playoff time talent wins games.McGinest,Seymour and etc. they were all perfect patriots players but they were also extremely talented.I guess i'm still pissed that we didn't take a shot at Matthews who has blossomed into one of the best defensive players in the league in only his 2nd year ffs..I'm ******* sick and tired of watching Sanchez and other douchebag QB's having all day to throw on us.Packers and Steelers were the best at getting pressure on QB's and that's why they play in the SB.

People need to get over the Clay Matthews thing. He went as low as he did because there were a lot of quetion marks against him. He wasn't this slam dunk player. Twenty-five other teams passed on him including teams that ended up taking lesser players who play the same position. Seahawks too Adam Curry, Redskins took Brian Orakpo, Texans took Brian Cushing, and the Chargers took Larry English all before Matthews was selected. I think those teams should be kicking themselves far more than the Patriots since they all drafted lesser players for the same position.

As for why the Steelers and Packers got the the Super Bowl, you are over simplifying why they got there. I don't think the Steelers would have made the Super Bowl if the Pats had beaten the Jets. The Packers won the Super Bowl because they were the most rounded team in the playoffs. Matthews other than a strip fumble on Mendenhall was not all that noticable in the Super Bowl, but Aaron Rodgers was very much a key player. The Steelers' defense got very beatable the last two years when Troy Polamalu went down and he is a safety, not a pass rushing DE or OLB.

 

[Tasco]

What's it called when the QB escapes a sack by facemasking him right in front of the umpire?

That would be a "Sanchmask"...

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't think the Steelers would have made the Super Bowl if the Pats had beaten the Jets.

I've thought about this. Logic says that the Jets beat the Pats and the Steelers beat the NYJ therefore Pitt is better than NE. The problem is that the NFL is more random than logical. I'd still like to think that NE is a better team than Pitt but i'm just not sure anymore. I look at how Pitt got to the SB. Their offense, defense and special teams were erratic. However, they made the plays when they had to and were confident in their ability to do so. Simply put, my point is aside from talent and a good game plan having confidence that you will overcome adversity is what it takes to make it to the SB.

The Packers won the Super Bowl because they were the most rounded team in the playoffs. Matthews other than a strip fumble on Mendenhall was not all that noticable in the Super Bowl, but Aaron Rodgers was very much a key player. The Steelers' defense got very beatable the last two years when Troy Polamalu went down and he is a safety, not a pass rushing DE or OLB.

Agreed, Rob. I also think that the Pack won the SB because they were the most confident team in the playoffs. They have even said that almost pulling out the NE game w/ Flynn was a HUGE emotional boost. 2007 G'ints say the something similar.

So as this all relates to the 2010 Pats, apart from the losses on the DL, lack of a deep threat and a OL that played poorly, in the end the Pats confidence was fragile and when things didn't go their way, they cracked a little bit.