PFF: Meriweather Patriots worst defender

[PatsChamp88]

Merriweather sucks. But PFF sucks way more!

:rocker::rocker:

 

[memento]

I was psyched when Meriweather fell to us in the first round of 2007. He's been to the pro-bowl the last two seasons, even though he's been in and out of the line up. He had the most deliberate helmet-to-helmet hit this year in Week 6. Right now his trade value outweighs his actual value.

But. He's in his contract year when CBA negotiations are uncertain. He's gotten better at catching interceptions. He's becoming a defensive enforcer, and the coaches are paying special attention to the Safeties unit this off-season.

The Pats won't trade him. We'll be watching him knock people out next Week 1.

 

[sbpatfan]

Tully Banta Cain is the Patriots' best defender.

Source: random ass calculations.

 

[Sciz]

Tully Banta Cain is the Patriots' best defender.

Source: random ass calculations.

I wanna say he was like 6th among 3-4 OLBs in PFF's grading a season ago.

 

[Rob0729]

First, if you want to pass off a PFF as a legitimate source of player evaluation for why you consider Meriweather so bad, then you open the door for criticism of the site. By trying to cut off criticism of the site, it doesn't provide the site with any more credibility.

Second, although I think Meriweather is overrated in a lot of areas especially with Pro Bowl voters, I think he is a decent player who has the ability but lacks the discipline for consistency. He still might pull it together especially with Patricia working with him.

Third, I echo the opinion that you let Meriweather play out his contract and make a decision on him after the season next year. If a team bowls Belichick over with a trade, I wouldn't be upset if they traded him. But I wouldn't actively shop him.

 

[Jackson 2]

This guy has become the whipping boy du jour. IMO he had many more positive plays than negative ones. Is he a Pro Bowl caliber DB? Probably not, but he's not a bum, either.

 

[blackglass3]

How quickly people have forgotten the Rob Stone and Artrell Hawkins.

 

[patsfan-1982]

he may not be good at covering one on one but there are not to many safetys in the NFL there are thats way they play safety and not CB... the one thing that will not show up in any stat sheet is he was the only guy on the pats defense that anyone feared

 

[convertedpatsfan]

This guy has become the whipping boy du jour. IMO he had many more positive plays than negative ones. Is he a Pro Bowl caliber DB? Probably not, but he's not a bum, either.

It's the same problem as Maroney and Watson, the expectations that come with a 1st rounder. Neither were really bad when they were here (though Maroney has gone on to do nothing), but we were hoping for stars with those picks.

Meriweather wasn't as good as last season, but there's no way he's our worst defender. For a borderline Pro Bowler making $650K next season, I don't get all the hate.

 

[The Boston Patriot]

He can't tackle to save his life, adequate coverage skills but he is in love with
the ESPN big hits highlight show it seems. He has poor football skills and is
athletic enough to play the game adequately. He tries to play like Polomalu but
without the tackling skill set. His pro bowl selection is a joke.

 

[JFK]

he may not be good at covering one on one but there are not to many safetys in the NFL there are thats way they play safety and not CB... the one thing that will not show up in any stat sheet is he was the only guy on the pats defense that anyone feared

Don't overrate the guy. Only guy feared? I know he hits hard but that's not the only things that puts fear in teams.

 

[sbpatfan]

I have a question, who will be the new LoMo once Meriweather leaves town? This board always needs some player to **** on.

 

[Triumph]

I have a question, who will be the new LoMo once Meriweather leaves town? This board always needs some player to **** on.

Butler.

Wilhite wont make the roster unless a miracle happens. NE almost traded him to New Orleans for a RB.

 

[letekro]

This is just a guy that people will never like. He's a little too "showy" on the field for the tastes of many patsfans, even though 99% of NFL players react like he does when they make a big hit, and he's not very articulate off of it. I think he is a good "new breed" safety (i.e., can play both run and pass but has a more pass-based skill set) who rarely gets beaten deep. His problem is that he was just big enough in college to be able to dislodge players from the ball and now he hits just as hard, but the players are just that little bit bigger, and they usually hold on to the ball. This is what prevents him from becoming a premier safety.

 

[Urgent]

Meriweather has been a lightning rod since he was drafted.

When he was selected in 2007, I wanted ILB Jon Beason, Paul Posluzny, or David Harris or OLB Anthony Spencer or LaMarr Woodley. Many of us were disappointed in the pick at that time.

Since then, his play has encouraged similar polarity. Some see the big hits and see an intimidating player, an enforcer taking over Rodney Harrison's role. Others see him misreading plays, out of position, whiffing on tackles, taking bad angles, and hitting his own players as often as the ball carrier.

He is clearly a big play player. Sometimes it's the big hit and interception. Sometimes its giving up the long yardage after the catch on third down.

And yet he logged as many snaps as anyone on the defense. How are we to reconcile that with Belichick's desire for discipline in your assignments?

Some of that, I think, is explained by depth, injuries, and situational football. Teams tend to spread out 3-4 defenses. As noted in any evaluation of 2010 snaps, the Pats didn't play in their base 3-4 a lot; they were in the nickel formation quite a bit. In their nickel, they obviously use more pass defenders. In the absence of Bodden and the decline of Butler, the Pats were down two primary secondary members, forcing more safeties into the sub packages. Further, injuries to the other safeties forced Meriweather onto the field more. Sanders had a hamstring injury and missed time. Page missed several games. McGowan went on IR. I don't remember which game -- during one game Meriweather was benched, then trotted back out due to injury.

Impossible to support this, but I believe if Bodden & Page were healthy all season, the secondary would have looked different in sub packages.

Further, I think Meriweather's selection to the Pro Bowl is highly questionable. Maybe it's simply notoriety. I didn't think he was the best safety on his team, let alone at the top of the AFC.

However, I fully agree that it makes perfect sense for the Patriots to keep Meriweather for the 2011 season. He is inexpensive. He is athletic. Maybe a change of coaches will help him.

 

[DarrylStingley]

However, I fully agree that it makes perfect sense for the Patriots to keep Meriweather for the 2011 season. He is inexpensive. He is athletic. Maybe a change of coaches will help him.

I don't see why. The only thing he's good at is getting too much credit. Brandon has had ample opportunity to show that he can contribute. He can't. He takes terrible routes to balls, is constantly out of position and isn't particularly bright. Yeah, he can run fast but so can a lot of guys. I'd rather see the Pats cut the cord with this guy and develop the next man up.

 

[BlueThunder]

Probably made the Pro Bowl because of name non recognition...

 

[BradyFTW!]

So, you own stock in that site?

And, for the record, Meriweather led all safeties in number of snaps. So, no, PFF's interpretation would NOT fit with what happened during the season.

The first sentence has become my reaction, too. Crowell tries so hard in the doomed endeavor of pimping PFF that I have trouble taking anything that he says on any topic seriously anymore.

And yes, if Meriweather was the worst defender, he wouldn't be on the field as much as he is, since safety is a position of strength, depth-wise. Given some of the guys that we had starting due to injury at various points in the season, trying to peg Meriweather as the worst is just stupid.

 

[JackBauer]

The first sentence has become my reaction, too. Crowell tries so hard in the doomed endeavor of pimping PFF that I have trouble taking anything that he says on any topic seriously anymore.

And yes, if Meriweather was the worst defender, he wouldn't be on the field as much as he is, since safety is a position of strength, depth-wise. Given some of the guys that we had starting due to injury at various points in the season, trying to peg Meriweather as the worst is just stupid.

Really. It's such an absurd claim on its face that it should simply be dismissed out of hand. I can't believe people actually fork over money to learn that Stylez G. White is a premier NFL lineman, Kyle Williams was DPoY (good player, but come on), and Brady wasn't even in the running for OPoY.

I'm interested to see if there will be any dramatic change in the quality of safety play now that BB has dispatched his lieutenant to improve the unit.

 

[drew4008]

It's the same problem as Maroney and Watson, the expectations that come with a 1st rounder. Neither were really bad when they were here (though Maroney has gone on to do nothing), but we were hoping for stars with those picks.

I think it's more the expectations of being a starting-caliber DB on a good team. Especially when we're used to Milloy, Rodney, etc. Hell I'd even take Geno Wilson back over this guy.