Sealver Siliga and the improved run defense

[supafly]

i have to admit it looks Siliga have been a great addition to the team and till now he playied well

if he will continue to develop it could become a real big deal

Siliga has been a pleasant surprise, especially with the hopes of a guy like Sopoaga not panning out for anything worth the slightest damn. It's certainly possible that he could become a rotational/backup guy to add depth for 2014, but I'm not as sure as you are about him becoming a "real big deal" with development myself.

I could be wrong, but I think that we will need to address the situation somewhat aggressively in the draft, along with hoping that one of Wilfork/Kelly return again for next season. Anything is obviously possible though, so all we can do is hope for the best. I just have a feeling that he has a lower ceiling than we may be giving credit to at the moment.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Siliga's only played in the last 4 games, though. Also, if you're going to go back all the way to Carolina, you have to include the Broncos game, where Denver racked up almost 300 yards rushing.

I'm not saying that they're definitely not improving. I'm just saying that we don't really know if they are because of the opponents they've faced recently.

Well the right sample matchup is now here. Buffalo has rushed for approx. 200 yards each of their last two games and appears to win when rushing well, lose when not. So if we see the Patriots run D keep the Bills' rush total near 100 (and maybe as important, the APC to under 4)? The larger and more varied sample will now exist to declare the Patriots run D improved. If they falter then "improved" was a premature belief.
Let the games begin....

 

[AzorianPats]

Siliga has been a pleasant surprise, especially with the hopes of a guy like Sopoaga not panning out for anything worth the slightest damn. It's certainly possible that he could become a rotational/backup guy to add depth for 2014, but I'm not as sure as you are about him becoming a "real big deal" with development myself.

I could be wrong, but I think that we will need to address the situation somewhat aggressively in the draft, along with hoping that one of Wilfork/Kelly return again for next season. Anything is obviously possible though, so all we can do is hope for the best. I just have a feeling that he has a lower ceiling than we may be giving credit to at the moment.

Supafly, I think people feel that way because Siliga was a late rd/undrafted FA that before here was bouncing around from team to teams practice squads. The dominant early round pick is always more attractive, but we have struck gold before with those late rd/udfa guys, including more recently Kyle Arrington and Rob Ninkovich. Now I'm not claiming Siliga going to be an all pro NT in this league, but for the time being he has covered up a major hole, and he's been playing good.

I'm also one to believe that a dominant run stuffing NT isn't has important in today's NFL as it was say 5-10 years ago. And this is not trying to take anything away from Vince, he's always played at a high level, and we all want him to make a speedy recovery and come back whipping a$s..... but at the right price. I think teams in this league can get by with just a good run stuffer, with a lower cap hit, and use that big money to improve other areas on the team.

Like I said, nothing against Vince, but the cap hit coming for him next year, you wont see that in the future for a run stuffer.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Supafly, I think people feel that way because Siliga was a late rd/undrafted FA that before here was bouncing around from team to teams practice squads. The dominant early round pick is always more attractive, but we have struck gold before with those late rd/udfa guys, including more recently Kyle Arrington and Rob Ninkovich. Now I'm not claiming Siliga going to be an all pro NT in this league, but for the time being he has covered up a major hole, and he's been playing good.

I'm also one to believe that a dominant run stuffing NT isn't has important in today's NFL as it was say 5-10 years ago. And this is not trying to take anything away from Vince, he's always played at a high level, and we all want him to make a speedy recovery and come back whipping a$s..... but at the right price. I think teams in this league can get by with just a good run stuffer, with a lower cap hit, and use that big money to improve other areas on the team.

Like I said, nothing against Vince, but the cap hit coming for him next year, you wont see that in the future for a run stuffer.

Moving forward, I think we need to look at the position a bit differently. To me, the quality and importance of an interior linemen in measured in 4 ways.

1) Pushing the pocket into the backfield which forces the QB to move and re-route his throws (which disrupts timing of the pass play) and re-routing the running back's angle to the hole (which by forcing him horizontally as much as possible, gives other defensive players to chase down the ball carrier).

2) Consuming blockers that cannot match up with other linemen or either the Mike or the Will LBs. This allows them to flow to the ball and make plays.

3) Playing either gaps and handling the running game without support. Goes back to point 2 which allows LBs to diagnose the play and drop into coverage.

4) Pressuring the QB. Certainly important but not a critical aspect to the position.

The first three is what makes/made VM so important to this defense. While I agree that the team does not need a pure Keith Traylor/Ted Washington-type player, it does need what Siliga did very well vs the Ravens.

 

[shmessy]

I could be wrong, but I think that we will need to address the situation somewhat aggressively in the draft, along with hoping that one of Wilfork/Kelly return again for next season. Anything is obviously possible though, so all we can do is hope for the best. I just have a feeling that he has a lower ceiling than we may be giving credit to at the moment.

In the first 4 Patriot picks, I'd like to see 2 C/G's and 2 DT's.

I'd like to see them develop Dobson/Thompkins/Boyce - - I'm looking forward to seeing what they grow into in their second+ years. Big thing is to somehow keep Edelman.

This is a good young team that could truly thrive if kept together more than other NFL teams. Shore up the two lines and this could remain a dominant squad.

 

[I am party]

I read or saw somewhere that on that 4th and 1 stuff, the tackles baited Flacco into thinking there would be a gap up the middle, and at the last second just as the ball was snapped, Siliga and the other DT (C. Jones?) collapsed inside to close that gap. Matt Pat and BB playing mindgames with Flacco?

Watching All Access, turns out that last second shift was Siliga reading and reacting on his own (26:11 to 26:35):
All Access Presented by GEICO - 12/27/13

:rocker:

 

[supafly]

Watching All Access, turns out that last second shift was Siliga reading and reacting on his own (26:11 to 26:35):
All Access Presented by GEICO - 12/27/13

:rocker:

And of course we saw Siliga do much of the same vs BUF's 4th down attempt this past weekend when he clogged up the inside gap for their QBs sneak attempt by going low.

I think he's made a hell of a difference myself, especially with Sopoaga not working out worth a damn. Getting Vellano out of there on everydown running plays alone improved us. It's possible that Siliga is in the rotation next year, and even competes for a starter's role at times depending on the situations of our other DTs.

 

[livinginthe past]

ProfootballFocus have been impressed by the impact of one Sealver Siliga thus far:

Siliga Controls the Middle

The numerous injuries up front may have paved the way for the Patriots to discover DT Sealver Siliga who has played extremely well in recent weeks. He graded at +3.5 on the day, notching seven stops including a sack. He shed blocks and found the football throughout the game, usually controlling the guards, but he even got the best of Pears at the 10:22 mark of the second quarter. For the season, he’s grading at +6.6 on 221 snaps, with 14 stops in just five games. Siliga has become a huge part of the Patriots defensive line rotation and he’ll be a key player to watch come playoff time.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/12/30/refo-bills-patriots-week-17/

 

[Double TE]

Is it me or do we rarely see him and Sopoaga out there at the same time?

 

[Kontradiction]

Is it me or do we rarely see him and Sopoaga out there at the same time?

No, it's not just you. Siliga is usually out there and Sopoaga is not.

 

[Mack Herron]

No, it's not just you. Siliga is usually out there and Sopoaga is not.

In part because Sopoaga has been inactive.

 

[Double TE]

Inactive? I thought he played pretty well. But what do I know?

They could be the Pats versions of the wild samoans! Play them together. Actually are they both Samoan?

 

[bresna]

Aren't all of you spelling his name wrong here. All through the Pats-Bills game, the announcers were clearly calling him Silinga. There has to be an 'n' in there, doesn't there?

 

[deters]

Inactive? I thought he played pretty well. But what do I know?

They could be the Pats versions of the wild samoans! Play them together. Actually are they both Samoan?

Maybe they are saving that wrinkle for the playoffs.

 

[Deus Irae]

Inactive? I thought he played pretty well. But what do I know?

They could be the Pats versions of the wild samoans! Play them together. Actually are they both Samoan?

Sopoaga had been playing as if he was on roller blades.

 

[Double TE]

I just like the thought of two 300+ guys in the middle. But I guess its tough to take out Chris Jones. Would they consider a 4 - 3 look with Siliga, Sopoaga, Jones and Vellano on the D Line with Chandler Jones, Ninko and Collins as the support LB cast? That would be an interesting look for sure. Yes, I like Collins more than Spikes and Hightower.

 

[ATippett56]

I just like the thought of two 300+ guys in the middle. But I guess its tough to take out Chris Jones. Would they consider a 4 - 3 look with Siliga, Sopoaga, Jones and Vellano on the D Line with Chandler Jones, Ninko and Collins as the support LB cast? That would be an interesting look for sure. Yes, I like Collins more than Spikes and Hightower.

Sopoaga and Vellano are liabilities on the defensive line. The New England Patriots need to select at least one defensive tackle no later than the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, if not another defensive tackle later in the 2014 NFL Draft.

 

[Double TE]

Sopoaga and Vellano are liabilities on the defensive line. The New England Patriots need to select at least one defensive tackle no later than the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, if not another defensive tackle later in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Vince and Kelly will be back next year as will the current cast including Siliga I would guess. I think they'll draft one anyway but probably not early. They will likely take an O Lineman with the 1st round pick and a TE with a 2nd round pick. LB crew is good even if Spikes leaves as Mayo will be back along with Ninko, Jones (elephant), Collins, Hightower and Fletcher.

I thought Vellano played well? Seems to get to the QB more frequently than other DTs I've seen?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Inactive? I thought he played pretty well. But what do I know?

They could be the Pats versions of the wild samoans! Play them together. Actually are they both Samoan?

Probably getting Sopoaga and Siliga confused. For the first week that Siliga was in the line up, I was wondering WTF happened to make Sopoaga not suck at football. Then I realized it was a different guy.

 

[ATippett56]

Vince and Kelly will be back next year as will the current cast including Siliga I would guess. I think they'll draft one anyway but probably not early. They will likely take an O Lineman with the 1st round pick and a TE with a 2nd round pick. LB crew is good even if Spikes leaves as Mayo will be back along with Ninko, Jones (elephant), Collins, Hightower and Fletcher.

I thought Vellano played well? Seems to get to the QB more frequently than other DTs I've seen?

Vince Wilfork is recovering from Achilles Tendon surgery and Tommy Kelly will be 33 years old next season.

Vellano gets tossed around like a rag doll and his snaps have been significantly reduced since Siliga was promoted from the practice squad.

The New England Patriots can select a tight end in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft.