Which Patriots LB will have the best season?

[Kontradiction]

Just to add, Hightower as the Mike is not my preference. My preference is for the team to move him down to DE. It allows him to pin his ears back and do what he does best. But, if they see him staying at LB, I hope it's as a MLB.

 

[Ivan]

Just to add, Hightower as the Mike is not my preference. My preference is for the team to move him down to DE. It allows him to pin his ears back and do what he does best. But, if they see him staying at LB, I hope it's as a MLB.

I have gone back and forth about this because there are pro's and cons to the various alignments but ultimately I come down in favor of Mayo in the middle and Hightower asnd Collins ratating at SAM and WILL depending upon the offense they are facing. I think Mayo is best suited to calling the plays from the middle and i think that Collins should play the SAM when they are facing teams with high production TE's and Hightower when they are facing more of a power run offense.

 

[mmasterkillah]

Collins will have the best season because he makes the most impact plays out of the starters. Definitely looking forward to seeing the corps work together so that they can best fill particular roles depending on the opposition's strategy/alignment.

That should also negate many of the mismatches and help Hightower stay out of trouble.

 

[RayClay]

He never plays a 4-3, he uses the 3-4 exclusively, it may give looks of a 4-3 but the principles are that of a 3-4, Hightower and McClain both played SILB in his scheme.

"Hightower's been in a great program for a great coach (Nick Saban), won a couple of national championships, been the signal-caller for that defense," Belichick said. "He played middle linebacker, inside linebacker off the line for Alabama in their base defense and nickel, but he also played defensive end in their nickel, opposite (Courtney) Upshaw. He rarely came off the field, defensively. "Both players have some versatility we can work with."

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/archive/1632205

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/12524/hybrid-role-suits-tides-hightower-just-fine

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ers-versatility-bring-to-the-patriots-defense

 

[Brady6]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/archive/1632205

http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/12524/hybrid-role-suits-tides-hightower-just-fine

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ers-versatility-bring-to-the-patriots-defense

I think he is best at the SAM LB in a 4-3 or SOLB in a 3-4. I have felt that way since he was drafted, I think he is capable of performing at other positions but he would be best at one of those 2 positions.

 

[supafly]

LB units don't usually change positions very much but Belichick could be looking to do just that and go with gameplan LB units that change the Mike, Sam and Will according to the offense they are facing. it would be unusual but i wouldn't put it past him.

I'm saying that all 3 will likely see the MLB role in TC, due to the fact that Belichick likes to prepare them in different roles for emergency situations/injuries, etc.

I do believe that there is some versatility there, yes--but as you said, it's probably unlikely that we'd see too many changes since the MLB is such as staple position.

 

[reflexblue]

Collins.....i had a dream the other night. in it i saw a player with the number 91 tackling someone. I have NEVER had a dream about the pats or a pats player before. So again i'm going with number #91.

 

[Deus Irae]

Collins will have the best season because he makes the most impact plays out of the starters. Definitely looking forward to seeing the corps work together so that they can best fill particular roles depending on the opposition's strategy/alignment.

That should also negate many of the mismatches and help Hightower stay out of trouble.

Last season, Mayo played in just 6 games, while Collins played in all 16 and had 8 starts. Mayo had more snaps, and Mayo had more sacks and more tackles. Neither player had an interception or forced fumble, and both had 1 fumble recovery. The claim that Collins makes more impact plays is just not correct to this point in his NFL career.

 

[mmasterkillah]

Last season, Mayo played in just 6 games, while Collins played in all 16 and had 8 starts. Mayo had more snaps, and Mayo had more sacks and more tackles. Neither player had an interception or forced fumble, and both had 1 fumble recovery. The claim that Collins makes more impact plays is just not correct to this point in his NFL career.

"Which Patriots LB WILL have the best season?"

It's a projection.

Also, the advantage in snaps for Mayo isn't exactly great support to your claim, is it?
Collins will obviously see more time than he had last year in the upcoming season, and be utilized in a less monotonous role than Mayo, who as always will be relied upon to make the consistent tackles, and not flashy plays.

Mayo played what I thought was by far his best football prior to the injury last season, but his career has shown him to be more of a consistent player than a "big play guy" ala Tedy Bruschi.

If you'd like to criticize me, or treat me stupidly for believing Collins will have more INTs/sacks/passes defensed than Mayo, than go for it, big guy.

 

[Deus Irae]

"Which Patriots LB WILL have the best season?"

It's a projection.

Also, the advantage in snaps for Mayo isn't exactly great support to your claim, is it?
Collins will obviously see more time than he had last year in the upcoming season, and be utilized in a less monotonous role than Mayo, who as always will be relied upon to make the consistent tackles, and not flashy plays.

Mayo played what I thought was by far his best football prior to the injury last season, but his career has shown him to be more of a consistent player than a "big play guy" ala Tedy Bruschi.

If you'd like to criticize me, or treat me stupidly for believing Collins will have more INTs/sacks/passes defensed than Mayo, than go for it, big guy.

As someone who hasn't seen Mayo doing anything post-injury, or Collins doing anything post-rookie, I don't really think the titular question is even close to knowable, and I was looking for decent reasoning in people's posts. Your reasoning didn't make sense, so I pointed that out. I quoted you accurately. Your post was one that made an obviously incorrect/incongruous claim:

Collins will have the best season because he makes the most impact plays out of the starters.

You could just have acknowledged that and made an adjustment. Instead, you decided to bring Bruschi into this:

Bruschi played 13 seasons. Mayo's played 6.
Bruschi 12 Ints, Mayo 3
Bruchi 17 FF, Mayo 8
Bruschi 7 FR, Mayo 6
Bruschi 44 PD, Mayo 18
Bruschi 675 tackles, Mayo 463

So, if you even out the seasons....

Bruschi 12 Ints, Mayo 6.5
Bruschi 17 FF, Mayo 17.3
Bruschi 7 FR, Mayo 13
Bruschi 44 PD, Mayo 39
Bruschi 675 tackles 1003

So, not really a big difference to date, after all, as Mayo's FRs even out the Bruschi INT edge. And that's with Mayo having a huge tackle advantage.


And get back to me when tackling a guy short of the first down isn't an impact play, big guy.

 

[mmasterkillah]

As someone who hasn't seen Mayo doing anything post-injury, or Collins doing anything post-rookie, I don't really think the titular question is even close to knowable
You could just have acknowledged that and made an adjustment. Instead, you decided to bring Bruschi into this:
And get back to me when tackling a guy short of the first down isn't an impact play, big guy.

If the question isn't even close to knowable, than why are you busting my balls?
You really think Mayo will have many more "impact plays" than Collins this season?
Bruschi scored TDs in big games, and pre-stroke was a much different player than Mayo. Mayo is a tackling machine, but his sacks, INTs and FFs are all low. His career high in sacks is 3, and he has 3 career INTS.

A tackle short of a first down is not considered an "impact play" by coach speak.

It's funny how you lack any decency to disagree with class... instead you come off as a know-it-all douchebag. Congrats, sir!

Excited to see your respectful response.

 

[Kontradiction]

A tackle short of a first down is not considered an "impact play" by coach speak.

 

[mmasterkillah]

In scouting, an impact play is not a tackle, regardless of where the tackle is made... unless it's behind the LOS.

 

[Danger Zone]

It's funny how you lack any decency to disagree with class... instead you come off as a know-it-all douchebag. Congrats, sir!

Excited to see your respectful response.

I knew what you meant and I knew you were expressing an opinion in a thread asking for opinions.

I even understand what Deus' Asberger's is locking onto..

But as always I find him extremely distasteful in his utter lack of willingness to show the kind of respect that one adult gives another adult when carrying on a conversation with them.. even if you think they're wrong.

 

[Kontradiction]

In scouting, an impact play is not a tackle, regardless of where the tackle is made... unless it's behind the LOS.

Any tackle that makes a possible 1st down a 3rd or 4th down is an impact play. The offense would then either have to punt, kick a field goal (instead of a touchdown), or go for it with the defense maintaining momentum. That kind of a play impacts a game and is, therefore, an impact play.

 

[mmasterkillah]

Any tackle that makes a possible 1st down a 3rd or 4th down is an impact play. The offense would then either have to punt, kick a field goal (instead of a touchdown), or go for it with the defense maintaining momentum. That kind of a play impacts a game and is, therefore, an impact play.

Obviously, in all practicality, you're correct. But, you have specific definitions for stat tracking when scouting, and I've never heard a scout track how many times a player tackled a guy prior to the line needed for a first down similarly to how they'd track TFLs, Passes defensed, etc.

Making a tackle on the 1 yard line is an impact play in all practicality, but it's not defined or scored as an "impact play" when truly evaluating a players performance.

 

[Joker]

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oh...it ain't no use

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the boost you get from Loostner's

Looooooooooo-stners....The All Weather Breakfast!

 

[Deus Irae]

Any tackle that makes a possible 1st down a 3rd or 4th down is an impact play. The offense would then either have to punt, kick a field goal (instead of a touchdown), or go for it with the defense maintaining momentum. That kind of a play impacts a game and is, therefore, an impact play.

There's a level of real football sense that's missing in almost every poster who brings up impact plays. It's almost become code for "I don't know football. I know fantasy football". No matter how many times you point out things like Arrington's 7 INT season, they just never get it.

 

[Danger Zone]

There's a level of real football sense that's missing in almost every poster who brings up impact plays. It's almost become code for "I don't know football. I know fantasy football". No matter how many times you point out things like Arrington's 7 INT season, they just never get it.

This should have been a PM to Kontra.

It is about as classless a way to end a debate you won as any Ive seen.

 

[Deus Irae]

How cute.... The troll who follows me around nipping at my ankles disliked my post. It's like he's decided to be the Evelyn to my Dave (without the sex).