Patriots interested in CBs before the trade deadline

[primetime]

I’ve got to admit that I’m somewhat surprised that Belichick hasn’t taken advantage of a down safety market in 2018. Apparently, he’s good with the current depth at the position.

I think there's a general leaguewide trend away from the safety and towards a "slot player." It's notable that some good safeties were available all summer into the season and that some of the best safeties in the draft like Justin Reid fell to the middle rounds.

 

[Deus Irae]

If you had Collins you could leave Chung on the TE or RB and let Collins play a traditional box safety role.

Why would you want to do that? Chung isn't a shutdown cover guy. If I were looking at Collins, I'd be looking at him more as a future Chung replacement than an augmentation guy. And the problem with that is that he's a free agent after this season.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Our single biggest need at the trade deadline is a coverage linebacker. Speedy running backs are killing us.

 

[farn]

Our single biggest need at the trade deadline is a coverage linebacker. Speedy running backs are killing us.

Indeed. In fairness, though, you could argue almost every team in the league is struggling with that...

 

[supafly]

Indeed. In fairness, though, you could argue almost every team in the league is struggling with that...

Yes, I think this is something that we’ve been susceptible to for quite sometime now. As a matter of fact, the current grouping and use of three and four safety schemes is likely Belichick’s “answer” to the issue, unless I’m reading it incorrectly.

A speedier LB would certainly be welcome, but I don’t think it would necessarily be the cure all that some believe it would be, either. That said, sometimes it comes down to stopping just one play. Any way you look at it, they’re going to need to address it in the draft fairly soon.

 

[Username]

Our single biggest need at the trade deadline is a coverage linebacker. Speedy running backs are killing us.

Non-stationary QB's are killing us...

 

[pats_premi]

Our single biggest need at the trade deadline is a coverage linebacker. Speedy running backs are killing us.

I hesitate to agree with you. Bears probably has some of fastest linebackers and they didn’t do too well against Sony Michele/James White. I don’t know.

 

[maineman209]

Our single biggest need at the trade deadline is a coverage linebacker. Speedy running backs are killing us.

Pats' run-D: 172 att . 798 yds . 4.64 ypa . 3TDs . 114 y/g . 40 1d

against QBs: 24 att . 182 yds . 7.58 ypa . 1TD . 26 y/g . 9 1d

against other*: 148 att . 616 yd . 4.16 ypa . 2TD . 88 y/g . 31 1d

* "other" includes runs by WRs

 

[captain stone]

Pats' run-D: 172 att . 798 yds . 4.64 ypa . 3TDs . 114 y/g . 40 1d

against QBs: 24 att . 182 yds . 7.58 ypa . 1TD . 26 y/g . 9 1d

against other*: 148 att . 616 yd . 4.16 ypa . 2TD . 88 y/g . 31 1d

* "other" includes runs by WRs

All the more reason why we are in absolutely desperate need of a Telvin Smith/Lavonte David LB who can better spy mobile QBs as well as defend the flat.

 

[TomPatriot]

All the more reason why we are in absolutely desperate need of a Telvin Smith/Lavonte David LB who can better spy mobile QBs as well as defend the flat.

Nicholas Morrow. He’s small, more of a big nickel/Money, went to a DIII school, but he’s fast, smart, hungry. Seems like he’s everywhere on the field, plays STs and would be a nice coverage LB.

 

[maineman209]

All the more reason why we are in absolutely desperate need of a Telvin Smith/Lavonte David LB who can better spy mobile QBs as well as defend the flat.

It's the scheme and the defensive playcall that determines what the LB assignments are regarding the QB (versus coverage, for example). I don't see how having different personnel changes that.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Nicholas Morrow. He’s small, more of a big nickel/Money, went to a DIII school, but he’s fast, smart, hungry. Seems like he’s everywhere on the field, plays STs and would be a nice coverage LB.

Grigsby had a 4.51 40 time and a 6.9 3 Cone. Morrow had a 4.52 40 and a 3 Cone > 7.0. We already have that guy and BB does not play him.

 

[goheels22002]

Our single biggest need at the trade deadline is a coverage linebacker. Speedy running backs are killing us.

Big slow quarterbacks are killing the Pats in the running game. Mitch Trubisky: 81 yards rushing, 1 TD, 13.5 yards per carry. Yeesh.

 

[PScottman]

Our single biggest need at the trade deadline is a coverage linebacker. Speedy running backs are killing us.

Might as well ask for a unicorn. Why have even base defenses moved away from LBs on most downs having only 1 or 2 even on the field (unless they're rushing the passer)?

Why is scoring up across the entire league?

Why do we cheer James White making every LB he faces look slow...and not realize it's not only something the Patriots do with such players?

Why is Chung being used vs RBs and DMac on TEs?

Because "coverage LBs" are mostly a myth. There's probably less than ten such players in the game and even less than that worthy against the better TEs and RBs in the game.

 

[maineman209]

Grigsby had a 4.51 40 time and a 6.9 3 Cone. Morrow had a 4.52 40 and a 3 Cone > 7.0. We already have that guy and BB does not play him.

In his rookie season of 2017, Morrow played in all 16 games for the Raiders, with 5 starts ... 552 D-snaps (53%), much of the time at WLB in the 3-4 (Ken Norton/John Pagano as DC). He posted 57 total tackles, 5 TFL, 2 QBH, 4 PDs. He also played 179 ST snaps (avg 11+/game = 2 units, probably coverage).

Coaching regime change to Gruden, and Paul Guenther at DC (Guenther came over from Cinci, where he ran a 4-3).

In 2018, Morrow has played 7 total D-snaps in 6 games, and 111 ST snaps (18.5/game, probably 4 units).

Grigsby has played a total of 34 D-snaps in his 2+ year career - all of them while with the Pats.

 

[TomPatriot]

Grigsby had a 4.51 40 time and a 6.9 3 Cone. Morrow had a 4.52 40 and a 3 Cone > 7.0. We already have that guy and BB does not play him.

You’re right. But Grigsby makes a lot of mistakes. He doesn’t tackle well. He’s poor in coverage. Hopefully Morrow would be better. He looks “football fast” to me.

 

[Tony2046]

All fair points, Tony, but the defense has given up over 1,200 yards and 90+ points in the last two and a half games. Think about that for a second. These are the most recent 10 quarters of football to judge them on, and that’s after giving up 26 and 31 to start with a 1-2 record in the first three games.

And for as much as the pressure has helped them force errant throws at times, they’re still only sacking the QB about 2/100 dropback attempts. Even though we know that it’s not all about sacks, I think we can agree that those numbers aren’t going to cut it.

They’re giving up 25.6 points per game and 4.6 yards per rush. They have given up 415+ yards in 5/7 games this year. Point totals of 20, 31, 26, 24, 40, and 31—aside from the one very good showing at home to Miami. Not good, man. Not good at all.

I disagree that the defense "sucks balls". Stop turning the ball over and giving opposing teams short fields and this defense will be a good complimentary defense.

In the last two and half games the Defense has given up three TD's and one FG on drives that began on or behind the opposing team's 25 yard line.

In the last two and half games the Defense has been forced to defend Five drives that started in NE's territory and all of them resulted in TD's.

In the last two and half games they have defended 18 drives that began on or behind the opposing team's 25 yard line. Results of those 18 drives were:
3 TD's
1 FG
1 Hail Mary attempt
7 Punts
6 Turn overs.


Opposing team's starting field position and results of those drives:

Colts: (2nd half)

1. Indy 25 - Punt
2. NE 35 - TD - (ST's allowed a punt return to the NE 35)
3. Ind 30 - Fumble - ( After a Brady Hogan INT Mccourty forces a fumble)
4. Ind 20 - TD - (After a second Brady Gronk INT )
5. Ind 25 - INT
6. Ind 25 - Turnover on downs
7. Ind 40 - TD (Garbage time)

KC:

1. KC 41 - Field Goal
2. KC 23 - Interception
3. KC 45 - Field Goal
4. KC 25 - Field Goal
5. KC 25 - Interception
6. KC 25 - TD
7. KC 37 - Field Goal
8. NE 29 - TD - ( Brady's ten second fumble)
9. NE 3 - TD - (ST's allows return to NE 3)
10. KC 25 - Punt
11. KC 25 - TD

Bears:

1. CHI 17 - Punt
2. CHI 37 - Field Goal
3. NE 24 - TD - (Patterson's ST Fumble)
4. NE 36 - TD - ( Michel's Fumble)
5. CHI 25 - Punt
6. CHI 25 - Punt
7. CHI 38 - End of Half
8. CHI 42 - TD
9. CHI 25 - Blocked Punt
10. CHI 25 - INT
11. CHI 14 - INT
12. CHI 16 - Punt
13. CHI 37 - TD - (After a Brady or Devlin INT)
14. CHI 20 - Hail Mary Pass to End the Game.



Gamebooks:

https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/57630/NE_Gamebook.pdf
https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/57658/NE_Gamebook.pdf
https://nflcdns.nfl.com/liveupdate/gamecenter/57663/CHI_Gamebook.pdf

 

[Deus Irae]

In the last two and half games the Defense has been forced to defend Five drives that started in NE's territory and all of them resulted in TD's.

Rather than jumping to the defense of the defense, you might want to think about the ramifications of the defense being unable to hold the opponents on even one of those 5 drives. It's not as if either the Colts or Bears are bringing offensive excellence to the table, and the K.C. data is certainly nothing to crow about, after all.

 

[supafly]

I disagree that the defense "sucks balls". Stop turning the ball over and giving opposing teams short fields and this defense will be a good complimentary defense.

I’m not sure that I said that myself (I hope not), but I don’t think they’ve been playing very well. Hopefully, they’ll get a solid game under them on Monday before “Rodgahs” comes to town next weekend.

 

[Tony2046]

Rather than jumping to the defense of the defense, you might want to think about the ramifications of the defense being unable to hold the opponents on even one of those 5 drives. It's not as if either the Colts or Bears are bringing offensive excellence to the table, and the K.C. data is certainly nothing to crow about, after all.

I'll leave my argument there and will wait to see how they perform over the next two games.

I do agree that it's fair to expect the defense to hold the opposing team to a FG or less during at least on of those five drives.