FORSBERG: Vollmer to Step in for Light?

There have been a handful of occasions when New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has been quick to point out how impressed he is with the accelerated development of rookie offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer.

Until this past week, though, most of Vollmer’s significant reps have come in practices and preseason games, when the most anonymous players can perform like superstars. Now with the health of starting left tackle Matt Light in question, Vollmer must back up Belichick’s praises because it looks like the rookie will earn his first career start Sunday against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium.

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“You always prepare for the worst-case scenario,” said the 6-foot-8, 315-pound Vollmer. “It’s the same plays you run in practice, so try not to let it affect you.”

Over the first four games, when the Pats went to an overloaded line, moving Light to the right side as an extra tight end, Vollmer had been sent in for a few consecutive snaps at left tackle.

“That definitely helped,” Vollmer said. “It’s all about experience, getting used to the speed.”

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Vollmer was pressed into duty in Denver, when center Dan Koppen bumped into Light's right leg on the first play of the fourth quarter. But Vollmer had seen some previous action when the Patriots used Light as a tight end in certain formations, and Patriots coach Bill Belichick has liked what he's seen so far from his tackle out of the University of Houston.

"(He's) an athletic kid, a real big frame, tall, long arms, strong," Belichick said. "And he's done a real good job for us on both the left side and the right side. ... He's probably a lot further along than maybe what we thought he would be when he first got here."

Vollmer said he hadn't thought about the pressure that comes with having to protect Tom Brady's blind side.

"You just have to do your job and do the best you can - it doesn't matter who's behind me," he said.

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jmt57 said:

Ignore him, he's a troll pretending to be a Patriots fan. Ask yourself this: have you ever in your entire life heard any New England fan refer to the Pats as the Patsies? Even once, after an interception, loss, whatever?

Now ask yourself, as a point of reference: how many times have you heard or read fans of other teams refer to the Pats as Patsies?



Here's an analogy: how often have you heard somebody outside of New England refer to Boston as Beantown? Now how many times have you heard somebody that is actually from the Boston area refer to the city as Beantown?

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jmt57 said:

Ignore him, he's a troll pretending to be a Patriots fan. Ask yourself this: have you ever in your entire life heard any New England fan refer to the Pats as the Patsies?

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aeg said:

According to the gamebook, the results were not really that bad: They had one rushing play that gained less than 3 yards (a draw to Kevin faulk on 3rd down -- we'd never do that if Light was in the game ). Thanks to the Broncos stupid 4th down penalty, the drive lasted until there were two incomplete passes ... maybe they should have kept running!

http://library.kraftsportsgroup.com/20091011_gamebook.pdf

2-10-NE 15 (15:00) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle to W.Welker to NE 26 for 11 yards (D.Williams). NE-M.Light was injured during the play.
1-10-NE 26 (14:35) (Shotgun) K.Faulk left guard to NE 30 for 4 yards (D.Williams).
2-6-NE 30 (13:59) S.Morris right tackle to NE 33 for 3 yards (V.Holliday).
3-3-NE 33 (13:13) (Shotgun) K.Faulk left tackle to NE 34 for 1 yard (R.Ayers).
4-2-NE 34 (12:33) PENALTY on DEN-R.Quinn, Neutral Zone Infraction, 5 yards, enforced at NE 34 - No Play.
1-10-NE 39 (12:20) S.Morris up the middle to NE 45 for 6 yards (K.Peterson).
2-4-NE 45 (11:46) S.Morris left guard to 50 for 5 yards (W.Woodyard).
1-10-50 (11:07) S.Morris up the middle to DEN 47 for 3 yards (B.Dawkins).
2-7-DEN 47 (10:25) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete deep middle to M.Matthews (B.Dawkins).
Timeout #1 by NE at 10:17.
3-7-DEN 47 (10:17) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass incomplete short right to W.Welker (C.Bailey).
4-7-DEN 47 (10:10) C.Hanson punts 45 yards to DEN 2, Center-J.Ingram, downed by NE-M.Slater.

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klinefan said:

In the denver game they were being the patsies again, so I'll call them that.

I do scold the team a lot...I had my hopes up for this year and they're making me feel foolish and disappointed. I don't like that.

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Triumph said:

I have a funny feeling that Vollmer is going to take Lights job ala Brady/Bledsoe.

Vollmer supposedly has a mean streak like Mankins and very quick feet. Lights a good player, but at times a liability.

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