Brandon Deaderick + Ron Brace: December Projection

[Pats726]

Actually, I think Brace's emergence as a starter underlines the major issue of this front 7 - a shortage of complete players. They have players who are good against the run, but suck against the pass (Brace, Spikes, Wilfork) and ones who are (relatively) good against the pass and suck against the run (Pryor, Wright, Guyton, TBC, Warren). This is why guys like Seymour, Vrabel, McGinnest, and Bruschi (the young version) are so missed.

I think you are correct here...TBC is getting a bit better with the runs and I think others are making progress BUT your point well taken. With young players though it MAY take time to develop...I also do not think Warren is that bad against the run.

 

[bucky]

Seymour and maybe Bruschi are the only ones that are missed, IMO, against the pass, because Guyton does as well as Vrabel, I don't see why Ninkovich can't defend the pass like McGinest, and then there's Mayo who can do a Bruschi.

Remember, Bobby Hamilton and Ted Washington = Brace and Wilfork. Ted Johnson = Brandon Spikes--though Spikes might actually be much more effective as a pass rusher.

Obviously you can't put 11 guys out there who are great at everything. But I think you are missing my point. The Pats only have 1 guy - Mayo - who is not a liability in either phase of the game. Vince is fine at what he does, but when you put him out there with Brace, Spikes, and a bunch of other run stoppers, then you have a problem against the pass. On the other hand, when you go with Guyton, Wright, TBC, etc. you are weak against the pass as a team. That's why I'm saying we miss guys like Bruschi, Vrabel, McGinnest, Seymour, even Rodney. These guys were equally good against the pass and the run and that's what makes for a good defensive team.

 

[aluminum seats]

What's a Stanchion?

I like the part of this thread that uses an arrest to make a point about what a high character guy a player is. That's kinda funny.