DMc = M.I.A. in the first two games

[BradyFTW!]

Good cornerbacks are much harder to find than safeties--that's why they're drafted higher and have much higher franchise numbers. You see lots of cornerbacks converted to safeties after they've lost some of their physical skills, but you rarely see a safety converted to corner. What exactly is your point?

His point is probably exactly what he said: that a lot of teams have an easier time finding capable cornerbacks than safeties. The Patriots are one such example, and there are definitely others across the league. The Ravens, Panthers, Rams and Redskins immediately come to mind.

There's a lot of reasons why that could be the case, but I'd imagine that the biggest one is it's hard to project college prospects to safety in the NFL. Projecting anyone is hard, since over the course of an entire season they may play only 1-2 games against NFL-caliber talent, and in those games they may not ever do what you want them to do for your team. But on top of that, a lot of NFL safeties are college corners, so rather than drafting based on what you see, you're--even more than usual--projecting what you see to what you need them to do, and hoping they can make the transition.

 

[VrabelJr]

A cornerback's skill set is much more quantifiable than a safety's. Being a good safety includes a lot of intangibles, instincts and desire for off the field work watching a ton of video as well.

Some teams are good at plugging anybody in at CB, the Steelers and Ravens come to mind, mostly due to the fact that their front 7 players/play calling are so incredibly good.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

His point is probably exactly what he said: that a lot of teams have an easier time finding capable cornerbacks than safeties. The Patriots are one such example, and there are definitely others across the league. The Ravens, Panthers, Rams and Redskins immediately come to mind.

There's a lot of reasons why that could be the case, but I'd imagine that the biggest one is it's hard to project college prospects to safety in the NFL. Projecting anyone is hard, since over the course of an entire season they may play only 1-2 games against NFL-caliber talent, and in those games they may not ever do what you want them to do for your team. But on top of that, a lot of NFL safeties are college corners, so rather than drafting based on what you see, you're--even more than usual--projecting what you see to what you need them to do, and hoping they can make the transition.

Its because safeties who can hold their own in single-high are rarer than corners who can hold their own in press- or off-man. There's maybe 10 guys in the NFL who cover enough ground to play single high regularly, and another 10 who you can survive with in that role.

 

[JackBauer]

It seems like you do with some of the busts that have rolled through this team.

You were a big Butler and Maroney fan boy.

Haha, I love how you always switch up the players I was allegedly a fan of. What happened to Arrington? Did you figure out you pulled that straight out of your ass? Or did you just decide to (Please be quiet - edited) once you realized he's a pretty good player?

Remember: you compared McCourty to Tebucky Jones. Derp!

 

[Triumph]

Haha, I love how you always switch up the players I was allegedly a fan of. What happened to Arrington? Did you figure out you pulled that straight out of your ass? Or did you just decide to (Please be quiet - edited) once you realized he's a pretty good player?

Remember: you compared McCourty to Tebucky Jones. Derp!

The fact that youve hitched your wagon to Mcourty is basically the kiss of death for him. Your player evaluations and a dollar will buy a pepsi.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Brady6]

In Patriot Reign, Holley talks about a player evaluation meeting at the end of 2002. During the meeting Tom Dimitroff made a comment about the big plays that Lawyer Milloy made during the season, in which he made the Pro Bowl. "I can't think of any" said BB, and asked him to come up with some examples. There weren't any.

I understand that the season has barely started, but for a guy who's supposed to be the leader of the secondary, Devin McCourty has been nearly invisible. Outside of a picking up fumble that bounced out of a pile, he's done nothing. Two games, three tackles, zero impact. Steve Gregory has been more of a presence so far.

The Patriots are currently fourth in the NFL in pass defense allowing 169.5 yards per game; I would have to think Devin McCourty playing all 138 snaps this season contributes to that.

Maybe you’re used to seeing are safeties on ESPN as they’re highlighting are opponents big plays, but actually Devin being MIA is a good thing, it means he is doing his job. In terms of Gregory having more tackles that is expected, McCourty plays more centerfield safety and Gregory spends more time in the box or closer to the line supporting the run.

 

[Brady6]

The fact that youve hitched your wagon to Mcourty is basically the kiss of death for him. Your player evaluations and a dollar will buy a pepsi.

Keep up the good work!

You don’t like McCourty? Could I ask why, he had difficulties in his sophomore season, a season in which there was no offseason because of the lockout, and the team changed its scheme, as well as having guys like James Ihedigbo, Josh Barrett, and Sergio Brown behind him at safety. Other than that McCourty has been an outstanding player for us in my opinion, I feel he is an elite safety and could be a very good cornerback, the one thing McCourty always lacked as a cornerback was a McCourty playing safety, don’t undervalue how much that benefits Talib, Dennard and Arrington.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Good cornerbacks are much harder to find than safeties--that's why they're drafted higher and have much higher franchise numbers. You see lots of cornerbacks converted to safeties after they've lost some of their physical skills, but you rarely see a safety converted to corner. What exactly is your point?

Yes it's reasonable to believe that a top 10 corner is harder to find than a top 10 Safety. Money, draft position and positional changing, as you mentioned, prove that. Yet because CB is the harder spot to fill with top 10 play, that shouldn't discount the importance of a top 10 Safety (if that is what you are suggesting). While McCourty was drafted as a CB, if he can be a top 10 Safety, is a capable fill in at CB in injury situations, can be a good captain of the secondary, and he is this role for the Patriots for the next 5 years then McCourty is a win for the Patriots by any measurement. The fact that he didn't end up our #1 top 10 CB just makes the win not as stark (IMHO).

 

[JackBauer]

The fact that youve hitched your wagon to Mcourty is basically the kiss of death for him. Your player evaluations and a dollar will buy a pepsi.

Keep up the good work!

Eh. I think most reasonable people see you for the raging tard you are. I get it, though: you started hating McCourty really early on and now you have to slowly ease yourself back toward the mean of popular opinion, since you're too dense to simply realize it'd be less embarrassing for you to come out and admit you were wrong.

 

[Froob]

Eh. I think most reasonable people see you for the raging tard you are. I get it, though: you started hating McCourty really early on and now you have to slowly ease yourself back toward the mean of popular opinion, since you're too dense to simply realize it'd be less embarrassing for you to come out and admit you were wrong.

I really don't understand how somebody could root against someone on their favorite team. I made fun of Rasi as much as the next guy but I would have loved nothing more than to see him prove me wrong. Same with Brandon Bolden who I think is very overrated.

 

[shmessy]

The fact that youve hitched your wagon to Mcourty is basically the kiss of death for him. Your player evaluations and a dollar will buy a pepsi.

Keep up the good work!

2013.

Jack Bauer: 3

Triumph: 0

 

[Fencer]

Some teams are good at plugging anybody in at CB, the Steelers and Ravens come to mind, mostly due to the fact that their front 7 players/play calling are so incredibly good.

The Patriots used to be like that, but mainly that was before the rule changes.

 

[Fencer]

I'm trying to stick to the facts here, as I can find them.

In 2010, McCourty was a good corner back. A very solid season for a rookie. The safeties on the roster at the end of 2010 were:

Sergio Brown
Patrick Chung
Brandon Meriweather
Jarrad Page
James Sanders

In 2011, he regressed considerably. The safeties were:

Sergio Brown
Patrick Chung
James Ihedibo
Nate Jones

The safeties were JAGs or worse in 2010, and just about the same in 2011. I don't think you can correlate McCourty's drop-off in 2011 to any change in the caliber of safeties between 2010 and 2011. Pretty bad both years, I'd say.

Meriweather was a Pro Bowler.

He may have been the worst Pro Bowler in the history of Pro Bowls -- still, he did do some things right.

 

[UK_Pat37]

Sometimes not hearing a guys name called is a GOOD thing. He's quietly been very, very solid. This whole secondary has.

 

[Triumph]

2013.

Jack Bauer: 3

Triumph: 0

Whatever you say!

Just keep telling us that Welker has problems catching the ball in 2011.

 

[Triumph]

Eh. I think most reasonable people see you for the raging tard you are. I get it, though: you started hating McCourty really early on and now you have to slowly ease yourself back toward the mean of popular opinion, since you're too dense to simply realize it'd be less embarrassing for you to come out and admit you were wrong.

Unlike the jock sniffing fanboy that you are, I call it the way it is. McCourty is not elite, but mouth breathers like you feel the need to label him as so. Seriously here, McCourty has faced 3 bad QBs thus far. When he begins to make big plays vs QBs like Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning, then you can be pivot man in your big ***********.

Got it?

 

[JackBauer]

The fact that youve hitched your wagon to Mcourty is basically the kiss of death for him. Your player evaluations and a dollar will buy a pepsi.

Keep up the good work!

Unlike the jock sniffing fanboy that you are, I call it the way it is. McCourty is not elite, but mouth breathers like you feel the need to label him as so. Seriously here, McCourty has faced 3 bad QBs thus far. When he begins to make big plays vs QBs like Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning, then you can be pivot man in your big ***********.

Got it?

Devin McCourty wasn't invited to the Pro Bowl, but he received an even bigger honor.

The Patriots safety was among three New England players to be named second-team All-Pros. The others were cornerback Aqib Talib and left guard Logan Mankins.

McCourty stabilized the New England secondary. The Patriots allowed an average of 239 yards per game after allowing 271 last season.

McCourty finished the regular season with an interception and nine passes defensed. According to ProFootballFocus.com player-rating statistics, he was the most productive safety in the NFL this season.

*obligatory PFF sucks but I left it in there anyway disclaimer

Congratulations to McCourty (and Mankins and Talib, of course) for elevating his play this year.

And great job, Triumph, as usual.

 

[shmessy]

*obligatory PFF sucks but I left it in there anyway disclaimer

Congratulations to McCourty (and Mankins and Talib, of course) for elevating his play this year.

And great job, Triumph, as usual.

McCourty had a triumphant year.

 

[manxman2601]

McCourty had a triumphant year.

2x All-pro at two different positions in the space of four years and, presumably, a mentor for Harmon and Ryan. I'd say BB got his first round money's worth with the pick.

 

[Wheelman]

Congrats on the 2nd team all pro McCourty! :singing: