Eagles trade DT Isaac Sopoaga to Patriots

[RIpats88]

Yeah but it's also mayo and kelly not being there, not just wilfork.

yeah, but Spikes is a pretty good run-stuffer as well(probably better than mayo at that) and it seems like the backs are just getting 4-6yards each run.

I think sopoaga should help that...the 49ers had a pretty solid run defense...Vellano/Jones while solid against the pass are just too undersized against the run.

once Kelly comes back(and armstead soon?) we should have a solid DT lineup

 

[simpletruth]

Where are you getting the 51 number? Pro-football reference has it at 36...

Are you just going with unassisted or total tackles? I had espn open when I looked it up.

 

[simpletruth]

You think the guy is not good because you look at tackle and sack stats for a 3-4 NT?

:bricks::bricks:

No, because when I have watched him play he does not demand a double team and he is not good at shedding blockers. So once blocked, he is blocked. That is not freeing up anyone unless you think every defender that runs into a blocker and takes that blocker out of the equation is freeing someone else up. I don't look at it that way.

 

[simpletruth]

There's also been tonnes of pleasant, unexpected surprises. To act as if one is more prevalent than the other isn't particularly bright.

Fair enough, maybe I am being a negative nancy on this one. lol

Eh, I just don't have a high opinion of this player. But as I have said two times already, if anyone can get any juice from a used lemon it is BB.

Apparently no one notices that I have said that now three times.

 

[FortressX]

I see the Pats got their WR.
Don't know why everyone is talking D.
Isaac Sopoaga 18 yard reception - YouTube

 

[Triumph]

NFL

Why did SF get rid of Sopoaga? 49ers had the 2nd ranked run D in 2012.

 

[JMC00]

His career averages per year. 27 tackles, .9 sacks, 1.9 run stuffs

Almost on pace this year 10 tackles, 0 sacks, 1 run stuff

Woo hoo... going to the SUPER BOWL NOW....

That is about as BLUE CHIP as you can get, right?

21 tackles
1.5 sacks
2 stuffs
Haloti Ngata, who has played 72% of the Ravens defensive snaps.

You know how many Sopoaga has played for the Eagles this year? 39 percent (3rd most among the Eagles DL).

but lol at trying to use stats to judge a NT.

 

[strngplyr]

Uh, his average is 51 tackles. Also he has had 2.5 pd and about 2.5 run stuffs. The last 4 years being 5 run stuffs.

Anyway, I know the value of a NT is more than just stats, but the really good ones like Vince do actually get more stats and are less "invisible" than this guy. Vince had to be double teamed a lot. Does this guy have to be?

I understand everyone hoping he makes a difference, but there has been tons of misplaced hope before.

The purpose of a 3-4 NT is to hold blocks for the linebackers to make plays. They aren't supposed to get any kind of stats.

Wilfork is a little different because not only is he among the best at his position in recent history, he plays on a team that, for the past 6 seasons, was playing with a big lead the majority of the time. He was allowed to give up some 2-gapping responsibility and make plays.

Sopoaga never had that chance to give up his 2-gap responsibility. Look at how exceptional the pair of linebackers lining up behind him have looked though because he did what he was supposed to do.

I'm not making a case that he's an amazing player, or even a good one, but looking at stats, and then comparing them to one of the best NT's in the game and a future HOFer is absurd.

 

[ausbacker]

Fair enough, maybe I am being a negative nancy on this one. lol

Eh, I just don't have a high opinion of this player. But as I have said two times already, if anyone can get any juice from a used lemon it is BB.

Apparently no one notices that I have said that now three times.

That's fine but many people have pointed out to you that Sopoaga is a very good run stuffer. You can't replace Wilfork but the Patriots needed someone to replace the role. Jones and Vellano, as good as they have been as rookies thrust into the spotlight, are not getting it done in Run D. Sopoaga and a returning Kelly will make a difference on the interior.

The Patriots appear to have found some pass rushing gems this season. That would be great if Wilfork hadn't gone down. Now that he has, the team needed to find a run stuffer. By adding Sopoaga, they have made the type of unsexy move that the team made when they were winning Superbowls.

 

[deters]

With this addition hopefully Kelly and Talib are back to full speed soon and with the bye coming up should be able to get this defense back on track. Now if the offense could get its **** together...

 

[Patjew]

Fair enough, maybe I am being a negative nancy on this one. lol

Eh, I just don't have a high opinion of this player. But as I have said two times already, if anyone can get any juice from a used lemon it is BB.

Apparently no one notices that I have said that now three times.

That's because you're done here. Move along. We do not need your assistance.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

Stats on a DT are useless to evaluate.

They're even sillier when Vince played about 90% of the time which is way higher than most 330 lb. DT/NT types.

No-one is claiming Sopoaga is Vince. At best he's a poor man's Vince. But we had no-one like Vince before this. Now we have someone who can play the role, albeit in a lesser way than Vince.

I guess some people think that if you can't replace a starter with someone just as good you might as well not get anything.

Personally I'm thrilled by this. We won't replace Vince - no one can - but we have filled a massive hole with someone decent. We'll go from Vellano and Jones playing almost full time to Sopoaga and Kelly with Vellano and Jones rotating in. Given that Vince isn't coming back this year, this new 4 man rotation now looks halfway decent.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Vince Wilfork's career averages...

you didn't include forced buttfumbles!

 

[TomPatriot]

No, because when I have watched him play he does not demand a double team and he is not good at shedding blockers. So once blocked, he is blocked. That is not freeing up anyone unless you think every defender that runs into a blocker and takes that blocker out of the equation is freeing someone else up. I don't look at it that way.

He's the only player on the roster who can play 0 tech. He's a more than adequate two gap player with experience who knows his job. And we got him for nothing.

 

[RayClay]

Why would we jettison a 265 lb. pass rush DE because we signed a 330 lb. run stuffing nose tackle?

Sopoago might think he's a rock and throw him at a coconut.

 

[ausbacker]

They're even sillier when Vince played about 90% of the time which is way higher than most 330 lb. DT/NT types.

No-one is claiming Sopoaga is Vince. At best he's a poor man's Vince. But we had no-one like Vince before this. Now we have someone who can play the role, albeit in a lesser way than Vince.

I guess some people think that if you can't replace a starter with someone just as good you might as well not get anything.

Personally I'm thrilled by this. We won't replace Vince - no one can - but we have filled a massive hole with someone decent. We'll go from Vellano and Jones playing almost full time to Sopoaga and Kelly with Vellano and Jones rotating in. Given that Vince isn't coming back this year, this new 4 man rotation now looks halfway decent.

Week 8 DL

[B]
Defensive End     Defensive Tackle[/B]
Chandler Jones    Joe Vellano
Rob Ninkovich     Chris Jones
Jake Bequette     Marcus Forston
Michael Buchanan

Future DL Rotation

[B]Defensive End     Defensive Tackle[/B]
Chandler Jones    Tommy Kelly
Rob Ninkovich     Isaac Sopoaga
Andre Carter      Joe Vellano
Armond Armstead   Chris Jones
Jake Bequette     Marcus Forston
Michael Buchanan

I'm not sure about anyone else but the Future Rotation looks markedly stronger with far better balance than the Week 8 Line Up.

 

[RayClay]

His career averages per year. 27 tackles, .9 sacks, 1.9 run stuffs

Almost on pace this year 10 tackles, 0 sacks, 1 run stuff

Woo hoo... going to the SUPER BOWL NOW....

That is about as BLUE CHIP as you can get, right?

I assume you're new to the game. You don't really judge NTs by statistics.

So don't be disappointed if he doesn't get any interceptions right away either. Vince is a special case.

 

[manxman2601]

Good to we the rounding on the person not drinking the kool-aid has started. What a freakin' website.

 

[Triumph]

The main task for a 3 - 4 NT is to control and plug the A gaps. Once you stop teams from running up the middle of a defense, you force them laterally outside.

It should be obvious after a couple of games whether or not this trade accomplished the goal of repairing the void left by Wilfork.

 

[TomPatriot]

It is possible Sopoaga is done and released in a few days or weeks. Even so, I like the deal. Pats need another real big body vet inside and he came cheap.