Hightower in the Super Bowl

[Boomer B]

I've been watching lots of play breakdowns and D. Hightower had an amazing game. We all know he's a great downhill LB who can make big plays getting to the QB or stopping the run, but this game they had Hightower dropping back in zone coverage more then he usually does and he was great. Take a look at this video, he was huge getting to Goff, stopping Gurley, and playing great middle zone coverage.

Hightower needs to be mentioned in the same breath as McGinnest and Bruschi as the best big game Patriot LB's ever.

 

[turkeyneck]

High looked as spry in the SB as I can remember seeing him in a good long while. He started off the year looking like Bill Buckner so this was more than a pleasant surprise, it was a shock.

 

[Patstastic]

A) Tackle on Lynch in SB 49 B) Strip sack of Ryan in SB 51. C) Pass breakups & hurries left and right in SB 53.

It's no coincidence that they are 3-0 in SB's he plays. 0-1 (Including getting torched) in the SB he missed.

 

[UFGatorPat]

Awesome breakdown.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

1. Hightower was almost Superbowl MVP. 2 sacks, 3 QB knockdowns, if he caught that INT...

2. Hightower now has 2 College Championships with Alabama and 3 NFL Superbowl rings.

.

 

[jah]

Now that Hightower has the same number of rings and huge plays that made all 3 possible, he's absolutely on the level of the previous #54.

 

[slam]

Makes me wonder. How many games combined in his college/pro career has Hightower been on a team that was an underdog? 4.5?

 

[holyredeemer]

High looked as spry in the SB as I can remember seeing him in a good long while. He started off the year looking like Bill Buckner so this was more than a pleasant surprise, it was a shock.

That first quarter of they year had some really brutal moments watching him run around. As the season wore on, you could tell they worked him into more box, burst, and power situations as opposed to letting him play in space. He really started to shine at that point.

 

[RobertWeathers]

High said he changed his offseason program. A lot less heavy lifting and a lot more focus on core, functional movement and strengthening smaller muscle groups. He said he is a little leaner. I have no idea if that helped him but what I do know are 4 things...

1) Seems ever since middle of December hes been flying all over the place.
2) He plays like an All-Pro in the Super Bowl.
2) He does look a little thinner
3) He deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Bru, Vrabes, Willie, Roman, etc.

 

[oldrover]

I've been watching lots of play breakdowns and D. Hightower had an amazing game.

https://imgflip.com/gif-maker

 

[Dexter]

Hightower to defence in big games is what Jules is to offense. Just an incredibly clutch player that always shines in big games.

 

[SBLIII]

For some odd reason he looked a lot more explosive than he did all year. He is a monster as an edge defender.

 

[zimmy]

By week 8 I was adamant that this was High's last year in NE. He just looked slow and lacked explosion. I don't know whether he needed to knock the rust off or he was playing within himself but he turned it on big time in the playoffs. As others have said, he looked far more explosive. Alongside Bentley, Roberts and Van Noy, we have a solid LB group now.

 

[upstater1]

By week 8 I was adamant that this was High's last year in NE. He just looked slow and lacked explosion. I don't know whether he needed to knock the rust off or he was playing within himself but he turned it on big time in the playoffs. As others have said, he looked far more explosive. Alongside Bentley, Roberts and Van Noy, we have a solid LB group now.

Need a cover guy, OLB. They need to draft one this year.'

This team has quite a few needs:

1 & 2. TE/WR
3. OLB
4. Safety
5. WR again
6. Maybe a QB

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

They don’t need anyone! 6-10 (wins AFC East). Four blowout playoff wins.

 

[Wheelman]

Nice video! Though I think the dude is a little optimistic about Hightower getting a pick six. McCourty had a pick six chance in the 1st half if Simon didn't deflect Goff's pass at the line of scrimmage.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

1. Hightower was almost Superbowl MVP. 2 sacks, 3 QB knockdowns, if he caught that INT...

2. Hightower now has 2 College Championships with Alabama and 3 NFL Superbowl rings.

.

He’s in the ring biz

 

[sieglo]

He was my pick for MVP before they announced for Edelman.

 

[ausbacker]

High looked as spry in the SB as I can remember seeing him in a good long while. He started off the year looking like Bill Buckner so this was more than a pleasant surprise, it was a shock.

He started off the season looking like he was running in quicksand, fast forward 20 weeks to the Super Bowl and he looked like Usain Bolt. It was an unbelievable turnaround, one the D desperately needed.

 

[Boomer B]

Nice video! Though I think the dude is a little optimistic about Hightower getting a pick six. McCourty had a pick six chance in the 1st half if Simon didn't deflect Goff's pass at the line of scrimmage.

Yup, the pick 6 would definitely have come from McCourty. He had that pass if it wasn’t tipped. First time I can remember ever being pissed our D tipped a pass.