My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis of the first two preseason games

[PushnPencils]

So, not being able to sleep I rewatched preseaon game 1 and 2.

I decided to focus who stood out in a less than desirable way.

Dan Connolly. As many nice things as he does, he has an equal amount of breakdowns. He seems to get overpowered a little too easily.

Nate Solder. He gets suckered by quick inside pass rush moves and tends to lose balance. When a quick strong rusher makes that move on him (on three occasions) Solder automatically loses his stance, stands up and is easily pushed around by the rusher with the lower center of gravity. Dude is a great run blocker though. Right now, he could potentially get Brady killed.

Gary Guyton. Many times seems one step behind the play. Which is surprising considering his speed. But in looking at it, yes he has speed but relatively poor instincts for an LB. He's also not as strong as you'd like a guy in his position to be.

Pat Chung is mediocre at best in pass coverage.

Brandon Meriweather has declined faster than any player I can remember in recent history.

Jermaine Cunningham. No action in game two, but contrasting his play regarding speed, quickness, motor....Eric Moore and Mark Anderson blow him away.

Lee Smith could be a decent player in this league, but Will Yeatman wins the 3rd tight end battle easily.

I'm not sold on all the Jeremy Ross love. Has okay hands but looks real slow and lacks any elusiveness.

Carson Butler needs to get cut....yesterday. The only thing he excels at is whooping it up when another teammate excels on a play that he contributed nothing to.

Those are some observations prior to Meghan Fox showing up in a Pats cheerleaders uniform and asking me if I wanted to have a scrum. I think I may have been asleep at that point.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Nate Solder. He gets suckered by quick inside pass rush moves and tends to lose balance. When a quick strong rusher makes that move on him (on three occasions) Solder automatically loses his stance, stands up and is easily pushed around by the rusher with the lower center of gravity. Dude is a great run blocker though. Right now, he could potentially get Brady killed.

There is actually a great example of this in the 2nd quarter of game 2. On the series near the goal line (ours) and I think it was on the sack play. Solder got beat like he stole something on an inside move, which (as I said) resulted in a sack.

You might notice on the next play though, the guy tried the exact same inside move and Solder stoned him straight up. He is after all a rook, so you can expect some of this, but the above example indicates to me that he can be coached up to an absolute stud OLineman in time. He needs time and game experience, but he is quick on the uptake.

Not gonne disagree with a lot else of what you said. I also totally agree on Yeatman. It's his job to lose at this point.

 

[jah]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

I never understood why we kept Carson Butler on the PS last season while letting Rob Myers go to some other team's PS when it was clear that Myers was far superior.

 

[randomk1]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Definately noticed Ross looking really slow.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

You mean Nate Solder is susceptible to a inside rush move after only his second preseason game? I think that is a analysis that may be remedied after a couple of more starts.

As far as Chung, I agree but have no idea at this point how much he is relying on Merriweather or if he is having trouble in some of the new alignments. I think both could put it together before the season starts with some more practice and a couple of more scrimmage games. Again, not too worried but worth keeping an eye on.

Yeatman and Smith are both good 3rd TE's. I'm glad I'm not the coach and don't have to make those decisions.

As much as I like Cunningham I think a lot of his reps will be outsourced to the new additions this season. I'm sure he is going to see some playing time but not hardly as much as last season. Hopefully he can learn all he can in the process and make a significant contribution next season. < JMO.....

 

[Horace's Ivories]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

is there alot of jeremy ross love? - I am definately not big on him

 

[Patriot Missile]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Nate Solder. Right now, he could potentially get Brady killed.

Let's not confuse Solder with Vladimir Ducasse either. Now there's a player that could get a QB really killed.

 

[patfanken]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

As much as I like Cunningham I think a lot of his reps will be outsourced to the new additions this season. I'm sure he is going to see some playing time but not hardly as much as last season. Hopefully he can learn all he can in the process and make a significant contribution next season. < JMO.....

The way it looks this season. No one on the front 7, with the exception of Mayo is going to get as many snaps as they did last season. And that's a good thing, a VERY good thing.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

You mean Nate Solder is susceptible to a inside rush move after only his second preseason game? I think that is a analysis that may be remedied after a couple of more starts.

As far as Chung, I agree but have no idea at this point how much he is relying on Merriweather or if he is having trouble in some of the new alignments. I think both could put it together before the season starts with some more practice and a couple of more scrimmage games. Again, not too worried but worth keeping an eye on.

Yeatman and Smith are both good 3rd TE's. I'm glad I'm not the coach and don't have to make those decisions.

As much as I like Cunningham I think a lot of his reps will be outsourced to the new additions this season. I'm sure he is going to see some playing time but not hardly as much as last season. Hopefully he can learn all he can in the process and make a significant contribution next season. < JMO.....

Cunnigham played about 50% of the time last season.
I expect that we will see a 43 with one 300lbish DE and one 260ish when we start playing for real, then the 2 260ish guys in sub packages which are half the plays.
So if we rotate 3 guys (Carter, Cunningham, Moore are the 3 IMO) there are enough snaps that if they played equally, they would each play 50% of the snaps. (ie 60 snaps, 2 on the field for 30, 1 on the field for 30 makes 90 total snaps)
I also think right now, they stack up exactly in that order 1 Carter 2 Cunningham 3 Moore, so Carter may get more, Moore may get less, but Cunningham seeing about the same amount of PT as last year is the best guess.
Of course if I am wrong and BB uses a Colt or Tampa type 43 with 2 small DEs then there are even more snaps available.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Cunnigham played about 50% of the time last season.
I expect that we will see a 43 with one 300lbish DE and one 260ish when we start playing for real, then the 2 260ish guys in sub packages which are half the plays.
So if we rotate 3 guys (Carter, Cunningham, Moore are the 3 IMO) there are enough snaps that if they played equally, they would each play 50% of the snaps. (ie 60 snaps, 2 on the field for 30, 1 on the field for 30 makes 90 total snaps)
I also think right now, they stack up exactly in that order 1 Carter 2 Cunningham 3 Moore, so Carter may get more, Moore may get less, but Cunningham seeing about the same amount of PT as last year is the best guess.
Of course if I am wrong and BB uses a Colt or Tampa type 43 with 2 small DEs then there are even more snaps available.

1. Shaun Ellis
1. Carter
3. Anderson
4. Cunningham
5. Moore


Although I see Ellis being used at DT a lot also. He might shift to DT when Wilfork comes off on obvious passing situations, and Anderson will take his spot at LE.


If we're playing 34, then Cunningham will see more time. For example, we might choose to use 34 against certain QB's that get confused by that front. This is gameplan specific though. I doubt Cunningham gets much playing time

 

[Ring 6]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

1. Shaun Ellis
1. Carter
3. Anderson
4. Cunningham
5. Moore


Although I see Ellis being used at DT a lot also. He might shift to DT when Wilfork comes off on obvious passing situations, and Anderson will take his spot at LE.

Well there is a difference between 43 and nickle/dime which we play about half of each.

Ellis IMO is a DE in the base, but some people disagree as we have been using 2 small DEs in practice games.
In sub packages he will surely be a DT or not on the field.
I can't possibly see Anderson being near the field on anything resembling a running down.
I can't imagine how you could possibly think that Mark Anderson has surpassed Cunningham much less Moore.

 

[WhiZa]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Let's not confuse Solder with Vladimir Ducasse either. Now there's a player that could get a QB really killed.

Exactly. Solder had his moments, but Patriots fans standards are sky high atm

 

[jsull87]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Well there is a difference between 43 and nickle/dime which we play about half of each.

Ellis IMO is a DE in the base, but some people disagree as we have been using 2 small DEs in practice games.
In sub packages he will surely be a DT or not on the field.
I can't possibly see Anderson being near the field on anything resembling a running down.
I can't imagine how you could possibly think that Mark Anderson has surpassed Cunningham much less Moore.

I completely agree. I think some people are kind of over eacting RE Cunningham. He was our best all round OLB last yeah in my opinion especially against the run. Anderson comes in and looks quick off the edge and we are already putting him past cunningham. I think we all need to temper ourselves.

Personally i can't see BB not having cunningham, Moore, Carter and ellis at DE and personally think Anderson is #5 of that group.

 

[Don Kipines]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Exactly. Solder had his moments, but Patriots fans standards are sky high atm

I watched the same game and came to exactly the opposite conclusion -- I thought Solder looked fantastic. He was semi-dominant in the run game and he was beating Clayborn pretty badly in pass-pro most of the night. He did give up that one inside rush (to DeKoda Watson I think) but it wasn't like he was physically overmatched -- and as another poster pointed out, he came right back and beat Watson on the same move in the next play. I watched that game and felt like this was a player they could build around. You just don't see that kind of speed and athleticism with guys that size too much.

The Herald this morning is reporting that Solder has been working out at guard. My guess is that he looks good enough that they're trying to find a way to get him on the field, maybe in Connolly's spot. They could get a lot of yards running behind Solder and Vollmer on that side.

 

[mgcolby]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

1. Shaun Ellis
1. Carter
3. Anderson
4. Cunningham
5. Moore


Although I see Ellis being used at DT a lot also. He might shift to DT when Wilfork comes off on obvious passing situations, and Anderson will take his spot at LE.


If we're playing 34, then Cunningham will see more time. For example, we might choose to use 34 against certain QB's that get confused by that front. This is gameplan specific though. I doubt Cunningham gets much playing time

Why would they want to take Baby Sapp off the field on obvious passing situations now that they are in a 43? At a minimum he will demand a double team freeing up someone and if you have both Wilfork and Haynesworth in there then it is pick your poison.

 

[captain stone]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

Why would they want to take Baby Sapp off the field on obvious passing situations now that they are in a 43? At a minimum he will demand a double team freeing up someone and if you have both Wilfork and Haynesworth in there then it is pick your poison.

To whom are you referring as Baby Sapp? Pryor? If you are, then I kinda agree,
in that Pryor's best chance to create a role here is as a pass-rushing DT in a 4-3

 

[Sciz]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

To whom are you referring as Baby Sapp? Pryor? If you are, then I kinda agree,
in that Pryor's best chance to create a role here is as a pass-rushing DT in a 4-3

Baby Sapp is Wilfork. Of course, that was at least 30 pounds ago.

 

[mgcolby]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

To whom are you referring as Baby Sapp? Pryor? If you are, then I kinda agree,
in that Pryor's best chance to create a role here is as a pass-rushing DT in a 4-3

I was referring to Wilfork, his nickname at Miami was Baby Sapp. He was a pass rushing monster in the 43. I don't see Wilfork coming off the field in passing situations like he did in the 34. He will either demand a double team or live in the backfield.

But I do love Pryor, he is unbelievably fast off the ball. There will be a rotation.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

What did BB see in Jermaine Cunningham that he didn't see in Carlos Dunlap?

 

[Sciz]

Re: My Insomnia Driven Video Analysis

What did BB see in Jermaine Cunningham that he didn't see in Carlos Dunlap?

Cunningham more total pressures than Dunlap last season...