No one is mentioning these things.......

[convertedpatsfan]

Others have said this in other ways, but Anderson is already playing the snaps -- more than a third of them -- where a pass rush specialist is called for. It's doubtful that doubling his snaps would significantly increase his sack total, since he wouldn't be sent hair-on-fire toward the QB in those snaps. Instead, he would almost surely go from effective specialist to ineffective starter.

As a rookie in Chicago Anderson made a huge splash as a situational sub, tallying 12 sacks. So the next year the Bears installed him as a starter. The result wasn't pretty; he was a liability against the run, and his pash rush suffered. He's never started except as a spot sub since.

I'm happy to have him for his strengths, but Carter & especially Ninkovich seem like more complete players.

This.

For further proof, see the TBC experience as a starter.

Anderson is a specialist and BB is trying to maximize what we get out of him. Putting him out there more often won't guarantee better results.

 

[Sicilian]

Another thing not being mentioned is the play of Solder. He's been excellent for a rookie, a much better run blocker than I thought he'd be. I can only imagine the running game and pass protection will be even better when/if we get Vollmer healthy, and use Solder as a blocking TE.

Agreed. In fact, I think the entire OL is doing a superb job this year, possibly even better than last year. A couple of the sacks in the Jets game were breakdowns where free rushers came in, hard to say if that was a flat-out OL mistake or a creative blitz. The other sacks and pressures came as a result of good Jets coverage. The OL gave Brady tons of time on most snaps.

Light has shown he can still play at an above average level.

Mankins is Mankins.

Connolly has been WAY better than I expected, not just in providing protection and run blocking, but despite transitioning mid game there hasn't been a bad snap exchange yet. The transition was seamless (knock on wood).

Waters might be out best FA pick up of the offseason.

Solder has looked like he belongs from day one. Vollmer healthy and back makes the RT position even better with his experience.

 

[patchick]

Connolly has been WAY better than I expected, not just in providing protection and run blocking, but despite transitioning mid game there hasn't been a bad snap exchange yet. The transition was seamless (knock on wood).

It's really pretty amazing, especially considering that Connolly has next to no game experience as a center. IIRC he was exclusively a tackle in college and had played primarily at guard for the Pats -- Ryan Wendell usually took the 2nd-team center snaps.