Patriots secondary vs. Bengals: Who do you start?

[ahmed]

Last time we had a couple rookies in the backfield, things worked out well if memory serves me right though Butler is not a rookie but close. Baptism by fire is good... sink or swim. Better to get the growing pains out of the way early.

 

[condon84]

Our CBs stay left or right no matter the matchup, but ideally, I think McCourty matches up better with Owens and Butler with Chad. McCourty is a bigger more physical CB while Butler is a better cover corner and has shown pretty good speed, quickness and change of direction. It'll be interesting to see what the Bengals do because they'll dictate where their receivers will be lined up. Also note that Wilhite (who'll be our nickel) will be on Jordan Shipley who's had a pretty good camp and who the Bengals are really high on.

 

[upstater1]

TO is washed up.

 

[ahmed]

TO is washed up.

He looked pretty good in the off season; better than Chad actually. His stats last season were nowhere near as bad every people make them out to be, especially considering his team.

 

[Sicilian]

Not gonna happen......you're changing the whole defense.

1.The pats aren't going to flip their cb's for Ocho and T.O.Butler is at RCB and McCourty at LCB

2.Meriweather will play single high safety.In cover 2,it will be meriweather and sanders.

3.No big nickle unless we can stop the run.Cinci is a run first team with Benson at RB.They will run him until we prove that we can stop him.That means "big".....linebackers,not safeties.The big nickle gets you better coverage in the middle against seam routes by Te's.Why would you take out a linebacker,if cinci is running well with Benson?

4.Cinci is what I call a "straight-up team"...the most NFC-like team in the AFC(think GB or NYG).
Their pre-game plan is just about it,Lewis isn't famous for his in-game adjustments(see playoffs against NYJ).Ergo......don't run around trying exotic things....play them "straight-up".Stop their run...then stop their run.Sacks aren't important against Palmer,just make him throw before he's ready...he will get antsy.This is a good team to play field position against....they seem to lose "heart",when their game plan starts going south.

That's the way I see it.

All good points. I did say that on running downs I'd leave it in a base 3-4, so we wouldn't have the 3rd safety. But if they're running a 3rd WR out there, I'd rather have the 5th DB so we can play man on all three, while still having flexibility with the deep safeties. I basically want both of our young corners to have support over the top for when they make inevitable young mistakes.

I chose the 3rd safety rather than corner for many of the reasons you specified. Cinci can run and run effectively, so if I'm going to add an extra DB, I want him to be a good tackler.

 

[JoeShmoe]

I just hope we can get them off the field and not allow 9 minute drives..

 

[N.Eman]

Screw it, they need to start sometime. Throw them into the fire against aging superstar receivers and a washed up Carson Palmer.

I would hold that thought until (IF) we got a comofortable lead. But they do need to be tested early and often , hopefully they come around quick! I hope i'm more nervous than them.

 

[Synovia]

Probably because of the well known names on offense many think of the Bengals as an offensive powerhouse powered by their passing game, but they're strength is just the opposite, defense and the running game.

The Bengals ranked just 22nd in points scored and 24th in yardage last year; on the other hand their defense ranked 6th and 4th in those categories. On offense they ranked 26th in passing yardage but were 9th in rushing..

And those stats don't tell you anything. Points scored is just as much a measure of the field position your defense puts you in as the potency of your offense. They're pretty much useless metrics.

Football Outsiders says:

Defense: -3%. Perfectly Average.
Running Game: 1% Perfectly Average.

Passing Game: +20%. Very good.