SEA_Pat
Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2007
- Messages
- 1,223
- Reaction score
- 1,496
I've been completely useless at work all week, and can't stop going to different forums, sports shows, highlights, that incredible SoundFX show...I'm like a junkie, I can't stop getting another fix. So I thought if maybe I got it out in a post it would go away for a while and I wouldn't go bankrupt.
Linebackers
A hallmark of this team whenever it's been good over the years has been a solid to spectacular linebacking corps. We've always concentrated our defensive philosophy on guys on the line who occupy blockers to free up our backers to make plays, and boy, we've had some great ones over the years. The Tippett-McGrew-Nelson-Blackmon unit was my favourite followed by McGinest-Vrabel-Bruschi-Phifer. Then Hightower-Collins-Mayo as the next great unit, but suddenly Jamie and Mayo were gone and Roberts, Van Noy and McLellin were in.
Hightower has been completely worthy of the number 54. This game, like the Seattle game, proved him to be the heart and soul of the defense and the man who will come up with the big play. He played hurt all year, and you can just see how important he is as a leader from the in-game video. At the very least he'll be franchised, but if you look at Patriot history, team leaders like High don't leave. He'll be priority number one in the off-season.
Van Noy and McLellin have played well, and again it looks like Bill saw what great athleticism both had and knew he could use them in rush and cover. They've played well beyond what I had envisioned and I'm happy we have them both next year. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Van Noy extended.
Roberts has been a great surprise and just what we needed as a complement to Van Noy and McLellin. The Patriots have always had a hammer - a Steve Nelson, a Ted Johnson, a Sam Hunt. Guys who aren't just good against the run, they punish backs and make them ineffective over time and blow up plays that result in turnovers.
This unit held up after some problems dealing with Atlanta's speed. But every team's LBs had problems dealing with that. They stiffened on the outside in the second half and Atlanta stopped running, resulting in those crucial plays that prevented field goals on two drives. I think we're in great shape ONCE we sign High. I'd guess they'll spend a 4th round pick on one in this year's draft unless someone they really like falls to them.
Defensive Line
When we look at the great teams of the past again, the DL has always been a strength and we've always invested a lot of our best draft capital in the fat guys. Sugar Bear Hamilton and Julius Adams manned the DL for years in the old 3-4 teams of the 70's, and were solid but not All-Pro guys. Once they departed, there's a long stretch of blown draft picks and JAGs until finally we chose Richard Seymour, to the dismay of many hoping for the immortal David Terrell. Looking at the dominant defenses of the early dynasty, it's remarkable to note that Seymour played with Bobby Hamilton and Anthony Pleasant, serviceable guys but nothing special. Ty Warren joined as a rookie in 2004 I think, with Mount Washington who for that year was just like inserting a giant plug in the middle of the field that other teams simply would have to run around somehow. Then Big Vince joined in 2005 and became the rock at the center of the defense for the next decade. During that run, our DL was one of our major strengths, and I think we underrate just how good Seymour was as the anchor of those lines.
So we've always had the big man in the middle who clogs it up and prevents the run and pushes the pocket backwards. Our DEs are primarily there to set the edge and keep contain, hence we don't tend to get guys with gaudy sack stats. The one who did surprisingly got traded because he wasn't as good at setting the edge. The DTs tend to be of two types, big fat dudes and taller penetrating type guys.
Alan Branch was a freakin' monster this year, and one of the most unsung of the heroes. He consistently clogged the middle, pushed the pocket to get QBs off their spot, occupied two blockers and came up with huge plays like recovering the fumble. He's an upcoming free agent, and getting on a bit, but whatever it is, he's been incredibly valuable to this defense. I hope they work out a deal so he stays, we lost a really good cog last year in Akiem Hicks, and I'd hate to see Branch go. He's been far better than we could have hoped for. But I expect he'll get better offers from other teams than he will from us.
Trey Flowers - wow. This kid IS a star, people just don't know it yet. I expect him to get extended because when BB knows he's got special young talent, he locks them up long-term. Flowers was all over the place in the big game and made several crucial plays. He's always around the ball and is able to be effective rushing inside or outside. He is good at stopping the run. His nickname is "Technique", and he's at the beginning of his career. This kid is heading towards a long and productive stay here in my opinion.
Malcom Brown and Vincent Valentine look like solid players who could have long careers anchoring the interior of the defense. If we let Branch go though, we'll still need some more beef in there. I'd expect to sign a veteran rather than spend another high draft pick on DT.
Nink has been a classic Patriot lunchpail guy, another one with a nose for the ball and the big play, tough as nails, smart. We got a lot of mileage out of this dude because he's so versatile and such an iron man. But it's finally starting to affect his play a bit as he seemed to wear down and lost the edge a couple of times for big plays. As he's signed through next year, I see that being his last. Remains a valuable rotation player on the edge.
Jabaal Sheard remains a guy I just don't know about. Sometimes he flashes and you see his explosiveness and impact, other times he seems to disappear. It may be that he's doing his job within the scheme, and he's certainly in the regular rotation after being spanked for being naughty earlier this year. Will they want him back? I have no idea.
Chris Long played solidly for us, and it will be interesting to see what he wants to do. I wouldn't even be surprised to see him come back at a similar discount simply because he REALLY seemed to love playing on a winner after all those years on crappy Rams teams.
So we're looking VERY thin at DE. Grissom doesn't look to be a full-time player, two guys may leave, and the other is heading towards the twilight of his career and contract. I'm expecting us to expend our biggest chess piece in the draft on this.
I'll continue this at another point, think I at least got some of it out of my system.
Linebackers
A hallmark of this team whenever it's been good over the years has been a solid to spectacular linebacking corps. We've always concentrated our defensive philosophy on guys on the line who occupy blockers to free up our backers to make plays, and boy, we've had some great ones over the years. The Tippett-McGrew-Nelson-Blackmon unit was my favourite followed by McGinest-Vrabel-Bruschi-Phifer. Then Hightower-Collins-Mayo as the next great unit, but suddenly Jamie and Mayo were gone and Roberts, Van Noy and McLellin were in.
Hightower has been completely worthy of the number 54. This game, like the Seattle game, proved him to be the heart and soul of the defense and the man who will come up with the big play. He played hurt all year, and you can just see how important he is as a leader from the in-game video. At the very least he'll be franchised, but if you look at Patriot history, team leaders like High don't leave. He'll be priority number one in the off-season.
Van Noy and McLellin have played well, and again it looks like Bill saw what great athleticism both had and knew he could use them in rush and cover. They've played well beyond what I had envisioned and I'm happy we have them both next year. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Van Noy extended.
Roberts has been a great surprise and just what we needed as a complement to Van Noy and McLellin. The Patriots have always had a hammer - a Steve Nelson, a Ted Johnson, a Sam Hunt. Guys who aren't just good against the run, they punish backs and make them ineffective over time and blow up plays that result in turnovers.
This unit held up after some problems dealing with Atlanta's speed. But every team's LBs had problems dealing with that. They stiffened on the outside in the second half and Atlanta stopped running, resulting in those crucial plays that prevented field goals on two drives. I think we're in great shape ONCE we sign High. I'd guess they'll spend a 4th round pick on one in this year's draft unless someone they really like falls to them.
Defensive Line
When we look at the great teams of the past again, the DL has always been a strength and we've always invested a lot of our best draft capital in the fat guys. Sugar Bear Hamilton and Julius Adams manned the DL for years in the old 3-4 teams of the 70's, and were solid but not All-Pro guys. Once they departed, there's a long stretch of blown draft picks and JAGs until finally we chose Richard Seymour, to the dismay of many hoping for the immortal David Terrell. Looking at the dominant defenses of the early dynasty, it's remarkable to note that Seymour played with Bobby Hamilton and Anthony Pleasant, serviceable guys but nothing special. Ty Warren joined as a rookie in 2004 I think, with Mount Washington who for that year was just like inserting a giant plug in the middle of the field that other teams simply would have to run around somehow. Then Big Vince joined in 2005 and became the rock at the center of the defense for the next decade. During that run, our DL was one of our major strengths, and I think we underrate just how good Seymour was as the anchor of those lines.
So we've always had the big man in the middle who clogs it up and prevents the run and pushes the pocket backwards. Our DEs are primarily there to set the edge and keep contain, hence we don't tend to get guys with gaudy sack stats. The one who did surprisingly got traded because he wasn't as good at setting the edge. The DTs tend to be of two types, big fat dudes and taller penetrating type guys.
Alan Branch was a freakin' monster this year, and one of the most unsung of the heroes. He consistently clogged the middle, pushed the pocket to get QBs off their spot, occupied two blockers and came up with huge plays like recovering the fumble. He's an upcoming free agent, and getting on a bit, but whatever it is, he's been incredibly valuable to this defense. I hope they work out a deal so he stays, we lost a really good cog last year in Akiem Hicks, and I'd hate to see Branch go. He's been far better than we could have hoped for. But I expect he'll get better offers from other teams than he will from us.
Trey Flowers - wow. This kid IS a star, people just don't know it yet. I expect him to get extended because when BB knows he's got special young talent, he locks them up long-term. Flowers was all over the place in the big game and made several crucial plays. He's always around the ball and is able to be effective rushing inside or outside. He is good at stopping the run. His nickname is "Technique", and he's at the beginning of his career. This kid is heading towards a long and productive stay here in my opinion.
Malcom Brown and Vincent Valentine look like solid players who could have long careers anchoring the interior of the defense. If we let Branch go though, we'll still need some more beef in there. I'd expect to sign a veteran rather than spend another high draft pick on DT.
Nink has been a classic Patriot lunchpail guy, another one with a nose for the ball and the big play, tough as nails, smart. We got a lot of mileage out of this dude because he's so versatile and such an iron man. But it's finally starting to affect his play a bit as he seemed to wear down and lost the edge a couple of times for big plays. As he's signed through next year, I see that being his last. Remains a valuable rotation player on the edge.
Jabaal Sheard remains a guy I just don't know about. Sometimes he flashes and you see his explosiveness and impact, other times he seems to disappear. It may be that he's doing his job within the scheme, and he's certainly in the regular rotation after being spanked for being naughty earlier this year. Will they want him back? I have no idea.
Chris Long played solidly for us, and it will be interesting to see what he wants to do. I wouldn't even be surprised to see him come back at a similar discount simply because he REALLY seemed to love playing on a winner after all those years on crappy Rams teams.
So we're looking VERY thin at DE. Grissom doesn't look to be a full-time player, two guys may leave, and the other is heading towards the twilight of his career and contract. I'm expecting us to expend our biggest chess piece in the draft on this.
I'll continue this at another point, think I at least got some of it out of my system.
