Seau's loss big hit to run defense

[pats1]

Some available, retired or not, ILBs:

Sam Cowart (6'2", 242)
Roman Phifer (6'2", 248)
Jamie Sharper (6'3", 239)
Michael Barrow (6'2", 245)
Ronald McKinnon (6'0", 246)
Earl Holmes (6'2", 242)
Jay Foreman (6'1", 240)
Dat Nguyen (5'11", 238)
Kevin Lewis (6'1", 235)
Trev Faulk (6'3", 240)
Orlando Ruff (6'3", 253)
Mike Maslowski (6'2", 243)
Courtney Watson (6'1", 246)
Zeke Moreno (6'2", 235)
Jamie Duncan (6'1", 238)

 

[italia44]

Please people!!!!!
You can't move 3 people......
BB want's to stay in a base 3-4 defense,
that means Vrabel inside with Teddy.

Colvin can only play OLB,TBC is his back-up.

IMO,TBC is mediocre,at best.He's a less-athletic version of Colvin.

We need an ILB,someone who can play the run.....TBC can't do it.

I think they'll try Don Davis in this spot and try to keep Vrabel on the outside.

The other problem with this is there is no SS to bring into the box with Harrison out,although I saw good things from Sanders last nite.

Remember,we must have an ILB with enough speed to cover the outside zone.Teddy,Vrabel or TBC can't do this.TBC will never be a starter in this league.....I hope Seau comes back next year,I thought he played really well,and brought a lot of energy to the ILB position.

 

[lobster]

Seau had the tougher side of the field against the run behind Warren and Wilfork, and he was also skilled enough to assist in coverage. After he went out that's where the Bears focused their running game with considerable success. I had hoped the Pat's would keep Seau on the roster so he could play in the playoff's.

 

[ilduce06410]

What about LB #5?

Move Vrabel inside and start TBC on the outside. I think the Pats will be OK. I would be more worried about the pass rush and coverage skills. I think Vrabel is a fine subsitute for Seau, its the drop-off from Vrabel to TBC that should be a concern.

TBC seems to be an OK pass rusher. from what i've seen he does not appear to be lethal against the run, like vrabel. let's say as a starting 4 they're ok.
a. we'll see a lot more 4-3 because now, the DL is much stronger and deeper than the LB corps.
b. who IS LB #5? woods? izzo? alexander? crazy idea: i've read roman phifer is still in shape, working out in southern california. there may be a few other "old heads" out there, i dunno who.
c. junior was a real find. fiery, still quick, still scary, still agressive. still hollering at 37. he might have been more of a cheerleader than bruschi out there.
d. his arm must be really messed up.
e. don't be surprised if romeo gives up a good player here in exchange for a high draft pick.

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: What about LB #5?

e. don't be surprised if romeo gives up a good player here in exchange for a high draft pick.

Trading deadline has long passed, this isn't an option.

 

[Brownfan80]

Watching the game yesterday, I had the distinct impression that our run D was doing it's usual excellent job up to the point of the Seau injury, and after the injury it was giving up a lot of yards on the ground. I did some analysis to test this subjective impression, and the stats dramatically bear it out:

Run Defense V Bears
With Junior:
Att Yds Avg Long TD
12 34 2.8 14 0

After his injury:
Att Yds Avg Long TD
24 119 5.0 17 1

The Bears averaged almost twice the yards per carry after Junior went down! This does not bode well for the rest of the season and of course, the postseason. Coming into yesterday's game we were allowing a stingy 3.3 yards per carry - amongst the best in the league - with Seau yesterday we improved on that, but without him we allowed 5.0 ypc which if it were for the whole season is the same as New Orleans 31st rank run defense.

This is scary, folks, especially considering who we have backing him up. Admittedly the sample size is small, but the pre- and post-injury stats are so dramatically different I think they are nonetheless significant. We'll see how this plays out in coming weeks, but right now I think we will look back on this injury as a huge setback in our bid for #4.

I think the jump in rushing after Seau went down is misleading. You have to take into account that the switch was made for Vrabes inside and along with Bruschi getting dinged (while he was out the Bears had a long run) and Tully playing outside. There was alot of adjustment for an in-game situation.

I'm sure that with a week of practice we'll be okay. Especially against a team in the Lions that hasn't run the ball extremely well anyway.

If you give this coaching staff enough time, they'll figure it out. Fortunately our remaining schedule affords us the opportunity to figure some things out while playing some mediocre teams.

 

[BelichickFan]

Please people!!!!!
You can't move 3 people......

Sure you can. And watch them do it.

 

[Patjew]

I think the jump in rushing after Seau went down is misleading. You have to take into account that the switch was made for Vrabes inside and along with Bruschi getting dinged (while he was out the Bears had a long run) and Tully playing outside. There was alot of adjustment for an in-game situation.

I'm sure that with a week of practice we'll be okay. Especially against a team in the Lions that hasn't run the ball extremely well anyway.

If you give this coaching staff enough time, they'll figure it out. Fortunately our remaining schedule affords us the opportunity to figure some things out while playing some mediocre teams.

Great point. The one play Bru was out was busted for a long run, which I'm sure skewed the avg.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Great point. The one play Bru was out was busted for a long run, which I'm sure skewed the avg.

And right over Don Davis who was filling in...:bricks:

 

[AzPatsFan]

Not this Injury but the Next one...

The Pats starting LB crew is still A OK! I don't know why y'all think TBC can't handle the run. Yet you quote each other over and over, asserting a fact that I don't think is true at all. He is probably better at setting the edge than Colvin. He has improved as a Passrusher with more than one move, now. The question fro all DE conversion projects is pass coverage, FYI.

We actually increase Team speed with the change. Vrable is faster and dsiplays better coverage skills at LB, than Seau @ 37 has. TBC is faster as an OLB than Vrabel was. It is merely that the depth is now entirely stripped.

It not this injury that hurts. Its the hypothetical NEXT one...

Eleven games down and up to nine to go.

 

[Patfandango]

I hope your right, especially the 9 games to go part. I think that the increased run efficiency in the Bears game was due to two things. 1) Bears focused on the run with Seau out (Grossman's pass count was way down in the second half). 2) Coming in midgame is always tough. After week of practice and a game against the the run-weak Lions, the Vrabel will be very impressive. Backup depth is more of a concern and if Phifer is in any kind of shape, maybe bring him in as a run stuffer.