Spikes Best Game as a Patriot?

[Marqui]

Hmm, presumably the other contenders are Farrior & Timmons (Steelers) and Scott & Harris (Jets). Interesting, discuss.

Spikes/Willis as well.

 

[apple strudel]

I don't know. If you look at the tape on Spikes it looks like he didn't even come dressed to play.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I need to rewatch the game to confirm, but it's interesting to watch how BB brings along certain players.

In some cases, a player has to play the system, or he gets benched. In other cases, defensive calls are modified to take advantage of a particular player's strengths.

It might be an example of growing mutual comfort. Players get more comfortable with the system, and BB gets more comfortable that the players have the discipline and ability to execute the system, so he's willing to change things up to allow them to play to their strengths.

The defense's growth is just another reason to look forward to each game.

It has been fun watching the youngsters develop.

 

[reflexblue]

Theres a saying i can't quit recall that goes something like this: One of the best things about getting to the destination is the journey its self. I really enjoy watching a young team come together and develop as they try and get to they're destination. Ultimatly the Super Bowl. It was a great ride in '00,and '01 and it is now.

 

[flycessna]

That hit on AP at the goalline (where IMHO Mayo kept him from breaking the plane and hence from scoring the TD) was sweet.

The front seven as a whole have really dialed it up a notch, which was certainly helped by excellent drafting in 09 and 10.

I agree!

You KNOW that has to be a a situational thing that the defense has probably run through over and over again since camp that they have it down to a science.. Mayo's reaction time was perfect and his hit/stop was great..

Too bad that kind of play will never be reversed because it will always be a close call... Lets hope the call ON th field is NO TD next time!

 

[DarrylS]

Spikes/Mayo are the real deal and our porous inner defense from previous years is no more..

Not only that, but they are good instinctive football players who have a nose for the ball..

 

[unoriginal]

Spikes is getting sent on a lot of run blitzes as a counter to the fact he bites on too many fakes and misdirections. It hurts on passing downs, but it has Mayo playing more of a MLB, as opposed to 3-4 ILB, role where he knows he's got more coverage responsibility. The upside to his run blitzes is he is more disruptive in the backfield, which can help the DL and OLB make a play easier. Spikes physical play has been a nice bonus.

Second Box on this, especially the first part. There were a couple plays I saw against Minnesota where, on an end zone replay, you'd see a five-yard hole were an independant observer might expect Spikes to fill. Probably had his eyes in the backfield or something.

 

[Patspsycho]

Spikes reads running plays at such a high level. And he slips blocks like Tedy used to which is pretty remarkable for a rookie.

Speaking of clobbering people, every time Mayo hit somebody, you'd see their heads snap back. That guy is getting better and is starting to live up to the hype.

Huh? Slip block? Only the OL does that.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Second Box on this, especially the first part. There were a couple plays I saw against Minnesota where, on an end zone replay, you'd see a five-yard hole were an independant observer might expect Spikes to fill. Probably had his eyes in the backfield or something.

I noticed some gaps as well but assumed it had more to do with the dedicated safety help on Moss and unavailability of Chung, who usually helps out in the run game/short passes. Gonna try to re-watch bits of this game.

Spikes has mentioned he has to improve on the play action and in other areas, but again, he's a rookie who has off-the-chart instincts according to BB. He'll get better in this area.

He hasn't been blowing up people but he's making solid tackles, moving into second place on the team with Chung sitting out last game. I expect the big hits to follow as he gets more comfortable. It's all still new and once he doesn't have to think about it anymore, he can just go out and destroy the ball carrier.

 

[unoriginal]

I noticed some gaps as well but assumed it had more to do with the dedicated safety help on Moss and unavailability of Chung, who usually helps out in the run game/short passes. Gonna try to re-watch bits of this game.

Well, in most cases these were A and B gaps, so you'd expect an ILB to be there.

 

[BritPat]

Granted it's not everyone's favourite website (and I would without a doubt consider myself as part of that group), but PFF are GUSHING over him.

 

[reflexblue]

He hasn't been blowing up people but he's making solid tackles, moving into second place on the team with Chung sitting out last game. I expect the big hits to follow as he gets more comfortable. It's all still new and once he doesn't have to think about it anymore, he can just go out and destroy the ball carrier.

Agree totally, once he gets comfortable the Big hits will start to happen. Hes thinking instead of reacting.

 

[Kontradiction]

He and Ron Brace are directly responsible for stopping AP in the backfield on that big fourth down gamble.

 

[shmessy]

Spikes is my Binky this year, but i was thinking yesterday that i thought he had a reputatuion as a real hard hitter, and that except for a few times i hadn't seen that yet. I'm sorry but the only hit close to a classic Ted Johnson old school hit was Mayo's on the goal line stand. Maybe some haven't seen TJ at his best, find some videos of when the Pats and Steelers played back in the early 2,000's. You'll see TJ stop Jerome Bettis in his tracks in the hole on a regular. Spikes isn't there yet IMO

Rewind the game and watch the 4th down goal line stop of AP near the end of the first half.

Spikes starts the play at least 10 yards back at the back of the ez gets a full head of steam and MISSILES into Peterson. BULLSEYE!

 

[PatsFan37]

Since this thread goes beyond Spikes to talk about the Patriots young draftees, I'd like to make this point. Since Belichick has had little success with high-priced free agents, I'm imagining he'll horde as much of his salary cap as he can for the young guys with expiring contracts in the next several years.

This brings up another advantage of this group of young players. With few exceptions, these are team-first guys, many of who are former college captains, and Belichick is going out of his way to dump older players like Moss and AD who didn't have a team-first attitude. That pays off in the field, but it also pays off when it comes to contracts and the necessary calculations that build a team from the inside out.

The team attitude paid off for Wilfork and Gostowski. The stiff-arm didn't work for either Mankins or Moss. And you know these young guys are paying close attention.

It's tremendous to see Belichick's long-term strategy develop and another reminder that this great head coach will be around for a while.

 

[Grizzafted]

seems like bill's getting the pieces in place for the defense he likes.

jeez. remember the adalius thomas/tedy bruschi days? or the eric alexander/junior seau 1-2 knockout punch? even last year....guyton's great as a situational guy but this is the tandem we should have for the next six or seven years. they'll clearly pay mayo when his contract comes up. good stuff.

i'm actually just as excited about the defensive line. deaderick looks like a steal, and pryor is playing much better than i expected.

i'm curious to see how they play this month, it's a big one and they have some good offenses to deal with, but when the weather gets cold this is the kind of defense you want. big mean and hard hitting.

 

[Kasmir]

Granted it's not everyone's favourite website (and I would without a doubt consider myself as part of that group), but PFF are GUSHING over him.

Indeed, and worth quoting:

There’s a rookie of the year candidate emerging that nobody is talking about. But if you watch ILB Brandon Spikes (+4.5) knife through the line and make play after play in the Pats base package you’ll understand why. It wasn’t just the six tackles (three of which were defensive stops) but it was Spikes’ continual ability to blow up plays and prevent the Vikings running where they wanted to. Jerod Mayo is piling up the tackles, but it’s Spikes who is making the bigger impact

Re-Focused: Week 8, Vikings at Patriots

I don't agree with the conclusion -- Mayo is outplaying Spikes by my eyes -- but it's interesting nonetheless. The article is worth reading, they also praise McCourty...

 

[tradekhtk]

Want to play then you buy the ps3 break. It is really good

 

[FilPats]

Spikes' positive impact on Mayo's play this season.

Florida's defense finds solid ground with Spikes - USATODAY.com

"He gets guys around him to play hard because he plays so hard," defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said. "When your best player plays hard, other guys will follow. And that's what he does. He plays hard."

His teammates feed off that, too.

"He plays with such passion that he makes you do the same," Haden said. "If you don't love the game like Spikes, you shouldn't be on the field with him. He tries to keep everyone's level up to his. If you can play up to Brandon Spikes' level, it makes the defense a whole lot better."