Spikes / Hightower

[Italian Patriot]

Ok..

First: I think that Hightower is a huge prospect. I was happy with his rookie season and now he's not playing bad..

BUT..

I think that Spikes is better NOW .

He's one of the player on this roster that has the ability to change the momentum.

Today he had the INT and he was tremendous on the goaline situation.

So, what's my point?

He has six snap last week. He has 16 snap on week 1.

Is he worst than Hightower?

He needs to stay on the field. He must play because he's one the best Dman on this football team. Especially without Big Vince.

And.. I think that the FO must think about the possibility to offer him a new contract...

 

[Brady6]

Ok..

First: I think that Hightower is a huge prospect. I was happy with his rookie season and now he's not playing bad..

BUT..

I think that Spikes is better NOW .

He's one of the player on this roster that has the ability to change the momentum.

Today he had the INT and he was tremendous on the goaline situation.

So, what's my point?

He has six snap last week. He has 16 snap on week 1.

Is he worst than Hightower?

He needs to stay on the field. He must play because he's one the best Dman on this football team. Especially without Big Vince.

And.. I think that the FO must think about the possibility to offer him a new contract...

They’re very different players – Spikes is better at some things and Hightower is better at others. To square up and compare them is like comparing Amendola to Gronkowski and ask who is a better receiver.

Spikes had a great game today though.

 

[Ozymandias]

Different scheme/need on a week-to-week basis depending on the opponent. I wouldn't read too much into the snap count.

Both have played key parts into why the defense has been vastly improved this season in their own ways.

 

[Rob0729]

Spikes was boom or bust today. He had some great plays and other plays where he ran right past the play because he was too aggressive on his play.

 

[Mack Herron]

Hightower is a disappointment to me. He had 2 tackles today and some embarrassing misses. The contrast with Spikes is interesting--Hightower has all the measureables and Spikes is the better football player. Hopefully Collins starts to pick things up a little better.

 

[JMC00]

-Hightower has all the measureables and Spikes is the better football player.

lol stop embarrassing yourself.

 

[zimmy]

I also think that Hightower has been disappointing this year. We keep hearing he is an impact player who can play many spots but I can't really remember too many highlight plays from him and he's normally a step behind in coverage.

 

[upstater1]

First four games Hightower was lights out, huge impact player all over the field. One of the best LBs we've had. He wasn't as good today.

 

[supafly]

Hightower is a disappointment to me. He had 2 tackles today and some embarrassing misses. The contrast with Spikes is interesting--Hightower has all the measureables and Spikes is the better football player. Hopefully Collins starts to pick things up a little better.

I also think that Hightower has been disappointing this year. We keep hearing he is an impact player who can play many spots but I can't really remember too many highlight plays from him and he's normally a step behind in coverage.

Count me in too as one who thinks that Hightower is overrated by many.

He seems to be the lesser of the 2 evils in coverage though, which is why he continues to get a lot of reps in subpackages instead of Spikes.

It should be noted that the only reason Spikes was on the field to make the INT today is due to Hightower pulling his hamstring and not being able to get back onto the field.

 

[SunsOutGunsOut]

The fruits of espn's fantasy land labor..

 

[Sciz]

As crazy as it sounds, I thought Hightower may have had the most impressive play of the day on the defense. On an outside run, he engaged and shed two blockers to send the RB back inside to get tackled for a loss. That's the type of play that Belichick loves, but the average fan never sees.

 

[Ozymandias]

As crazy as it sounds, I thought Hightower may have had the most impressive play of the day on the defense. On an outside run, he engaged and shed two blockers to send the RB back inside to get tackled for a loss. That's the type of play that Belichick loves, but the average fan never sees.

Yep.

I made sure to make note of that during the gameday thread. He's shedding blockers at a near elite level right now. Had he not made that play, the RB had tons of space to make a play down the field.

 

[Mack Herron]

As crazy as it sounds, I thought Hightower may have had the most impressive play of the day on the defense. On an outside run, he engaged and shed two blockers to send the RB back inside to get tackled for a loss. That's the type of play that Belichick loves, but the average fan never sees.

I missed it. You really have to watch the film I guess to see everything. Spikes did have a monster game today though with 12 tackles to Hightower's 2, plus the interception. He also had more opportunities of course. I am also affected by physical play and Spikes and Mayo made so many loud tackles today that it stood out. It is the kind of thing Mayo has been criticized about in teh past , perhaps unfairly, for not making.

 

[signbabybrady]

There both really good Hightower still has room to grow too and Spikes is what he is which is a major liability man to
man coverage decent in zone and a force against the run.

With the way the D has played I am not sure what the problem is other than that neither play TE.

 

[cstjohn17]

Spikes will be playing a lot now that Wilfork is out. He often is sent on a run blitz on most obvious running situations. The kid is a force when moving downhill.

Between the 3 of them (Hightower, Spikes, Mayo) none of them are good in coverage. At least now Talib can be left 1:1 in some situations allowing the Safety to more actively help the LB.

Today was a slugfest, teams lose slugfests when they score 6 points.

 

[Nunchucks]

I loved Spikes yesterday, he plays with aggressiveness

 

[captain stone]

Count me in too as one who thinks that Hightower is overrated by many.

He seems to be the lesser of the 2 evils in coverage though, which is why he continues to get a lot of reps in subpackages instead of Spikes.

It should be noted that the only reason Spikes was on the field to make the INT today is due to Hightower pulling his hamstring and not being able to get back onto the field.

Spikes isn't that bad in redzone coverage. He obviously doesn't have to cover as much ground,
so his superior instincts can better help him & the defense.

 

[PatsFan2]

On both please don't match either in space with a RB or decent TE its painful to Watch. I like LB's who can generate a pass rush and thats not Hightower. He's a meh all around player who doesn't do anything great.

 

[Sciz]

That play from Hightower that I was talking about:

 

[JackBauer]

meh

...is how I feel when I read your player evaluations.