The Official Who's Up & Who's Down Thread

[Ring 6]

His skill set was, is, and will always be getting off the ball and penetrating. That is his primary job. He's a role player and the only one on the DL with that skill set. They tried this previously with Klecko but he was just too small. He's not an everydown player, but in the pass-happy NFL he will get a ton of snaps.

And I'm not sure why you are referring to him as a pre-season wonder? He played often and well during the regular season when healthy.

Thats my point I did not see him play well in the regular season. He got about 275 snaps (debatable if thatqualifies as often) and I didnt see good play in them.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I agree that Pryor is fighting for that last defensive back spot. So are Weston, Brace and Deaderick.

I know that BB likes versatility, but I dunno. Looks like Wheatley and Willheit, and Arrington are better choices than any of them. Then again, Wilfork wants to play FB, did some FB in his past and also played QB and TE.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I know that BB likes versatility, but I dunno. Looks like Wheatley and Willheit, and Arrington are better choices than any of them. Then again, Wilfork wants to play FB, did some FB in his past and also played QB and TE.

Imagining a safety trying to sack Wilfork. . . .

 

[Mogamedogz]

Wrong Chung.... Try Patrick

When he mentioned Eugene I didnt even notice it. Then when you corrected him I got that nostalgic feeling.

GD im getting old.

 

[Patspsycho]

That was a weird play. They were in a 3-3-5 nickel with Wilfork as a defensive left side 1-technique, Wright at RDE playing 3-technique, Mayo at the Will off the line over center. The only guys on the defensive right side of center were Butler, Wright, and Sanders. Wright was eadily tied up by the tackle, who started playside of him. Butler's man sealed Sanders, leaving him one-on-one with Bush. He shouldn't have gotten beaten so thoroughly to the outside, but he was in a tough spot regardless, since even if he contains the play properly, Spikes was a long way away to help make the play. A bad play, but an equally bad play-call/lack of adjustment letting themselves get shifted so far left by concentrating too much on the pass.

I finally took a look at this play from the all-22 angle and my original breakdown of it was way off. Yours is much closer, although Wright is playing 5 tech (clearly on the outside shoulder of the LT), Mayo is in pseudo 3 tech.

It was a very effective screen that set up the one on one match with the Saints gambling that Bush would either out-muscle or out-athlete the odd man out (Butler). Butler got caught flat footed, just a case of growing pains since he should have read on the safety block that left him in the open, and immediately realize himself as the target.

They were definitely geared up for the run because Sanders is in the box, not the high man, so it was not the play call that was the problem here.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I finally took a look at this play from the all-22 angle and my original breakdown of it was way off. Yours is much closer, although Wright is playing 5 tech (clearly on the outside shoulder of the LT), Mayo is in pseudo 3 tech.

It was a very effective screen that set up the one on one match with the Saints gambling that Bush would either out-muscle or out-athlete the odd man out (Butler). Butler got caught flat footed, just a case of growing pains since he should have read on the safety block that left him in the open, and immediately realize himself as the target.

They were definitely geared up for the run because Sanders is in the box, not the high man, so it was not the play call that was the problem here.

Watching Wright get absolutely steamrolled was what jumped out at me on my second viewing of that play.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

You dont have to be, but you are setting your QB up to be killed.
When he is in the shotgun, he can see the blitz, see the play develop and get the ball to the hot route.
It is extremely harded to blitz effectivel against the 4 wide from the shotgun than under center.

Calling plays is like playing poker. Some strategies can be very effective when executed well, but even the best poker players change their strategies up, mid-tournament, when people know what style they are playing. Just because our personnel is probably best with Brady at shot gun and with 4 or 5 receivers, doesn't mean we should over-rely on it as much as we did last year.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Calling plays is like playing poker. Some strategies can be very effective when executed well, but even the best poker players change their strategies up, mid-tournament, when people know what style they are playing. Just because our personnel is probably best with Brady at shot gun and with 4 or 5 receivers, doesn't mean we should over-rely on it as much as we did last year.

whether it's expected or not, I definitely would not want to see Brady dropping back in a spread offense. He would take a beating, even against a 4 man rush. The shotgun spread works as well as it does because the QB can quickly get rid of the ball before the rush can get to him. Dropping back in the spread would be like trying to have a power running game without fullbacks and tight ends. Sure, you can try it, but why would you?

 

[pencilneckgeek]

I finally took a look at this play from the all-22 angle and my original breakdown of it was way off. Yours is much closer, although Wright is playing 5 tech (clearly on the outside shoulder of the LT), Mayo is in pseudo 3 tech.

It was a very effective screen that set up the one on one match with the Saints gambling that Bush would either out-muscle or out-athlete the odd man out (Butler). Butler got caught flat footed, just a case of growing pains since he should have read on the safety block that left him in the open, and immediately realize himself as the target.

They were definitely geared up for the run because Sanders is in the box, not the high man, so it was not the play call that was the problem here.

I was hoping for a better replay last night, and I only got the single-angle NFLN replay today. Watching it live, I definitely thought that Wright's failure to set the edge was the big issue, given that the smart money would be on Bush to beat Butler, regardless of how well he read the play. The NFLN angle made it seem like he was at 3 technique, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Frankly, I was more worried about him getting absolutely manhandled and sealed like that if he started outside the OT, because you can't teach Big. I suppose, however, if the our smaller OLBs can set the edge, there's no reason we can't rely on Wright to figure out a way to get better leverage in a similar set in the future.

 

[Marqui]

Watching Wright get absolutely steamrolled was what jumped out at me on my second viewing of that play.

Exactly, we're in BIG trouble if that guy is starting at RDE for us.

 

[Calciumee]

Imagining a safety trying to sack Wilfork. . . .

Like watching a giant swat a fly!

 

[Patspsycho]

I was hoping for a better replay last night, and I only got the single-angle NFLN replay today. Watching it live, I definitely thought that Wright's failure to set the edge was the big issue, given that the smart money would be on Bush to beat Butler, regardless of how well he read the play. The NFLN angle made it seem like he was at 3 technique, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Frankly, I was more worried about him getting absolutely manhandled and sealed like that if he started outside the OT, because you can't teach Big. I suppose, however, if the our smaller OLBs can set the edge, there's no reason we can't rely on Wright to figure out a way to get better leverage in a similar set in the future.

Wright was perfectly chipped. There was nothing he could do.

Check out the replays at NFL.com, they do a 22 all for the key plays from each game.

For the Patriots:

NFL Game Center: New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots - 2010 Preseason Week 1

The platform they use for showing the vids are far from ideal for pause/play watching, but it's better than nothing.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Not based on what I saw last night but I have hopes for Brandon Deaderick. I'm not ready to give up on him yet. too many positive things about him based on his play at Bama.

 

[Kontradiction]

Not based on what I saw last night but I have hopes for Brandon Deaderick. I'm not ready to give up on him yet. too many positive things about him based on his play at Bama.

Same here. He's one of my biggest binkies from this draft and I hope he sticks. As a matter of fact, I hope he sticks sooner rather than later because we could really use him. That brings me to my next point, and this may be a bit of a stretch, but...

I have to put Ty Warren as a "down". For right now, anyway.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I'd be curious to see Taylor get some reps behind a real OL. I just never see what others seem to see in Green-Ellis.

Oh, and Edelman just keeps going up and up and up. So how do we get him and Welker on the field at the same time?

Apparently, Bill Belichick is going to transform him into a Troy Brown/ Kevin Faulk substitute.

Actually I htink he fits the Dave Meggett profile more. Good punt returner, excellent short receiver and then also an occasional 3rd down RB, too.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Maroney has always been a good receiver. I remember seeing vids of him from college when he was drafted, and the first year they threw a few screens and a few slot passes to him off of play action, and he had solid yards after catch.

Then, all of a sudden, he became the NON receiver back... Never could understand why?

Same here. He had 22 catches out of the backfield his rookie year and I remember he looked pretty good doing it. Dropped to four catches in '07, zero in injury year of '08; back to 14 last year, so who knows. Maybe they think why throw to him a lot when you have Faulk.

Laurence Maroney: Career Stats

(BTW, career avg. per carry: 4.2. Who knew?)

 

[Ring 6]

Calling plays is like playing poker. Some strategies can be very effective when executed well, but even the best poker players change their strategies up, mid-tournament, when people know what style they are playing. Just because our personnel is probably best with Brady at shot gun and with 4 or 5 receivers, doesn't mean we should over-rely on it as much as we did last year.

Huh? What? I am saying that if you are going to go 4 wide, there is a very compelling reason to do it from the gun.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Huh? What? I am saying that if you are going to go 4 wide, there is a very compelling reason to do it from the gun.

I'm not disagreeing with you that theoretically, throwing out of shot gun should give the QB better vision and more time.

BUT, back to the original point of the other person you were arguing with... What I am also saying, to back that other person up, is that repeatedly going back to the well with the same formation, may end up backfiring once you become too predictable. Which is why I made that analogy with playing poker.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm not disagreeing with you that theoretically, throwing out of shot gun should give the QB better vision and more time.

BUT, back to the original point of the other person you were arguing with... What I am also saying, to back that other person up, is that repeatedly going back to the well with the same formation, may end up backfiring once you become too predictable. Which is why I made that analogy with playing poker.

He wants to run the offense out of 4 wide with Brady under center.
I a saying that it would be foolhardy to have your QB under center with a 4 wide offense.
I dont know what your point is?
Run a 4 wide offense with Brady under center because it will be so surprising the defense won't easily exploit it?