True Value of a safety like McCourty

[Wheelman]

Good Points al around. Let's not sugar coat the switch to safety though. He was switched to safety because he was getting abused by wide receivers while playing corner in 2011-12. He couldn't cut it as a cornerback in man coverage.

If they had good safety play, I doubt he would have been switched to safety. The safeties we had in 2011 were garbage. Who were they? Ihedigbo and the other guy escapes me. They had slater playing some safety that year too, total garbage. If McCourty was back playing safety, that Washington football team fake where the runningback threw it would have never worked. In 2012 we had Tavon Wilson playing deep at one point in the season and got burned back to back on the same type of play against the Seahawks and Rams. And Chung was playing out of position those years. McCourty switch to safety really really helped.

Also having 4.4 cornerback speed for our free safety really helps chasing guys down, like David Johnson.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

If they had good safety play, I doubt he would have been switched to safety. The safeties we had in 2011 were garbage. Who were they? Ihedigbo and the other guy escapes me. They had slater playing some safety that year too, total garbage. If McCourty was back playing safety, that Washington football team fake where the runningback threw it would have never worked. In 2012 we had Tavon Wilson playing deep at one point in the season and got burned back to back on the same type of play against the Seahawks and Rams. And Chung was playing out of position those years. McCourty switch to safety really really helped.

Also having 4.4 cornerback speed for our free safety really helps chasing guys down, like David Johnson.

2011 I believe was James Sanders.

Agree with a lot of what you say. Listen, the switch to safety turned out to be the correct one, and mccourtys established himself as a franchise player at that position. All I'm saying is mccourty was moved to safety because he failed at the cornerback position. Belichick had to do something with mccourty . He tried out mccourty at safety and it worked. It's my opinion that had mccourty been able to play decent at corner, the switch to safety never would have happened.

 

[Wheelman]

2011 I believe was James Sanders.

Agree with a lot of what you say. Listen, the switch to safety turned out to be the correct one, and mccourtys established himself as a franchise player at that position. All I'm saying is mccourty was moved to safety because he failed at the cornerback position. Belichick had to do something with mccourty . He tried out mccourty at safety and it worked. It's my opinion that had mccourty been able to play decent at corner, the switch to safety never would have happened.

James Sanders got cut in pre season because he was injured, I think he got healthy by pre season week 4 but BB cut him anyways? Now I remember who it was, Sergio Brown! He lost the job after the Bills game? Took an atrocious pass interference call in the end zone.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on why he was moved to safety. If he didn't improve at cornerback and we already had as good safety play, I don't think he gets moved. Maybe the patriots don't re-sign him when his 5 year contract is up? Or maybe we lose our good safety, and then BB tries McCourty at safety?

 

[fightingirish595]

Good Points al around. Let's not sugar coat the switch to safety though. He was switched to safety because he was getting abused by wide receivers while playing corner in 2011-12. He couldn't cut it as a cornerback in man coverage.

Forgive me for asking but how is that relevant. I mean its factual.

 

[deroc5050]

I think the lack of big passing completions against us is a testament to his play. I honestly can't rank him against the rest of the league, we know he can't play corner. Without really knowing to much about his play I would use the term solid instead of great.

I thought he was going to be an all world Revis like Corner back going back to his rookie year.

 

[Canuck]

I guess I will have to gently disagree with some of the posters here. He was switched to safety because we had injuries with our two starting safeties. From day 1 as a safety in 2012 he excelled. Because of his abilities, they were able to use cover 1 effectively. He was a far superior safety to anything they had on roster and he was never moved back to cb although he has played cb in some games since then. Yes, he struggled in man coverage but that was not the main reason he was moved to safety.

In 2011 the year most cited as the reason he was moved to safety was truely bad. He gave up a completion percentage of 61.4%, over a 1000 yards and QB rating of 106.2. At the end of 2011 they tried him at safety and he did quite well for not having played that position before. Then because of talent and injuries at CB in the beginning of the 2012 season, McCourty played the first 6 games at cb and the percentage had dropped to 50.9 and QB's were at a 78.2 rating against him and had 2 int's. Injuries happened at safety and they needed help, so they moved McCourty there. McCourty was actually playing quite well at CB when he was moved to safety. Now here is the real reason he was never moved back, over the remaining 10 games at safety he gave up a completion percentage of 35.7%, 60 total yards and a QB rating of 10.1 and he had 3 ints. With McCourty playing so well at safety, the Patriots traded for Talib at the trading deadline. Arrington moved to the slot cb and Dennard played opposite of Talib.

How good is Devin McCourty. In my opinion he is one of the top safeties against the run and the pass and much more valuable then his stats project. He has exceptional range, takes good angles and is an excellent tackler. He has the ability to play cover 1 and is very good at it. If you are looking strictly at stats, then he would probably rate in the top 10 safeties.

 

[PF_SU]

James Sanders got cut in pre season because he was injured, I think he got healthy by pre season week 4 but BB cut him anyways? Now I remember who it was, Sergio Brown! He lost the job after the Bills game? Took an atrocious pass interference call in the end zone.

The 2011 safety corps was a true dumpster fire. Ihedigbo started 12 games in the regular season plus all three playoff games at strong safety. Chung was injured for half the season, when he was healthy (and in the playoffs) he started at free safety. Other players who started at safety for the Patriots that year: Matthew Slater, Sterling Moore, Nate Jones, Sergio Brown and Josh Barrett.

 

[The Brandon Five]

The 2011 safety corps was a true dumpster fire. Ihedigbo started 12 games in the regular season plus all three playoff games at strong safety. Chung was injured for half the season, when he was healthy (and in the playoffs) he started at free safety. Other players who started at safety for the Patriots that year: Matthew Slater, Sterling Moore, Nate Jones, Sergio Brown and Josh Barrett.

...and that team went to a Super Bowl...and nearly won it...

 

[stelfans]

Btw, i found this part in a Matt Patricia article from last year great:

“Devin [McCourty] is the star. Devin never gets in trouble for anything.” Hightower looked left, to where Ninkovich was. “Ninko! How many times — Devin. He’s the prize pupil. He’s never gotten in trouble.”

Ninkovich, smiling, agreed.

“I’ve been here three years and I’ve never heard Devin get in trouble for anything,” Hightower said.

“He’s the Golden Child,” Ninkovich chimed in.

McCourty laughed off the assertion that he’s Patricia’s star student.

He's very very important in this team, regardless of where he ranks in the league.

 

[ALP]

Btw, i found this part in a Matt Patricia article from last year great:



He's very very important in this team, regardless of where he ranks in the league.

I've never seen that before, thanks for sharing that!

makes me like all those guys even more...i can really see why they love Devin

...someone talked about angles earlier...man i remember some of those angles some of those safeties took, it was like...are you serious!

im glad i haven't had to deal with that for the last 4 years

 

[hellolin]

One only have to look at the opposite situation, the Raiders have one of the best offences in the league, defence side they have OK corners as well, but a lack of a good safety is killing them, racked almost dead last in defence this season, even though the team is probably one of the best in the NFL at this point.