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I can understand that. Always more love for the career Pats. But it wasn't Haynes' fault he left. Just like Buono. We know who's fault it was.
I can't win lol ... I'll definitely touch on this in a few. My bad I'm just always using my phone.
Sorry man. I actually really appreciate the questions.
I'll tackle the bolded here. I'm sure @patfanken has a thing or two to say about this as well.
I am not sure I am right but would add 1. Free Safety plays with everything in front of him. Backing up or coming forward, but everything stays in front of him. So has to anticipate more to close gaps. CB, when man marking, play with a trailing technique sometimes so can play with his back to the ball. 2. In some situations, Cover 0 for instance, the free safety might have to cover a TE, so height and strength are more important. Outside CB rarely covers a TE, but some outside WR can be tall like T Higgins. 3. FS will commonly process more and might direct the defense whereas CB is usually concentrating single man coverage or a zone area of the field. 4. Straight line speed is usually more important for CB because they jam at the line and then have to run with the receiver whereas the safety has a cushion and is not running with the receiver. Having said that, a FS has to be fast enough to make up space from the middle to outside of the field if playing "single high safety" (which McCourty did a lot). 5. CB uses hand fighting more for jamming at the line, FS does not use hand fighting as much.
16, 29, 31, and not included
Anfernee Jennings was a 3rd rounder, not a 2nd. Dugger and Uche were the 2nd rounders that year.
As the league runs more and more passing plays the labels that we all have in our minds about FS, SS and LB have become very blurred. I see them become less and less distinct positions than they have in the past. Duggar is that SS construct we have in our minds, while DMac in his prime was exactly what we wanted in the ideal FS, which was CB speed and agility with a super high football IQ who made sure that the secondary was in the correct position pre-snap, and could cover deep side line to side line. He also had to be tough enough to be a sure and effective tackler as he WAS the last line of defense.
I would add that in our defense (NH high school, not Pats) that our corners are the only ones who play pass first every down. Everyone else has some level of run support or read/react, but we want our corners focused on the WR they are covering.
You know before I read the article (and thanks for it), the first thought that went through my mind was, "who WAS playing the slot when JJones had to move outside?" I guess it was a combination of safeties plus Marcus Jones. MJones at first glance looks to be a very good press man cover guy, HOWEVER his size limitations diminish some of that effectiveness and always will, especially as WR's as a group keep getting taller.
What kind of crap D are you running up there, Steve? No run support from your CB's????? Just kidding
It was almost entirely Myles Bryant. The narratives were out of control, with people just kind of assuming Marcus Jones had taken over that role. I’m convinced that’s part of why people hated Bryant so much, because they assumed MaJones was getting the slot snaps when things were going well and only noticed Bryant when he gave up a catch. Nope, Bryant was there the whole time.
Well THAT narrative is now over. Just like EVERY year, a new team will rise out of the ashes of the previous season like a Phoenix. About a 25-30% turnover in players and en entirely new team chemistry that needs to be put together. You always retain core players, even as we did during great years, BUT Bill has always pointed out how its never the same year to year, where often times the same people have different responsibilities, just as how we play our opponents is determined by how THEIR team changes from year to year.
