Words on things I watched, read & heard

[Uptown]

 

[Uptown]

 

[captain stone]

Does that % represent 7 DB looks? Pats couldn't have been in very many 3 DB looks unless during goal-line stands/4th & inches situations...

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Does that % represent 7 DB looks? Pats couldn't have been in very many 3 DB looks unless during goal-line stands/4th & inches situations...

• 2-4-5: 29.3%
• 2-3-6: 21.6%
• 3-3-5: 18.5%
• 2-2-7: 10.0%
• 3-2-6: 6.8%
• 1-3-7: 6.7%
• 3-4-4: 2.1%
• 2-5-4: 1.6%
• 1-4-6: 1.1%
• 3-1-7: 0.6%
• 4-4-3: 0.5%
• 4-3-4: 0.5%
• 3-5-3: 0.4%
• 4-2-5: 0.1%
• 1-2-8: 0.1%

 

[ralmat55]

With the resources invested in Defensive Linemen this off-season in free agency and with Barmore, it is my hope and expectation to see more 3 or even 4 real DL alignments this season.

Bill has always liked the versatility of linebackers, but football is about matchups, and the Patriots matchup much better on early downs with at least 3 fatties on the field. It would make them stouter against the run and upgrade their interior rush which are both essential to improving their early down defense.

 

[Uptown]

 

[captain stone]

• 2-4-5: 29.3%
• 2-3-6: 21.6%
• 3-3-5: 18.5%
• 2-2-7: 10.0%
• 3-2-6: 6.8%
• 1-3-7: 6.7%
• 3-4-4: 2.1%
• 2-5-4: 1.6%
• 1-4-6: 1.1%
• 3-1-7: 0.6%
• 4-4-3: 0.5%
• 4-3-4: 0.5%
• 3-5-3: 0.4%
• 4-2-5: 0.1%
• 1-2-8: 0.1%

Dismayed by how often 3-man fronts were used, over 27%...No wonder our run defense sucked: using 3-man fronts without a true NT...Still don't have one either, just a bunch of 3-techs & 5-techs besides 4-3 DTs Guy, Godsmack I suppose, and Carl the Concussion Davis.

 

[Uptown]

 

[Mack Herron]

With the resources invested in Defensive Linemen this off-season in free agency and with Barmore, it is my hope and expectation to see more 3 or even 4 real DL alignments this season.

Bill has always liked the versatility of linebackers, but football is about matchups, and the Patriots matchup much better on early downs with at least 3 fatties on the field. It would make them stouter against the run and upgrade their interior rush which are both essential to improving their early down defense.

Lots of new faces on the DL but I see biggest improvement on the edge which was embarrassing last season.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Lots of new faces on the DL but I see biggest improvement on the edge which was embarrassing last season.

Agreed. The days of "3 fatties" on the field, except in a goal line stand, are over. Too easy to pass horizontally, stretch the width, when the interior is plugged with the 3 fatties.

 

[Uptown]

 

[ralmat55]

Agreed. The days of "3 fatties" on the field, except in a goal line stand, are over. Too easy to pass horizontally, stretch the width, when the interior is plugged with the 3 fatties.

That might be the thinking, but I think it’s wrong. Dlinemen and edge players are not tasked with defending the length and width of the field. Their task is run defense and pushing the pocket on pass plays. 4 defenders are usually holding their gaps or rushing on every down. I just prefer 3 of them be 300 pounders matching up with the offenses’ 5 300 pounders rather than just 2. It’s about matchups. You don’t ask a 4.8 guy to cover a 4.5 guy. And, it’s foolish to think a 250 lbs. player can wrestle with a 320 pound guy in a phone booth.

Few teams will commit to running the ball these days. But, when you play a team that does, you need to be able to match up to it and combat it. I think the Pats can do that now unlike the last two seasons.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

That might be the thinking, but I think it’s wrong. Dlinemen and edge players are not tasked with defending the length and width of the field. Their task is run defense and pushing the pocket on pass plays. 4 defenders are usually holding their gaps or rushing on every down. I just prefer 3 of them be 300 pounders matching up with the offenses’ 5 300 pounders rather than just 2. It’s about matchups. You don’t ask a 4.8 guy to cover a 4.5 guy. And, it’s foolish to think a 250 lbs. player can wrestle with a 320 pound guy in a phone booth.

Few teams will commit to running the ball these days. But, when you play a team that does, you need to be able to match up to it and combat it. I think the Pats can do that now unlike the last two seasons.

I agree that few teams will commit to running the ball these days. I think that is because if teams commit to the run, they score less points.

I also agree that the Pats will be stouter against the run in 2021 with Hightower, Judon, Van Noy and a bevy of new D lineman. Edge players are tasked and do pick up the RB, for instance, to defend the width of the field. If you have 4 300 lb guys, and 5 or 6 DBs then that leaves only 1 or 2 linebackers which means the defense is very predictable. I think the Pats try to use a variety of lineups to confuse the opposing offense which precludes the common use of more than 2 fatties.

 

[captain stone]

Lots of new faces on the DL but I see biggest improvement on the edge which was embarrassing last season.

Yes it was, and Judon will help, but we still need at least one of Wise, Wino & Perkins to step up in a really big way.

 

[captain stone]

Agreed. The days of "3 fatties" on the field, except in a goal line stand, are over. Too easy to pass horizontally, stretch the width, when the interior is plugged with the 3 fatties.

Where is this "3 fatties on the field" coming from? There's no excuse not to have at least one of them on the 53, and we still don't have that.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Where is this "3 fatties on the field" coming from? There's no excuse not to have at least one of them on the 53, and we still don't have that.

Please see below.

Bill has always liked the versatility of linebackers, but football is about matchups, and the Patriots matchup much better on early downs with at least 3 fatties on the field. It would make them stouter against the run and upgrade their interior rush which are both essential to improving their early down defense.

 

[mgteich]

Please see below.

In this context, I suspect that 3 players at 308 or more is fine. I have been guilty of wanting to field 3 fatties., including a true NT (320+).

Currently, we have Godchaux (310) and Adams (308), not exactly a stout middle. We will depend on Guy (300). I would keep Adams as a backup to Godchaux.

 

[Mack Herron]

Yes it was, and Judon will help, but we still need at least one of Wise, Wino & Perkins to step up in a really big way.

My guess is Judon and Van Noy.

 

[ralmat55]

As a person who at one point in life weighed 3 bills, a “fatty” is anyone around 300 lbs or more. I don’t think it’s necessary to have an ultra-fatty 330 pounder play nose tackle. We think that because of Washington and Wilfork, but Seymour or Warren, I believe, could have adequately played the nose at 310. They could have played it better than Danny Shelton did at 340.

 

[ralmat55]

That said. Watching video of Ronnie Perkins, i think there’s reason to believe he might be the rare 250 lbs guy who, because of his reach and upper body strength, might be able to hold his own against a “fatty” Olineman.