You know what this defense really needs??

[Joey007]

This.
Rodney Harrison - Hard Hitting NFL Safety - YouTube

I really dont need to go into description for this, the video says it all, but lets just say this kind of fire has been lacking, especially in the secondary.

 

[VJCPatriot]

We were hoping to get that with Chung. Problem is that Chung's coverage is so bad he can't even get on the field anymore. I think he is leaving in free agency. Maybe we'll kick the tires on Ed Reed.

 

[Sciz]

A f***ton of 15 yard penalties?

 

[Joey007]

A f***ton of 15 yard penalties?

A f*** ton of leadership, intensity, and hard hitting??

Yes, please.

 

[Sciz]

A f*** ton of leadership, intensity, and hard hits??

Yes, please.

I started counting how many of those hits would not be legal today. I gave up after all of my fingers were used up and I wasn't even half way done.

And where do you propose the Pats find a hard-hitting safety who is durable enough to make all of those hits on a regular basis and who doesn't completely struggle in coverage?

 

[Ring 6]

A f*** ton of leadership, intensity, and hard hitting??

Yes, please.

I'd rather focus on players who can pressure the passer or cover receivers than get big hitting safeties because the 15-20 hits they make all year don't really have as much impact as people want to think they do.
I'd much rather force an incomplete pass than have a nice hit after a completion.
We need a new Willie McGinest to team up with Chandler Jones, more than we need anything else.

 

[Joey007]

I started counting how many of those hits would not be legal today. I gave up after all of my fingers were used up and I wasn't even half way done.

And where do you propose the Pats find a hard-hitting safety who is durable enough to make all of those hits on a regular basis and who doesn't completely struggle in coverage?

That wasnt even my point.

Look at his intensity he brought to us in the SB runs and look at how leadership like his can put a team over the top. Was it there for guys like Ravens?? Yes. For us?? No.

 

[Joker]

The Pats need an edge rusher that can lower the QB's eyes...Flacco stood there perusing the downfield patterns like a friggin' fratboy playing tag on the quadrangle of Harvard yard...the opposing QB needs to be HIT early and often in big games...

 

[Deus Irae]

The Pats need an edge rusher that can lower the QB's eyes...Flacco stood there perusing the downfield patterns like a friggin' fratboy playing tag on the quadrangle of Harvard yard...the opposing QB needs to be HIT early and often in big games...

Flacco struggled until he realized that the CBs, other than Dennard, couldn't cover. His eyes had little, or nothing to do with it. Pass rush is important, but some people here are starting to really overrate it.

Just ask the Texans.

 

[Joey007]

The Pats need an edge rusher that can lower the QB's eyes...Flacco stood there perusing the downfield patterns like a friggin' fratboy playing tag on the quadrangle of Harvard yard...the opposing QB needs to be HIT early and often in big games...

But I think the answer to that may be on the roster with Jones. There is no Rodney on this roster.

 

[Patriot Missile]

A f*** ton of leadership, intensity, and hard hitting??

Yes, please.

Those days are done. Receivers roam the center of the field with no fear of retaliation due to the rule changes. Within 5 years not only will it be a mandatory fine for illegal hits,it will also be a mandatory suspension the way the safety committee is going.

Right now I'd settle for two McCourty type free safeties back there. Lots of range and coverage skills and who can also tackle. McCourty is a lock, who is the going to be his partner?

 

[Deus Irae]

Those days are done. Receivers roam the center of the field with no fear of retaliation due to the rule changes. Within 5 years not only will it be a mandatory fine for illegal hits,it will also be a mandatory suspension the way the safety committee is going.

Right now I'd settle for two McCourty type free safeties back there. Lots of range and coverage skills and who can also tackle. McCourty is a lock, who is the going to be his partner?

The two teams in the SB had safeties that were more than happy laying the lumber, and they pretty clearly have an effect on opposing teams, so I'm not seeing what you're seeing.

That said, a pair of "McCourty type" safeties would be fine with me, as long as the Patriots stay strong in the middle of the front seven.

 

[Joey007]

Those days are done. Receivers roam the center of the field with no fear of retaliation due to the rule changes. Within 5 years not only will it be a mandatory fine for illegal hits,it will also be a mandatory suspension the way the safety committee is going.

Right now I'd settle for two McCourty type free safeties back there. Lots of range and coverage skills and who can also tackle. McCourty is a lock, who is the going to be his partner?

Even with that, a leader is still needed.

 

[manxman2601]

A f***ton of 15 yard penalties?

Is f***ton the imperial or metric measurement for hard hitting?

 

[patsfan-1982]

A f*** ton of leadership, intensity, and hard hitting??

Yes, please.

leadership, intensity, and hard hitting are all great but if you dont have HOF talent to back it up like harrison did it means notting

 

[Kontradiction]

I started counting how many of those hits would not be legal today. I gave up after all of my fingers were used up and I wasn't even half way done.

And where do you propose the Pats find a hard-hitting safety who is durable enough to make all of those hits on a regular basis and who doesn't completely struggle in coverage?

 

[DocHoliday]

The only player ever with over 30 career sacks and 30 interceptions.

The ultimate strong safety.

God I wished the Patriots had the scheme and the players to allow individual plays like that. With such terrible coverage and pass rush everyone's too afraid of being burnt.

Can't even remember the last time this backfield smelled the QB. Probably Edelman in 2011 vs. the Eagles.

 

[signbabybrady]

A hard hitting hall of fame safety who gets sacks, picks, and lays the lumber who doesnt want that?

But need? I think if it wants to be a top 5 defense like it was in 03-04 than yes it needs that but to compliment this team and what it needs out of its defense I would not call this a need. Better coverage from the safeties I would consider more of a need. It that guy is out there to be had than by all means they need to go hard to the hole and get it but they can make this team a SB winner without it.

 

[yopats]

If Adrian Wilson is released he is is that guy..

 

[Kontradiction]

A hard hitting hall of fame safety who gets sacks, picks, and lays the lumber who doesnt want that?

But need? I think if it wants to be a top 5 defense like it was in 03-04 than yes it needs that but to compliment this team and what it needs out of its defense I would not call this a need. Better coverage from the safeties I would consider more of a need. It that guy is out there to be had than by all means they need to go hard to the hole and get it but they can make this team a SB winner without it.

The objective for any team should be the field the best units possible. Defensively, it's generally a good idea to add an enforcer in the defensive backfield that is at least competent in coverage. Chung is a hard hitter, and completely incompetent in coverage. By drafting him, though, Belichick made it pretty clear that he favors an enforcer type back there, just as he did when he picked up Rodney all those years ago. I suspect he'll be looking again this offseason.