An Independent Patriots Blog
Great read on what is the greatest book on football ever written. While I don’t own one I did take a copy out from my local library a couple years ago. It’s as dense as they say. I need to go back and take another look…
The book reinforced Belichick’s own belief in detailed planning, which is why he calls it and Jack Welch and the GE Way the two most influential books of his career.
Why the Patriots Must Alter Defensive Scheme Yet Again in 2013
The Friday column is up on B/R, check it!
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Word of Muth: Patriots Exit Exam
Seems like in Muth’s opinion if there was one guy to upgrade on the line it’d probably be Connolly.
Wendell is exactly what you want from the modern center: he’s agile and effective at the second level, he’s solid in pass protection, and he has a real knack for knowing how a defense’s pieces fit together. He does a nice job of noticing when a defensive tackle is rushing at a strange angle or pace (either because he is stunting or there is a blitz coming behind him), and how that affects where other rushers might be coming from. This allows him to get into position to block blitzes before they fully form.
Bill Belichick schools the media on 3-4 vs. 4-3 and why debate is ‘media fabrication’
“Honestly, I think that’s something that is a media fabrication. There are a lot of different alignments out there. You see 4-3 teams use odd spacing. You see 3-4 teams use even spacing. You have 11 players, you can put them in various positions. Whether you want to put it on the pre-game depth chart as one thing or another, I think is a little bit overrated.”
Why is it overrated?
“You play different fronts, you play different spacing, and you teach the techniques of your defense,” Belichick explained. “That is what consistent, techniques that are taught in different defensive systems, whether those teams go from three-man line to a four-man line, or a four-man line to an odd spacing line, or overs-to-unders, or unders-to-overs, or over-wides, whatever you want to call it. They will continue to play the same fundamental techniques as they’ve been teaching for the entire year, for the most part. I think that’s what teaching defensive fundamental football is about. It’s about fundamentals. Wherever you put them, you’ve got to people other people in complementary places, however you decide to do that.
Argonauts GM on Armstead – New England Patriots Blog – ESPN Boston
Just what the hoodie ordered…
What type of player are the Patriots getting? “They’re getting a 6-5, 280-pound active player who plays very smart. He plays with great leverage. He’s an above-average pass-rusher who plays the run well. He’s a solid all-around player, a phenomenal young man. As good a player as he is, he’s a better person. I think at a young age – he was 21 when he came up here – I think he grew a lot just living in another country on his own. I think his maturation level is going to be higher than if he were to come off a university campus. Not only a great player, but a fantastic person; he’ll be great in the community.”
Can you describe how Armond was utilized on defense with the Argonauts? “He was used for us both as a nose guard – he’s obviously not Vince Wilfork, that’s not what he does, he’s not a two-gap player in a 30 front – and 3 technique [outside shade on the guard]. He played on the edge some in the 30 front but not much. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it, it’s that we didn’t play a lot of 30 front. He was moved around inside and was mainly an inside player for us. He ended up being named All-CFL as a rookie, which is very rare.”
Stay or Go: Breaking Down Patriots’ Returning Defensive Starters | Bleacher Report
Here’s our breakdown of the returning starters on defense (not including pending free agents), and who’s entrenched and who needs to be upgraded.
Kyle Arrington likes it here | Boston Herald
KA gets a lot of flack on the internet, but I’m all for bringing him back if it’s to play the star position exclusively. He led the NFL in interceptions in 2011, is durable and can play a lot of different places. He’s good insurance all around.
There has been mutual interest between Kyle Arrington and the Patriots in keeping the cornerback with the team, and contract negotiations won’t be a sure thing.