Dunkin’ Donuts Lunch with Gronk (by dunkindonuts)
Gronk and Dunkies, doesn’t get much better than that.
(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
https://www.patspropaganda.com/dunkin-donuts-lunch-with-gronk-by-dunkindonuts/
1. Let’s say Talib turns out to be the difference maker on defense, and they obviously like Dennard on the outside. Does McCourty become trade bait in the offseason?2. Who are some potential free agents/releases that you’d like to see the Patriots take a shot at in 2013?3. Who are some potential draft picks you’re looking at? – Mike Shea
1. I think McCourty has solidified himself as a long term piece of the puzzle at safety so I don’t think he’s trade bait. But I also think it’s far from a lock that Talib re-signs with New England. We only have a small sample size on him now, but who knows what the Pats will be thinking with him, how well he really fits in, etc. But yes, Dennard looks like a keeper too. Things are starting to fall into place back there with or without Talib.
2. My biggest priority would be re-signing Sebastian Vollmer. However Marcus Cannon looks like pretty good insurance if Vollmer wants a huge payday. Right Tackles aren’t that hard to find, but I love Vollmer and hope he’s back. As for outside Free Agents who wouldn’t love to see the Pats try to lure Ed Reed to New England. They could certainly use a player like him on the back end, and I’m sure BB would love the chance to coach him. We’ll see if he leaves Baltimore.
3. Getting into some prelim draft stuff this week, but I’m going to be looking closely at the defensive tackle and wide receiver classes most closely.
Bill Belichick Press Conference Transcript
Bill Belichick Press Conference Transcript
A little defensive X and O nerdery from BB’s presser today. This time on the difference between the Big Nickel and Regular Nickel defenses.
Q: What’s the biggest difference scheme-wise between a big nickel, three safety secondary and a standard situation with a nickel secondary where you have two safeties and multiple corners?
BB: I would say the ability of that fifth defensive back, that third safety vs. the third corner, what the skills of that player are and what you’re playing against.
Q: Do you see less of the big nickel because of the passing games, just as a simple generalization?
BB: Again, I think it depends on the team and it depends on the player. Like the Giants, they really play the third safety. We’ve played it that way with [Patrick] Chung in the past. I think if you have a true third slot receiver, a guy like whoever it is, whether it’s [Wes] Welker or [Davone] Bess or [Jeremy] Kerley or whoever you happen to be playing, then it’s who you want matched up against that guy and what your options are, who you want to put on him. Running game can factor into that. Again, who that player is, sometimes that – like a bigger slot receiver or is it a smaller, quicker guy? Is it 12 personnel, is it two tight ends and that inside receiver is more of a tight end type player. And who are your players, who are you talking about putting on them relative to the matchup? Some teams like to put the same guy in there and do everything with one guy and then there’s continuity to the defense. Other teams like to match up to try to get the player they want matched up against the other team’s guy that he’s going to be facing. It depends, there are a lot of variables.
My question is about the RB position for next year. Ridley and Vareen should be locks. I know that BB seems to like what Bolden offers. But with Demps coming off IR, could we possibly see Danny Woodhead get cut? I would hate to see this, but I dont see us carrying 5 backs. The only other option I can see is cutting Slater and letting Demps be our Special Teams guy. Your thoughts?
I think there’s room for everyone at least going into camp. Runningback is one of those positions where you’ll often have injuries so there’s no need to try and over-engineer things this off-season.
With the Pats likely to lose Wes Welker their offense will go through another evolution and who knows how all these versatile running backs will come together in that new attack.
Obviously it will be one of the more interesting areas to watch next summer with so many talented guys, but I’d suspect that all have a chance to make the team. And I don’t think Slater is in any way influenced by the running back personnel.
The biggest thing is [Hightower] knows the defense, and we expect him to,” safety Devin McCourty said. “I don’t even look at him like a rookie anymore. When he’s on the field, you talk to him just like he’s a veteran linebacker out there. He really has, I think, turned into a veteran on this defense.
I think it’s going to be New England and Denver,” Lombardi said. “I think Houston’s problems defensively will creep up on them. I think Denver and New England are the two better teams because of the quarterback. And the team that I would be worried about, and I know this is going to sound completely ridiculous … the team is Pittsburgh. When [Ben] Roethlisberger comes back and if he’s healthy, and if he can come back, and they can get in … their defense is playing well enough that they’re going to cause some trouble for some people.
It Is What It Is » Mike Lombardi on D&C: ‘I think it’s going to be New England and Denver’ in AFC
I’m in agreement with Mike here, I think it comes down to the Pats and Denver. Where the game is played will be huge, the Pats must keep pace over the Broncos.
Down 2 DEs, do you think the Pats employ more of a 3-4, with Ninko and Hightower as outside backers, or stick with 4-3? – @MattMorrison
Good question, and I think you’re right, especially against a team like the Dolphins where shutting down Reggie Bush will be a big key.
However I think a lot of people tend to get confused about the 3-4 and 4-3. Just because one of the defense stands up doesn’t necessarily mean they’re suddenly in a 3-4. The real 3-4 basically features a 0-technique nose tackle, and two 5-technique over the tackles. We’ve seen a little bit of this in 2012, but more often you’ll see them in a 4-3 and the strong side defensive end might stand up to give him better leverage for setting the edge.
So yes, we’ll see a combination of both this weekend, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see some more of the traditional 3-4 featuring Deaderick/Wilfork/Love or Brace up front and Nink/Hightower at the OLB slots.
I also wonder if we might see Hightower as an interior rusher in place of Cunningham in the sub package.