The two offensive linemen I like watching the most are Thomas and Ryan Wendell. Yes, Thomas went 0-2, but almost all of his battles are prolonged and he relishes the battles. Wendell just keep getting better and better. On the short side, Wendell does a great job with leverage and holds his own against powerful guys like Kyle Love.
Practice rundown #15 – Extra Points – Boston.com
Two names to keep an eye that have been popping up more and more this camp are Thomas and Wendell. The O-line will have a new look to it this year without Matt Light, and there’s still a chance that Mankins-Waters-Vollmer are all back, but it’s good to hear about some new o-linemen rising to the opportunity.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/the-two-offensive-linemen-i-like-watching-the-most/
A little Football 101 with Nick Saban | The Daily Bama Blog
A little Football 101 with Nick Saban | The Daily Bama Blog
In case you missed the Nick Saban video from yesterday here’s a transcript describing what make good “star” and “money” defensive backs. Star is your traditional nickel or slot corner, Money is your traditional dime back or sixth defensive back. Looks this year like Tavon Wilson could be the Pats Money back.
“You can be a really good star and not have the long-speed to be a good corner — long-speed being that if a guy runs a take off on you, you have to run and not get out run when the ball is in the air,” Saban said. “If you have really good quickness and cover ability, the slot guy has a hard time beating you in that position because he’s closer to the safeties, he’s closer to the middle of the field. So, a good tackler, a good blitzer, a good cover guy on a slot player, which is different than a good cover guy on an outside player.
“The money guy has got to have some linebacker characteristics, in terms of the run. It helps that the guy’s a little bit bigger and physical because sometimes he has to cover a tight end, which is a bigger guy. But he also, unless you change personnel, has to be good enough to do the same things that the star does.”
Not sure if it’s due to the return of Josh McDaniels, but the Patriots have run a variation of trick plays in camp.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/not-sure-if-its-due-to-the-return-of-josh/
New England Patriots Mailbag — Offensive line a concern – ESPN Boston
New England Patriots Mailbag — Offensive line a concern – ESPN Boston
In terms of a ranking, this is how I’d break down the linebackers:
Starters: Jerod Mayo (weakside), Brandon Spikes (middle), Dont’a Hightower (strongside)
Backups: Bobby Carpenter (weakside), Hightower (middle), Rob Ninkovich (strongside)
Sub: Mayo, Hightower, Carpenter, Tarpinian
Special teams: Niko Koutouvides, Tracy White
Others: Mike Rivera (potential middle/strong option), Aaron Lavarias
I find it interesting that Reiss has Hightower over Carpenter. Not that I disagree but this would be an interesting development for Hightower. I guess I’m just not sold yet that Hightower is ready to step in like that.
Don’t call it a comeback … Veteran C Dan Koppen, who at times has had a very rough camp coming back from leg surgery, finally started to look more like his old self when he won all three of his one-on-one matchups. Koppen had won just one of his last 11 reps coming in. Koppen also looked better in team drills. His heavy hands are better, and he’s moving well. Don’t count him out yet.
https://www.patspropaganda.com/dont-call-it-a-comeback-veteran-c-dan-koppen/
Patriots training camp and Chandler Jones – Grantland
Patriots training camp and Chandler Jones – Grantland
I remember reading not long ago that 4,000 people came out to watch Peyton Manning’s first practice in Denver. This was said to be unprecedented in Denver, and I can almost see why it happened. People wanted to come out and see actual physical proof that the Broncos now had a Hall of Fame quarterback and that, therefore, nobody in Denver had to argue about Tim Tebow anymore. Well, the Patriots laugh at your 4,000 people. They regularly put more than double that into their complex on a summer’s day and, since their football operation is now next to an upscale suburban shopping mall, you can come to Foxborough and watch your heroes lean on each other, buy some expensive lingerie, eat a massively overpriced burger that costs as much as the lingerie did, see a movie in a theater where you have your own waitperson, and drop by the Patriots Hall of Fame.