Here are some interesting numbers from ProFootballFocus.com for the Pats:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (14-3)
Moving On Up: ILB Jerod Mayo (-2.2 to +8.1)
Mayo improved his game in year three, looking like a better player than in his rookie year and his injury-affected 2009. We’d still like him to make more plays to go along with his tackle numbers, but you get the feeling Mayo’s presence allows others around him to have a bigger impact.
Had a Bad Year: S Brandon Meriweather (+6.7 to -10.0)
You know a guy is a bad Pro Bowl selection when even the home fans don’t support the choice. Meriweather just didn’t have a very good year, which is a surprise considering his success prior to this. Even cutting back on some of the missed tackles (from 11 to six) didn’t help his grade, and he finished the lowest rated player on the Patriots defense. A classic case in the Pro Bowl process where team success + big name = trip to Hawaii.
Give This Guy More Snaps: ILB Brandon Spikes (+18.6 in 364 snaps)
A real fun player to watch, Spikes is that kind of two-down linebacker that times the snap well and really knows how to shoot gaps and disrupt plays. For a time during the middle stretch of the season he was the most noticeable thing about the Patriots D, and did his bit to prove there’s more to playing linebacker than just racking up tackles.