- Joined
- Jul 11, 2005
- Messages
- 15,551
- Reaction score
- 27,636
Haven't had one of these in a while and I thought that a day off at TC would be a good time to put a few random and unconnected thoughts on "paper".
1. Its one thing to give props to Jeramaine Cunningham for winning one of the 10 parking spaces for his off season excellence. Its another thing to hear his name being mentioned in the same breath with terms like "burst" and "turning the corner".
I don't think enough credit was given to Cunningham for his first year here. Its been well documented that the transition from a college DE to a 2 gap - 3-4 OLB is one of the most difficult. It took guys like Vrable, Colvin, and Ninko 4 or 5 years to fully grasp the position and become impact players. The fact that Cunningham was forced into a starting position so early and wasn't a liability is a compliment. That Mike Reiss mentioned, that he had 23 QB pressures was even more impressive, given that he didn't seem to have that "burst" that excites us all in our pass rushers.
Cunningham can only blame himself for last year's lost season. Clearly, left on his own, he didn't respond well to the lockout. He came into camp out of shape, got injured, was passed by Anderson and Carter, and wound up on IR midway through the season. He deserved the results he created by his own lack of professionalism. What he didn't deserve was for fans to ignore his rookie accomplishments and their dismissals for his 2nd season failures Its one thing to be "disappointed" with a player's season, but its another to dismiss him simply because he screwed up early in his career.
So while we all (myself included) revelled in our shinny new toys like Jones, Hightower, Bequette, and Scott, Cunningham was quietly busy learning the lessons of the 2011 season and grinding away in the Pats new weight room. The end result being a "new" Jermaine Cunningham. The guy who can NOW be associated with terms like "sudden" and "burst"
Now this is a development that isn't earth shaking or impactful to the Pats overall success this season. But it IS a nice redemptive story and adds depth to a position that is so full of promise, yet has little proven success. It bares watching.
2. In a very similar vein, its interesting to read that Ron Brace has been "flashing" early on in the first 2 days of padded practices. This will be Brace's 4th season as a Patriot. The first was utterly disappointing for a 2nd round pick. His second was much improved and on the rise until he was cut down by an injury late in the season. An injury that carried over into last season, severely limiting his progress and production.
This truly is a do or die season for Brace if he wants to continue with the Pats. Its a good sign that he's "flashing" somewhat. We need some big bodies in the trenches
3. I know he's been the subject of much debate already, but it WILL be interesting to see if Julian Edelman can become something more than "just" a special teams, jack of all trades player. He's the 3rd player that we've heard about, who has "flashed" to observers thus far, that we didn't expected much from going into camp
TC is very important to him to show that he has made the leap from QB to WR, because, barring an injury to Welker, its very unlikely that he's going to get many snaps at the slot position. Still it would be good to see him have a productive preseason. It will quiet the haters, comfort us knowing we have good depth at the position, AND let the Pats know that they may already have an adequate replacement for Welker after this season.
4. Speaking of pleasant surprises. I'm happy to hear that Chandler Jones has already started to stand out in camp. Its come earlier than I expected or was led to believe.
5. Less surprising but no less comforting, are the reports of Donta Hightower looking like a man among boys early in camp. It will be interesting to see where and how the Pats will use this weapon because that's what he is going to be.
6. Last season the Pats ranked 14th in sacks with 40, just 2 sacks away from being in the top 10. That was an excellent performance give the Pats had just 3 guys that one would consider legit Pass rushers (Carter, Anderson and Ninko) THIS season Reiss, in a recent report named 10 though 4 were more inside pocket pushers than true rushers ( Vince, Deadrick, Brace, and Love)
However in Ninko, Jones, Bequette, Scott, Cunningham, Fenene, and Hightower there are now 7 guys who can be considered or at least have the potential to be legit pass rush threats, and add Carter in late August and we've almost tripled the number of pass rush options than we had last season
7. So what is left to find out over the next 5 weeks? Well the most critical element IMHO is the secondary. A hard area to evaluate when you aren't in a game situation I think the joint practices with the Saints will be a good place to start.
8 Other nice surprises thus far....according to those who have watched the practices
a. Will Allen looks good at safety and still very fast as such an advanced age.
b. Nate Solder looks bigger and stronger and ready to take the next step as the Pats new LT
c. Lloyd is everything we've hoped for so far
d. the "screen" is back, baby
e. Hard to believe, but Aaron Hernandez looks even better
9. Other interesting things I'm looking forward to seeing over the course of next month
a. Is Ryan Mallet just a strong armed kid who can't process fast enough to make good decisions, or will he win the back up job and become the next pawn in BB's plan to restock the draft machine
b. Can Brian Hoyer show enough to worth a draft pick to someone.
c. Who gets to stay among Branch, Stallworth, Davis, and Gaffney
d. Who among the RB's emerges, and which FB survives
e. A Daniel Fells sighting.
10. Pet peeves
a. I love Greg Bedard, but I still can't figure out how he can so definitively grade those one on one battles from so far away. I have to believe someone is slipping him the practice tape
b. The Concussion suits. - Every time I see a new entry to this money grab, I can only think of the Casablanca scene when Louis says to Rick, "I am shocked to find out that there is Gambling going on in this club".....and then accepts his winnings.
To think that Players didn't know that large men running at high speeds into one another didn't hold some potential long term health risks aren't being honest. No one is THAT stupid. Just another example of our need to blame someone for everything. Another example of not taking responsibility for our own actions, AND another example of the misuse of our legal system (which needs reform badly) to make a money grab.
c. People who make judgments based on just 2 practices with pads
1. Its one thing to give props to Jeramaine Cunningham for winning one of the 10 parking spaces for his off season excellence. Its another thing to hear his name being mentioned in the same breath with terms like "burst" and "turning the corner".
I don't think enough credit was given to Cunningham for his first year here. Its been well documented that the transition from a college DE to a 2 gap - 3-4 OLB is one of the most difficult. It took guys like Vrable, Colvin, and Ninko 4 or 5 years to fully grasp the position and become impact players. The fact that Cunningham was forced into a starting position so early and wasn't a liability is a compliment. That Mike Reiss mentioned, that he had 23 QB pressures was even more impressive, given that he didn't seem to have that "burst" that excites us all in our pass rushers.
Cunningham can only blame himself for last year's lost season. Clearly, left on his own, he didn't respond well to the lockout. He came into camp out of shape, got injured, was passed by Anderson and Carter, and wound up on IR midway through the season. He deserved the results he created by his own lack of professionalism. What he didn't deserve was for fans to ignore his rookie accomplishments and their dismissals for his 2nd season failures Its one thing to be "disappointed" with a player's season, but its another to dismiss him simply because he screwed up early in his career.
So while we all (myself included) revelled in our shinny new toys like Jones, Hightower, Bequette, and Scott, Cunningham was quietly busy learning the lessons of the 2011 season and grinding away in the Pats new weight room. The end result being a "new" Jermaine Cunningham. The guy who can NOW be associated with terms like "sudden" and "burst"
Now this is a development that isn't earth shaking or impactful to the Pats overall success this season. But it IS a nice redemptive story and adds depth to a position that is so full of promise, yet has little proven success. It bares watching.
2. In a very similar vein, its interesting to read that Ron Brace has been "flashing" early on in the first 2 days of padded practices. This will be Brace's 4th season as a Patriot. The first was utterly disappointing for a 2nd round pick. His second was much improved and on the rise until he was cut down by an injury late in the season. An injury that carried over into last season, severely limiting his progress and production.
This truly is a do or die season for Brace if he wants to continue with the Pats. Its a good sign that he's "flashing" somewhat. We need some big bodies in the trenches
3. I know he's been the subject of much debate already, but it WILL be interesting to see if Julian Edelman can become something more than "just" a special teams, jack of all trades player. He's the 3rd player that we've heard about, who has "flashed" to observers thus far, that we didn't expected much from going into camp
TC is very important to him to show that he has made the leap from QB to WR, because, barring an injury to Welker, its very unlikely that he's going to get many snaps at the slot position. Still it would be good to see him have a productive preseason. It will quiet the haters, comfort us knowing we have good depth at the position, AND let the Pats know that they may already have an adequate replacement for Welker after this season.
4. Speaking of pleasant surprises. I'm happy to hear that Chandler Jones has already started to stand out in camp. Its come earlier than I expected or was led to believe.
5. Less surprising but no less comforting, are the reports of Donta Hightower looking like a man among boys early in camp. It will be interesting to see where and how the Pats will use this weapon because that's what he is going to be.
6. Last season the Pats ranked 14th in sacks with 40, just 2 sacks away from being in the top 10. That was an excellent performance give the Pats had just 3 guys that one would consider legit Pass rushers (Carter, Anderson and Ninko) THIS season Reiss, in a recent report named 10 though 4 were more inside pocket pushers than true rushers ( Vince, Deadrick, Brace, and Love)
However in Ninko, Jones, Bequette, Scott, Cunningham, Fenene, and Hightower there are now 7 guys who can be considered or at least have the potential to be legit pass rush threats, and add Carter in late August and we've almost tripled the number of pass rush options than we had last season
7. So what is left to find out over the next 5 weeks? Well the most critical element IMHO is the secondary. A hard area to evaluate when you aren't in a game situation I think the joint practices with the Saints will be a good place to start.
8 Other nice surprises thus far....according to those who have watched the practices
a. Will Allen looks good at safety and still very fast as such an advanced age.
b. Nate Solder looks bigger and stronger and ready to take the next step as the Pats new LT
c. Lloyd is everything we've hoped for so far
d. the "screen" is back, baby
e. Hard to believe, but Aaron Hernandez looks even better
9. Other interesting things I'm looking forward to seeing over the course of next month
a. Is Ryan Mallet just a strong armed kid who can't process fast enough to make good decisions, or will he win the back up job and become the next pawn in BB's plan to restock the draft machine
b. Can Brian Hoyer show enough to worth a draft pick to someone.
c. Who gets to stay among Branch, Stallworth, Davis, and Gaffney
d. Who among the RB's emerges, and which FB survives
e. A Daniel Fells sighting.
10. Pet peeves
a. I love Greg Bedard, but I still can't figure out how he can so definitively grade those one on one battles from so far away. I have to believe someone is slipping him the practice tape
b. The Concussion suits. - Every time I see a new entry to this money grab, I can only think of the Casablanca scene when Louis says to Rick, "I am shocked to find out that there is Gambling going on in this club".....and then accepts his winnings.
To think that Players didn't know that large men running at high speeds into one another didn't hold some potential long term health risks aren't being honest. No one is THAT stupid. Just another example of our need to blame someone for everything. Another example of not taking responsibility for our own actions, AND another example of the misuse of our legal system (which needs reform badly) to make a money grab.
c. People who make judgments based on just 2 practices with pads