Patriots shrug off Spygate, focus on new season

[SVN]

one of those -"lets write something about pats in the middle of the favre stories"

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10899795

 

[ScottieC]

one of those -"lets write something about pats in the middle of the favre stories"

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10899795

"Randy Moss signed a three-year, $27 million contract after catching an NFL-record 20 touchdown passes."

Obviously this guy focused more on Cameragate rather than Fact checking.....gate.

 

[PAPatsjunkie]

"That ankle injury limited Brady's offseason training. "

It did?

 

[signbabybrady]

There is one quote in the whole article so who is shruging and saying they are moving on not that it isn't the case but just another piece of evidence as to why this seems to have been one more excuse to trash the Pats.



Note: the quote was From Neal who I have not heard much from all offseason nice to see he is available for interview.

 

[Kontradiction]

Honestly, as time goes by, I'm getting more and more worried about our secondary. We will be starting at least one rookie there, a cornerback from the Lions, Ellis "toast" Hobbs, and Rodney is aging and is a liability in coverage. I don't know, hopefully I'm proven wrong. However, I think that teams will find a way to put up a good amount of points on us early in the season.

 

[ScottieC]

"That ankle injury limited Brady's offseason training. "

It did?

Right, I'm sure he got that from that AP story that ran after Brady gave that self deprecating joke that he still "Can't run or jump" and they took it literally and linked it back to his ankle.

 

[ScottieC]

There is one quote in the whole article so who is shruging and saying they are moving on not that it isn't the case but just another piece of evidence as to why this seems to have been one more excuse to trash the Pats.



Note: the quote was From Neal who I have not heard much from all offseason nice to see he is available for interview.

Clearly someone at CBS was in a meeting and realized they did not have a Pats story and assigned this person to write one - Having no sources, they linked a bunch of old quotes and tired news and published that pile of crap.

I'm embracing the hate in '08 - Are you??

 

[ScottieC]

Honestly, as time goes by, I'm getting more and more worried about our secondary. We will be starting at least one rookie there, a cornerback from the Lions, Ellis "toast" Hobbs, and Rodney is aging and is a liability in coverage. I don't know, hopefully I'm proven wrong. However, I think that teams will find a way to put up a good amount of points on us early in the season.

In Bill Belichick I trust.

 

[Rob0729]

Honestly, as time goes by, I'm getting more and more worried about our secondary. We will be starting at least one rookie there, a cornerback from the Lions, Ellis "toast" Hobbs, and Rodney is aging and is a liability in coverage. I don't know, hopefully I'm proven wrong. However, I think that teams will find a way to put up a good amount of points on us early in the season.

We will be starting at least one rookie in the secondary? Really?!? We may end up starting a rookie in the secondary as the year goes on, but right now the depth chart doesn't have a single rookie starting at any position on the team.

The Pats are more likely going to move to a man and/or press coverage scheme which should allow Hobbs to shine more. The last two years, the Pats have played him primarily off the line which isn't his strength. He shined his rookie season hitting the receiver right off the line and more of a physical CB than a read and react one.

Fernando Bryant is a decent CB. He did a pretty good job on a team with an average to mediocre pass rush in Detriot. He could be a Tyrone Poole type pick up who has at least one outstanding season on the Pats.

If Merriweather can live up to his draft position this year, we should be fine at safety with Sanders playing spot duty at both positions and Tank Williams backing up Harrison to allow him to stay fresh.

I think there are some areas of concern with the secondary, but I am not all that worried. This team has always been more about pressure from the front seven than coverage in the secondary. We won a Super Bowl with a secondary that was potentially worse than this one at every position other than Harrison's (Harrison in 2004 is clearly better than the 2008 version).

 

[Rob0729]

As for the story itself, who cares? Every team is going to have a similiar type of piece run about them in the next few weeks. Obviously it won't be Spygate related or our team issues and concerns, but will talk about each team's issues and concerns. It is standard offseason fodder type of piece.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

how come i never see any articles about mangini's time as a protege to coach belichick and why he never said a peep back then. or the hypocrisy of him squeeling on the pats and benefitting from the taping by getting a hc job.

while i hear the cries for romeo and charlie to talk, why no cries for mangina to talk.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

We will be starting at least one rookie in the secondary? Really?!? We may end up starting a rookie in the secondary as the year goes on, but right now the depth chart doesn't have a single rookie starting at any position on the team.

The Pats are more likely going to move to a man and/or press coverage scheme which should allow Hobbs to shine more. The last two years, the Pats have played him primarily off the line which isn't his strength. He shined his rookie season hitting the receiver right off the line and more of a physical CB than a read and react one.

Fernando Bryant is a decent CB. He did a pretty good job on a team with an average to mediocre pass rush in Detriot. He could be a Tyrone Poole type pick up who has at least one outstanding season on the Pats.

If Merriweather can live up to his draft position this year, we should be fine at safety with Sanders playing spot duty at both positions and Tank Williams backing up Harrison to allow him to stay fresh.

I think there are some areas of concern with the secondary, but I am not all that worried. This team has always been more about pressure from the front seven than coverage in the secondary. We won a Super Bowl with a secondary that was potentially worse than this one at every position other than Harrison's (Harrison in 2004 is clearly better than the 2008 version).

we've won with a makeshift secondary before. In 04', we had troy brown playing CB. We've had Law come and go, and we won a superbowl without him, Lawyer mallow came and went, we won two super bowls without him, so I am confident we can win without Asante.

That said, I would not be surprised if Terence Wheatley starts. This kid is going to be great I feel. He's got heart, leadership and plays smart (not to mention fast). Asante was talented but had no heart - he took the last two minutes of the Super Bowl off and it killed us. Jonathan Wilhete too looks promising. BB has started a rookie before - didn't Asante start his rookie year? Plus the giants started Aaron Ross last year ( who was a rookie). I think this whole idea that we can't start a rookie CB or safety is overrated.

 

[Kontradiction]

how come i never see any articles about mangini's time as a protege to coach belichick and why he never said a peep back then. or the hypocrisy of him squeeling on the pats and benefitting from the taping by getting a hc job.

while i hear the cries for romeo and charlie to talk, why no cries for mangina to talk.

It's pretty hard to talk with all that cake in his mouth.

 

[Rob0729]

how come i never see any articles about mangini's time as a protege to coach belichick and why he never said a peep back then. or the hypocrisy of him squeeling on the pats and benefitting from the taping by getting a hc job.

while i hear the cries for romeo and charlie to talk, why no cries for mangina to talk.

I don't hear all that many cries about Crennel, but a lot about Weis. Weis makes sense since the Pats videotaped defensive signals.

The media won't shed Mangini in a bad light on this issue because they need a good guy/victim in the whole Spygate and Patriots vs. Jets story. It sells better if Mangini is the character guy who is battling his evil former mentor. It is Darth Vader battling Luke Skywalker. Not just in this case, the media these days are about delivering news as entertainment, not actual news. Good vs. evil sells better than shades of grey.

 

[Raffy15]

I really just hope spygate will not linger into the regular season.

 

[Rob0729]

we've won with a makeshift secondary before. In 04', we had troy brown playing CB. We've had Law come and go, and we won a superbowl without him, Lawyer mallow came and went, we won two super bowls without him, so I am confident we can win without Asante.

That said, I would not be surprised if Terence Wheatley starts. This kid is going to be great I feel. He's got heart, leadership and plays smart (not to mention fast). Asante was talented but had no heart - he took the last two minutes of the Super Bowl off and it killed us. Jonathan Wilhete too looks promising. BB has started a rookie before - didn't Asante start his rookie year? Plus the giants started Aaron Ross last year ( who was a rookie). I think this whole idea that we can't start a rookie CB or safety is overrated.

Wheatley could win his way into the starting line up this year, but doubtfully to start the season. Belichick hates to start rookies right off the bat except in neccessary situations. He has started rookies off the bat or near off the bat (Light, Seymour, Mankins, and Wilson come to mind). But I don't think a rookie defensive player started right off the bat since Wilson who was thrown in there out of his natural position because they had no one else. Mayo has a chance of winning the starting position right away, but I can't see Wheatley barring injuries.

 

[Raffy15]

Wheatley could win his way into the starting line up this year, but doubtfully to start the season. Belichick hates to start rookies right off the bat except in neccessary situations. He has started rookies off the bat or near off the bat (Light, Seymour, Mankins, and Wilson come to mind). But I don't think a rookie defensive player started right off the bat since Wilson who was thrown in there out of his natural position because they had no one else. Mayo has a chance of winning the starting position right away, but I can't see Wheatley barring injuries.

How about Fernando Bryant winning the starting job?

 

[Kontradiction]

We will be starting at least one rookie in the secondary? Really?!? We may end up starting a rookie in the secondary as the year goes on, but right now the depth chart doesn't have a single rookie starting at any position on the team.

The Pats are more likely going to move to a man and/or press coverage scheme which should allow Hobbs to shine more. The last two years, the Pats have played him primarily off the line which isn't his strength. He shined his rookie season hitting the receiver right off the line and more of a physical CB than a read and react one.

Fernando Bryant is a decent CB. He did a pretty good job on a team with an average to mediocre pass rush in Detriot. He could be a Tyrone Poole type pick up who has at least one outstanding season on the Pats.

If Merriweather can live up to his draft position this year, we should be fine at safety with Sanders playing spot duty at both positions and Tank Williams backing up Harrison to allow him to stay fresh.

I think there are some areas of concern with the secondary, but I am not all that worried. This team has always been more about pressure from the front seven than coverage in the secondary. We won a Super Bowl with a secondary that was potentially worse than this one at every position other than Harrison's (Harrison in 2004 is clearly better than the 2008 version).

I hope you're right man. I just have a feeling it's going to be a hobbled Hobbs (wow, look at that), Fernando Bryant, and Terrence Wheatley as the starters. If it's like that in the beginning of the season, look for us to be in a couple of shoot-outs.

 

[Rob0729]

How about Fernando Bryant winning the starting job?

Right now the opening day starters are Hobbs and Bryant. Right now, Bryant's experience will give him the edge over any rookie on the team. Odds are unless he totally stinks in the preseason, he will keep the job over Wheatley at least to start the season.

 

[Raffy15]

Right now the opening day starters are Hobbs and Bryant. Right now, Bryant's experience will give him the edge over any rookie on the team. Odds are unless he totally stinks in the preseason, he will keep the job over Wheatley at least to start the season.

I'm really not a huge hobbs fan but i guess he is our only option. any word on merriweather's progression at safety?