Calling Chung or any other rookie player BB didn't cut from the roster after training camp or one season is idiotic... period.  Mike Vrabel was a career backup for the Steelers and didn't start until he became a PAT...  boy talk about instant gratification and spoiled fans...  get some perspective please.
Posted by wozzy

A first year safety's stat sheet, # of starts, and (lack of) playing time are not a very good indication of that player's future. "Z" posted first year stats from some great safeties that are similar to Chung's. To draw a conclusion that Chung is a bust and can't cover mainly from his stats, I believe is premature.
 
RESPONSE: I didn't reach a conclusion that Chung couldn't cover from his stats. I reached it from watching him play.

I have a feeling Chung will improve with experience and become the leader of the Pats' defensive backfield. A tough tackler will inspire others. He has shown this in his limited playing time. In college he showed leadership in cover as well.
 
RESPONSE: I hope you're right. But, I don't see it. His college teamate, Jarrius Byrd (the 42nd overall selection in the 2009 draft), had a great rookie year in Buffalo with 9 picks. But, Chung showed nothing. As far as Chung as a hitter, let me quote Muhammad Ali: "I don't worry about hittin' power. Hittin' power means nothin' when you can't find nothin' to hit! Chung didn't appear to be in on very many plays last year...causing me to question his instincts, and his ball skills as a DB.          

We shall see if he can do both in the pros. The Pats will need it from him. I do not think Meriweather can provide leadership and stability back there. If the last defender blows coverage and misses critical tackles (not to mention being a clown at times), he needs help, support and guidance from those next to him. The pro bowl does not make you a leader.

RESPONSE: I tend to agree. The Pats selected Chung to replace Rodney Harrison. Unfortunately, he has shown little of the Harrison-like skills thus far.

Posted by Ol44

Just a question for Texas or anyone really put isnt the standard we give them three years before we decide to call a pick a bust or not, or has that changed when it comes to Chung.
 
RESPONSE: That's what the "talking heads" say. But, you can usually tell pretty quick whether or not a guy has the potential to be a player. I just didn't see any of that from Chung.

I understand that you wanted Chung to come in and be great, but most of the time, the only true blue chip prospects are top ten to fifteen, not into the second round. Give the guy more of a chance, last year was just a bad year overall. Give him two more years then you can call him a bust if he hasn't improved.

RESPONSE: Hope you're right. Maybe I am getting a bit frustrated with all the poor drafts...losses to the Colts...and deterioration of the defense.

Posted by thejoshuatree28

If Brady doesn't get hurt in 2008, they go to the SB, not the Steelers.  We all know it.

RESPONSE: I disagree. I felt that Brady, and the entire team were psychologically scarred by the loss of the SB, and perfection, to the NY Giants. 

Brady has a "bad  year" by his standards last year, and it's his best statistical season next to 2007.

RESPONSE: Brady would been better had his OL protected him better, and opened some holes for his RBs.

3rd overall offene in the league and they can't score in the 2nd half of games because they didn't have the diversity with personnel to do it.

RESPONSE: I disagree. With all due respect to BB, I feel that he tries to do too much. I disagree with the Patriots' philosophy on paying assistant coaches. The Pats were outcoached in the second half of far too many games last year...and their defensive weaknesses were exposed. The Dean Pees hire...and subsequent failure to fire, hurt the Pats.

Teams loaded up on Moss and Welker and each of these 3 key figures still dominated statistically, so that should tell even a casual Pats fan a balanced attack makes everyone better.
 
RESPONSE: Prior to training camp last year, I complained about the Joey Galloway signing, and the decision to let Jabbar Gaffney go. I stated that lack of a quality option playing opposite of Randy Moss would hurt the team...and it did. 

It's ridiculous and arrogant to think Belichick presses a button and puts this team into a SB automatically every year. They had a lot of bumps last year (no balance on offense, more injuries than we knew, and a rebuilding, young D).
 
RESPONSE: It's BB's job to press the right buttons. Unfortunately, he hasn't. Poor drafting, and some poor free agency decisions have hurt the team. On the other hand...check out the Colts. Bill Polian has found ways to replace such key players as WR Marvin Harrison, RB Edgerrin James, SS Bob Sanders, LT Tarik Glenn, LB David Thorton, LB Caito June, and CB Nick Harper...on the fly. 

I have no idea why supposed Pats fans remove simple contexts from the equation. They must complain about everything in real life, it appears.
 
RESPONSE: What are you talking about? Whose complaining about "real life"? What does that have to do with poor drafting, and poor free agency acquisitions?

Too much ketchup on their burger at McDonald's must send them into a tizzy.

RESPONSE: If your happy with seeing the once proud Patriots getting pushed around by the Indianapolis Colts, crushed at home by the Baltimore Ravens, and struggling against mediocre competition on the road, fine. I'm not...particularly when the team still has Tom Brady, and BB. Rather than sit back and accept mediocrity...I'd rather see positive changes made to turn things around. The Pats need better assistant coaches to help BB. But, most importantly, changes need to be made in the scouting department. Though the Pats yearly do a great job of accumulating draft choices, too many of those picks have been wasted on bad selections. Too many to  justify the status quo. 

Posted by russgriswold

     Here's an article on Chung: http://www.nesn.com/2010/04/patrick-chung-on-a-mission-in-patriots-secondary.html
Posted by TexasPat3

I thought Chung flashed some signs of being a playmaker but as a rookie couldn't handle the coverage side of his responsibilities.  He actually was one of the few players that put some pressure on the opposing quarterback once in a while.  So if he can learn the coverages, I think Merriweather and Chung will be a good combo.  Chung did get some penalties during special teams for late hits and I believe hits to the head of the quarterback, he'll have to tone those down but I like his potential to be a playmaker, which our defense desperately needs.
Posted by HartLeeDykesEuguneChung

In Response to Re: Patrick Chung :
Posted by TexasPat3

In Response to Patrick Chung :      Surely you jest. Chung was awful last year. The guy can't cover.
Posted by TexasPat3

I agree with you both he looked lost in that game in coverage, but he seemed to gain more confidence as the season went on. The guy will hit you, something Sanders has not shown me. Still remember the Super Bowl, and Tyree catching the ball and Rodney fighting him, Sanders not helping out on a floater, had plenty of time to help out, but instead stood there to watch the play, 4 or 5 yards behind. That ended it for me with him.
Posted by bobbysu

In Response to Re: Patrick Chung :
Posted by TexasPat3

Mighty Meriwhether has over 80 tackles last year what are you talking about he cant tackle?
Posted by MVPKilla2009

In Response to Re: Patrick Chung :      Based on what?? Why do you think he got so little playing time? The guy can't cover. Didn't you watch the Patriots' games last season?
Posted by TexasPat3

In Response to Re: Patrick Chung : I am not going to be irrational with a team replacing 5 or 6 Pro Bowl caliber players on D, some of whom are HOF caliber (Harrison, Seymour, Bruschi, etc).
 
RESPONSE: You say I'm being irrational? Why? Because I dare to criticize some of the poor free agency signing decisions...and call the Pats on the carpet for poor drafts? Do you think that the Patriots have drafted well since 2005? Their failure to replace the players you speak of through the draft speaks volumes.

This is where I differ from you. I have a brain, you and others, apparently don't.
 
RESPONSE: If anything, this comment shows that just the opposite is true. I have not personally insulted or attacked you. It is you who choose to be rude. Why is it that people who can't defend they positions shift to name calling?

This isn't Madden football or fantasy league. It's the cap era NFL where 80% of teams can't even put together back to back winning seasons.
 
RESPONSE: That didn't stop the Pats til post 2005, when they lost most of their quality scouts and personnel people...and started drafting poorly. 

The last TWO Colts games, NE DOMINATED Indy. DOminated. At Indy, on the road.
 
RESPONSE: You can't be serious. The Pats lost to the Colts in 2008, and 2009. A great off-season in 2007, in which the Pats wisely used their draft choices to acquire Wes Welker, Randy Moss, Brandon Meriweather, and a #1 draft choice in 2008, which they used to select Jerod Mayo, was outstanding...and drastically improved the team. But, 2006, 2008-09, have been another story.  

In 2007, NE faced 12 penalties to Indy's 2.   They were lucky to win that game after such a lopsided series of phantom calls.
 
RESPONSE: This happens on the road. But I grant you, it especially seems to happen when teams play the Colts. But, the Pats immense talent in 2007 overcame the BS calls.

In 2008, A Gaffney TD drop lost the game.   That was with Matt Cassel. The NE D allowed 6 FGs in that game, for 18 points.

RESPONSE: The Patriots lost.Sure...Gaffney's gaff hurt. It happens. Nonetheless, the Pats' lost. Settling for FGs in the redzone did them in.

I question what games people watch and if they watch the same games I do. In 2009, NE had the lead for the 55 minutes until a phantom PI call on BUtler and and misjudged spot call at the end handed Indy the win.
 
RESPONSE: Nonetheless, the Pats' lost. They didn't have the talent on defense to stop the Colts...leading to BB's correct, but failed, 4th and 2 decision.

In successive seasons, they outplayed Indy, and this is with a back up QB and a QB who had missed a whole season. You leave out contexts on purpose and pretend Madden Football is exactly like real life. I don't.
 
RESPONSE: No...you simply choose to ignore reality. The Patriots, for whatever reasons, lost. They weren't good enough to hold a big lead last year, and weren't able to score TDs instead of FGs in 2008. 

As for Baltimore, they killed the Pats and deserved to win.  I am not completely surprised, as they were out of gas and got beat by a better team.  Period.
 
RESPONSE: Agreed.

It's the first home playoff loss since 1978 in NE and BB/Brady's first at home, EVER. You think winning NFL games is easy, do ya?

RESPONSE: The question you should be asking is not whether winning playoff games is easy...but what caused the Patriots to decline as a team...and what needs to be done to get them back on track.  

What have the Colts done except play in an easy division?
 
RESPONSE: Come now. Other than last year, the AFC South has been a stronger division than the AFC East.

Tony Ugoh is a bust and has not replaced Tarik Glenn.
 
RESPONSE: True...But Bill Polian found OT Charlie Johnson, an undrafted free agent, to replace Glenn. While no Walter Jones, Johnson has done a fine job: http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=bio&player_id=386 

At all. In fact, that O Line was a main reason Indy lost the Super Bowl.
 
RESPONSE: Nonsense. You are mimicking Bill Polian...who was making excuses for his horse-faced QB, and perhaps sending a smoke-screen to mask his draft intentions. The Dwight Freeney ankle injury prevented Indy from pressuring Drew Brees. This is why Polian wisely selected pass-rusher Jerry Hughes...a Robert Mathis clone...with his first round pick.

     I have to digress here, Isn't it ironic that Polian strived so hard to keep his top players healthy...including giving up a shot at perfection...and yet he was still done in at the end with the Freeney injury? LOL!! 

     If OL was such a problem, why didn't Polian make it a priority in his draft? Furthermore, the Colts OL did a fine job of making running room for  Joe Addai. Perhaps the Colts should have relied more on him?  

Bill Polian is not replacing potential Hall of Famers like BB has had to do.
 
RESPONSE: Really? What about RB Edgerrin James, WR Marvin Harrison, former defensive player of the year Bob Sanders, LB Caito June, and LT Tarik Glenn?

And we'll see just how good each team's drafts have been right now, won't we? Bob Sanders has played in less than 50% of potential games with a huge payout.
 
RESPONSE: Injuries are part of the game, and can't be helped. Surely you're not saying that Sanders was a bad pick? He's one of the main reasons why the Colts won a SB in 2006 

Based on ROI/economics alone, that's a borderline bust.
 
RESPONSE: Sorry...but that's laughable.

I am so tired of hearing how great Polian is when he has one ring, gets Houston, Jax and even an inconsistent Tenn team every year.

RESPONSE: And the Patriots played the Jests, the Mr. Fail Fast First led 'Fins, and the Buffalo Jills. Only recently have the Jets and 'Fins bounced back. The Titans won their division in 2008. Jacksonville was a tough playoff out in 2007...beating the Steelers in consecutive weeks in Pittsburgh, and giving the unbeaten Pats all they could handle. Furthermore, the combined record of AFC South teams last year was 38-26, while the combined record of the AFC East teams was 32-32.

I won't go into his ability to control league rules from his position on the Comp. Committee.

RESPONSE: I will. The NFL has allowed this obvious conflict of interest to continue for far too long. 

He's the GM version of Bill Cowher, where Cowher would spit and push players around playing tough guy in the regular season against Cincy and Cleveland 2x per year for 15 years.

RESPONSE: What are you talking about?!! I can't stand Polian. But I must admit that he is one of, if not the best personnel evaluator in the game.

Wow!  Indy signs average FAs far more than NE does.   Overall, his drafts aren't any better than BBs.

RESPONSE: Why don't you go back and compare the Colts' drafts with the Pats' drafts, since 2005? Meanwhile, chew on this: http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Articles/11_3204_Belichick_umpteen-uples_down_on_DBs_in_the_draft_.html 

Posted by russgriswold

Answer: The sound a quarterback hears in his head when he gets slammed to the turf by a blitzing safety. Question: What is Chung?
Posted by p-mike

In Response to Re: Patrick Chung :
Posted by TexasPat3

In Response to Re: Patrick Chung : It's pretty comical to me you are telling me to look for the cause of it when I know the cause of a non-14-2 or 13-3 season, even last year. The problems are being addressed very nicely, if I don't say so myself.
 
RESPONSE: That remains to be seen.

Youre dramatic, sweeping comments are so far off it's not even funny. You cannot replace Pro Bowl caliber players overnight.  You can't do it in the draft nor can you do it in the FA.

RESPONSE: If you can't rebuild through the draft or through free agency, then how is it done?

It takes more than a year.
 
RESPONSE: The Pats rebuilt their team to championship status in 2007 through free agency, and artful use of the draft. They have been reloading/rebuilding on the 2007 team for three years...2008-2010

BB runs a 3-4.  Caldwell runs a 4-3.  It's a lot easier to build for a 4-3. Case closed.

RESPONSE: If that's the ccase, why are so many teams going to the 3-4?

Posted by russgriswold

Answer: The sound a quarterback hears in his head when he gets slammed to the turf by a blitzing safety. Question: What is Chung?
Posted by p-mike