Wilhite for 5

I must admit towards the end of the season, Merriweather and Wilhite were probably the lone bright spots of the secondary.

Go get 'em Jonathan!

Wilhite is a nickel back who was playing as a number two. Remind you of anyone? If you dont know Ellis Hobbs. I just hope the Pats if they get into the situation where Springs gets hurt they dont go to Wilhite.

Their is no way we can contend for a superbowl with Wilhite at number 2. I love the kid but no way. The skill set is just no there.

Uhh it was his rookie year last year how can you say the skill set is not there.

Dorian, remember they won the sb with rookie free agent Randall Gay as a starter.

With all due respect to #3, we won a Superbowl with Troy Brown and Randall Gay in the defensive backfield. I'm sure that Wilhite will be able to handle it if it comes to that. The Pats have a lot more depth at corner this year too, which means that Coach B. can package them in befuddling ways!

My concerns are the pass rush and the offensive line. Teams will be blitzing aggressively a la Giants, Eagles, and Ravens, because these were the only teams that hindered Brady and that 2007 offense. Suspect protection = 10 wins and no Superbowl.

Dorian,

Why are you so down on this kid already? His name is Wilhite, not Hobbs. He probably played a bit better than Hobbs at the end of the year. Now, we just finished OTAs and are about to go to TC and you found something to be down on him about already. I wouldn't want you around the kids I coach.

"Wilhite is a nickel back who was playing as a number two. Remind you of anyone?"

Yes, Asante Samuel. No, not really, but Samual was a 4th round pick that really stepped up his play when called upon to start. I wouldn't lock Wilhite as a nickle-only CB, I think he has the potential to be a quality starter at some point.

Mike--

Thanks for the info...Bottom line is if the Pats can't get to the QB it won't matter who is playing CB...MM

Dorian...whew it so good we have someone with your expertise! When you say, "there is no way we can contend for a superbowl with Wilhite at number 2", it is just comforting to have that all straitened away....awesone. I mean I would have thought no one on the planet would know that, but since you do that alleviates all that stress.

Towards the end of the year the guy came along. He even made a couple of plays and showed he could tackle. Besides that game in Seattle he was decent, he was a rookie. He should make some progress.

Randal Gay and Troy Brown could be put into that secondary because of how good that front 7 was.

The front 7 for the Pats now isnt as good as it was back in 07 and the Pats safties arent as good either.

In 04 it was Wilson and Harrison and Rodney was in all out beast mode that year. While now we have Meriweather who will get his first full year starting and a mediocre Sanders. The Pats need solid corners on the outside who can cover. Hobbs wasnt working he was a nickel corner who was a number one here and he was one of the main reasons why the Pats couldnt finish up 19-0.

Dorian, in 2007 Hobbs was the Patriots #2 corner. Samuel was the teams top CB (and he had a very good year, I might add).

Wilson and Harrison were both safeties, while Wilhite (the guy we're talking about) is a corner. But since you brought up Safeties, in '07 (the year appearently the current Safeties aren't as good as) the team had Harrison, Sanders (who you call mediocre) and a very young Meriweather (Wilson had a very bad year, and saw very little playing time after week 4).
This year at Safety, the Patriots have a much improved (over '07) Meriweather, Sanders (who is above-average, not mediocre), Chung (who might be this year's Mayo) and probably Springs sometimes. That's a very good group, in my opinion, maybe better than '07.

Back to Wilhite, he's a good, young corner who could probably be a solid starter in a year or two. Yes, he needs more experience (duh, this is only his second year), but in a camp full of talent (Springs, Bodden, Butler and Wheatley), he's still managing to stand out to some extent, which can only be a good sign for him.

While I agree that the '09 front 7 is not as good as the '04 front 7, really, it is no worse than the front 7 the team has fielded since '04. Just as long as there aren't a bunch of injuries at Linebacker, the team should be alright with who they have.

Now as far as the '07 Superbowl, there's plenty of blame to go around the whole team, not just one or two players. But the fact is, the Patriots lost a close game to a very good team. It happens.

)

I don't see why Wheatley isn't in the discussion for earning a starting spot. The kid showed a lot of promise in last year's training camp and in the few minutes he saw. I actually think this db group has the potential to be better than 2007. Despite not having that big playmaker like Samuel, we have two very solid veterans prob starting, 2 second-year guys with talent, and Darius Butler behind the scenes getting to be our future starter. For all the things people say about Meriweather, you gotta admit that he really made some great plays down the stretch last year.

I just hope Bill puts some of the younger guys in, that has to be my biggest beef with our D, it's like you have to have at least 10 years experience for Bill to even look at you or care about you.

Hobbs was not the reason the Pats lost that superbowl. Just because he was covering Burress on the final TD, should not obscure the fact that on the final drive, both Samuel and Merryweather dropped potential picks, Samuel being the easiest chance, Merryweather giving up a crucial first down to Smith on another play. Earlier in the game, Samuel went for a pick instead of batting down the TD pass to Tyree, meanwhile Hobbs came up with the only interception of the game. Blaming Hobbs for losing the SB is unfair.

Thomas, oh - for example, Mayo?
That being the case, you're right - BB's 3-4 defense is not the easiest to learn, especially for less experienced players.

Football becomes increasing cerebral as a player's career progresses. That's a huge factor in why so many "can't miss" draftees don't pan out and pro coaches put so much stock in Wonderlic scores plus their own football intelligence assessments.

Witness MikeR's reports on Pats players emphasizing film study, meetings, thick notebooks and the dedication to mental preparation.

Yes GlasgowPat, Pats defense had multiple ops to seal "that" SB. But IMO, the most determinate factor was inability if the Pats record-setting O to sustain drives and put 20+ points on the board.

With the all-out blitz call, Hobbs is all alone and makes the correct decision as coached: take away the in cut. I'd wager Samuel or even Ty Law in his prime gets burned in the same circumstances.

Boys and girls once and for all, the biggest reason the Pats lost that SB was THE GIANTS TEAM BEAT THE PATS TEAM - like the 2001 Pats beat the Rams - a much better squad, but that's the SB: the only major pro sport championship that's one and done.

Guess it will take a Miami SB this season win to finally retire this subject!

TD, be cool. Brady's gon see dat zone blitz fo sho.

Ritchie- I dont think you understand how important the safeties play a role in the defense and how helpful they are to the corners. With the way Wilson and Harrison were playing back their the corners could give up gains or not be as great in coverage because they had two safties who could keep up with the WRs and make the gains minimal. Once again I will say it the front 7 the Pats had also helped the Pats corners.

Since you cannot understand this the reason a pass rush can help is because while their may be open receivers down field how are you suppose to get them the ball if their is a LB putting his helmet in your chest.

And my god so the Pats have Bodden or Springs on one side of the field and then Wilhite is playing number 2. Going up against say an Owens in the playoffs or a Reggie Wayne? Its not like I dont like him I wish all our corners turned into shutdown corners but thats not how this game works and he isnt suited to be a number 2 simple as that.

The way I see it the front five on the OL and the front seven on the DL, on paper, have an opportunity to be much better than last year, when injuries significantly affected both.

Advancing age on one side and inexperience on the other, with questionable in betweens are what concern me. Depth looks good, but injuries to aging players could really hurt that depth.

Upside is that the Patriots could have a huge year. Downside is that they could have their worst season since 2005.

Dorian,
I understand what the Safetie's role's are. Understand the importance of the pass rush. I understand all of that. Don't try to insult my intelligence.
You made an arguement, and I pointed out the flaws in said arguement. Instead of refuting my reply, you said "I don't think you understand" and "since you cannot understand...." That's called a logical fallacy, Dorian.
Now if you think the Patriots are going to be SO bad, why watch? If Wilhite is going to be such a poor player, why cheer for him when he's on the field? If Bill Belichick is doing such a poor job, why wear an item with the Patriot's logo on it?