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No question. Casual fans may not realize that, but we've been making the "teams use subpackages at minimum 40% of the time and as much as 80% in any given game" for years. The trend away from 3-4 teams using four man nickel fronts continues, so the Pats were a little unusual in that regard last year. But the Patriots have been a 3-4 base team, and only rarely choosing to put the 4-3 in as a primary part of their game plan over the past couple of seasons. Going from a 400-100 3-4/4-3 base snap split to a 100-400 split would require different personnel, especially for a 3-4 team that 2-gaps as much as NE has.
I think Belichick is nervous about his pass rush. Moving to a 4-3 puts Cunningham and Moore in a more comfortable position for them, though they'll have to prove they can make the transition to NFL DE. I don't think Haynesworth has to play in the base defense to have value to NE. I think he can be a nickel 3-technique specialist and be a major upgrade on the pass rush. I think that's why they were looking at Tommie Harris, too. Harris is arguably no longer a fit for even a penetrating base 4-3.
there is as much indication that they will be playing mayo at nt as haynesworth -- you just imagined that inside your own head.as for his cost, I don't know if he signed for any guaranteed money, but I believe he's only due 1.5m this year, which is pretty typical of a pats vet gamble signing.
in that article bill makes it clear that he intends to keep mayo in the tackle box, but I think he's referring to 'inside' as opposed to outside in a 3-4 sense.if he plays wlb in the 4-3 under he's staying true to bill's description, and I think spikes fits more mlb, coming out in nickel.everybody's overloaded with everything right now because they haven't cut down, so we might have an extra 4-3 end, or two, but I wouldn't say we're particularly 'overloaded' -- they just stack every position and let them compete.you could say the same about rb or wr.3-4 olb is actually a position where we're very thin --- I doubt you could list 3 guys who are naturally 3-4 olb.maybe the closest we have is cunningham who just converted to the position and played it part time last year.that's one thing more 4-3 would help us with, is putting more 4-3 ends on the field as opposed to making 4-3 ends play 3-4 olb, but maybe this is all just a question of semantics and technique if you intend to send the 3-4 olb all the time instead of dropping them into coverage.mayo should be out there every down, and if he's wlb behind haynesworth and wilfork I think he could have a great year.spikes would also be a good producer, but I'm not convinced he stays out there on passing downs.
this is a deep group, IMO:Andre CarterShaun EllisMike WrightMark AndersonJermaine CunninghamEric MooreIf they play primarily in a 4-3 front (which seems to be a popular prediction at the moment), then all those guys are mostly competing for 2 DE spots with a few exceptions (i.e., Ellis could slide inside, Carter/Cunningham/Moore could drop back to OLB at times).you're right that most of those guys are better fits at DE in a 4-3 than they are at OLB in a 3-4.But, also in the 4-3, you don't have clear fits for the WLB and SLB spots if you keep Mayo at MLB.there's enough pieces there that I'm sure Belichick will find a way to make it work no matter what he wants to do. Just tough to try and predict much right now.
That's a Belichick test."inside" translates to "inside the tackle box and off the line of scrimmage".Certainly possible that Spikes plays an OLB spot, but that's not what beat writers who saw the formation were reporting and that's not necessarily what's implied in Belichick's statements above.The 4-3 under will at minimum put one OLB outside the defensive end and often near the LOS. The other two linebackers will be stacked well inside the tackle box. One of those will be the MLB, one an OLB (whether that be termed the SLB or WLB depends on the playbook). I think it very likely that Mayo will be the stacked and protected OLB in a NE 4-3.The two issues that have my attention -- assuming the base is predominantly 3-4, which I'm still not wholly convinced of -- are (1) who gets the most rotational snaps at end and (2) whether Spikes plays over Guyton in the nickel. If the answer to (1) is Carter or Cunningham and they look capable, there's value to be had. If the answer to (2) is Spikes, it's more bad news for Mayo and a monster, monster upgrade for Spikes.
just basically repeats the same thing.
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4700310/starting-defense-for-patriots-5seems likely that Spikes will replace Fletcher eventually. Probably see Guyton hold onto the nickel role for awhile also.TAMPA -- Starting defense for the Patriots tonight in a 4-3 alignmentE -- Andre CarterDT -- Kyle LoveDT -- Vince WilforkDE -- Eric MooreSLB -- Rob NinkovichMLB -- Dane FletcherWLB -- Jerod MayoCB -- Devin McCourtyCB -- Kyle ArringtonS -- Brandon MeriweatherS -- Patrick ChungIn the sub defense, DE Mark Anderson, CB Leigh Bodden and LB Gary Guyton came on, replacing LB Rob Ninkovich, LB Dane Fletcher and DE Eric Moore.
I would say it remains on hold, it was never not on hold. We never had confirmation that he was a 3 down MLB. But it's early and he wasn't even in the game. If he plays week 3, I think we can get a better sense of things...
Too early to say. Looks less likely that he'll play in subpackages, especially with the missed time early, but we'll see.
I wouldn't think so. From my recollection, Patriots 3-4 DEs like Richard Seymour and Ty Warren have often kept their DT designations, perhaps as a result of the multiple fronts the Patriots use. So, a player like Haynesworth who is likely to be a DT in more than 50% of the snaps he plays should be safe.'tonato said:
Rotoworld reporting Guyton in the middle, and Spikes moved to SAM?Aaron or Jene can you confirm this? If so does Guyton play in the nickel?
That's almost certainly incorrect. There's nothing in the original source that names Brandon Spikes, much less confirms his position as SLB.Dane Fletcher started at MLB last night, Gary Guyton played MLB on the second series. Early camp reports detailing the alignment had Spikes in the middle.If Spikes is healthy, he's the MLB. This isn't a 4-3 Under with Tampa-2 principles where he'll have to race back 20 yards in coverage. He's the thumper. I've seen absolutely nothing to suggest that it'll be something other than Ninkovich/Spikes/Mayo.
Rotoworld retracts:Updating a previous item, Gary Guyton is running as the third-team middle linebacker for the Patriots.
Jene's right....Rotoworld's wrong, and thats why I pay for FBG! Thanks Jene!
Nothing much. Patriots forced into lots of nickel packages against Detroit 3 WR sets, which was notable in that Andre Carter didn't play many snaps at end. That doesn't concern me too much, as I expect he'll be in those packages in the regular season. When the Detroit offense used a 2 WR set, it was again a base 4-3. Dane Fletcher and Brandon Spikes remained out, leaving Gary Guyton as the MLB. Spikes was (finally) back at practice today.
Any impact from Shaun Ellis? Worth an add or too much of a part time player?
Awesome link. Little FBG flavor snuck into one of the images, too.
