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various patriots idp (1 Viewer)

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4769567/patriots-defensive-snaps-big-vince?utm_source=twitterfeed

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A look at snaps played by New England Patriots' defenders in Sunday's win against the Bengals (penalties included):

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Vince Wilfork -- 50 of 55
Chris Jones -- 39 of 55
Casey Walker -- 14 of 55
Joe Vellano -- 5 of 55

Quick-hit thoughts: Wilfork played 49 of the first 49 snaps before coming off for five of the final six snaps. He remains the rock in the middle of the defense. Walker, who was signed off the Panthers' practice squad on Sept. 27, showed well in his debut with some interior disruption. He played two snaps in the first half and 12 in the second.

DEFENSIVE END
Rob Ninkovich -- 55 of 55
Dominique Easley -- 22 of 55
Chandler Jones -- 19 of 55
Michael Buchanan -- 14 of 55

Quick-hit thoughts: Easley started in place of Jones (right shoulder) but missed the second half with what the team reported as a shoulder injury. Jones was used as a situational pass-rusher.

LINEBACKER
Jamie Collins-- 55 of 55
Jerod Mayo -- 55 of 55
Deontae Skinner -- 13 of 55

Quick-hit thoughts: Playing without Dont'a Hightower, the Patriots turned to Skinner in the base defense to fill the void. The Patriots just weren't in their base that often, as the Bengals ran quite a few three-receiver sets, which had the New England defense matching with nickel (five defensive backs).

CORNERBACK
Alfonzo Dennard --55 of 55
Darrelle Revis -- 51 of 55
Kyle Arrington -- 45 of 55
Logan Ryan -- 4 of 55

Quick-hit thoughts: With Dennard's return to health after missing games in Weeks 2-4, he reclaimed his starting position from Ryan, with Arrington working exclusively as the nickel cornerback. Rookie Malcolm Butler was inactive, and if the Patriots activate Brandon Browner on Monday, keeping six cornerbacks on the roster might be a luxury the team can't afford.

SAFETY
Patrick Chung -- 49 of 55
Duron Harmon -- 37 of 55
Devin McCourty -- 22 of 55
Tavon Wilson -- 1 of 55

Quick-hit thoughts: McCourty suffered a rib injury on the fourth drive and didn't play again, which thrust Harmon into that spot as he played a season-high snap total. Wilson's one snap came on the final play of the first half, which was the Patriots' lone snap in the dime.
 
So what's the deal with Chandler Jones? The guy is making me crazy. Easley started over him because Jones was nursing an injury? And he still didn't play 3 downs even when Easley went out with an injury of his own?

 
Instead of making a thread, I'll ask here.

Collins hasn't been credited with a fumble recovery or fumble from this SNF game.

Platform is fleaflicker, not sure if it's because stat corrections haven't been posted or what.

 
Jeff Howe , Boston Hearald, Patriots Beat Writer
Dominique Easley suffered an AC joint separation against the Bengals. There's early optimism he can play, but the call will be made later.
eff Howe @jeffphowe · 36m 36 minutes ago For Easley's joint separation in right shoulder, it's mostly about pain management. Again, will know more definitely later in week.
Field Yates , ESPN Boston, Patroits Beat Reporter
Darrelle Revis, who briefly left Sunday's game due to hamstring issue, wasn't on Patriots' injury report today. Appears no lingering effect.
Jeff Howe @jeffphowe · 4h 4 hours ago
Devin McCourty, Dominique Easley present for practice
Browner and Tyms activated. The Patriots placed Mike Buchanan on IR and released Joe Vellano.(signed to ps)
 
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- A look at snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in their 37-22 victory over the Buffalo Bills (penalties included):

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 64 of 69

Chris Jones -- 50 of 69

Casey Walker -- 33 of 69

Quick-hit thoughts: With Sealver Siliga on short-term injured reserve and Joe Vellano on the practice squad, the Patriots' depth is taxed with their big men, which is forcing Wilfork to play almost a full-time load. Because the Bills ran a good number of three-tight end sets, they often had the three tackles on the field at the same time. The bigger defense mostly held its own against the run.

DEFENSIVE END

Chandler Jones -- 69 of 69

Rob Ninkovich -- 69 of 69

Zach Moore -- 11 of 69

Quick-hit thoughts: Ninkovich has played every snap since being a part-time player in the season-opener. ... After playing in a part-time role last Sunday because of a right shoulder injury, Jones was back to a full-time load on his regular right side, although the coaching staff took him off the field-goal protection unit. ... Moore's playing time came in the second half, with seven of his 11 snaps on the final drive.

LINEBACKER

Jamie Collins -- 69 of 69

Deontae Skinner -- 36 of 69

Jerod Mayo -- 20 of 69

Chris White -- 2 of 69

Quick-hit thoughts: With Dont'a Hightower not passing his pregame test with his left knee, and then Mayo carted off in the second quarter, it left Collins as the lone three-down player at this position. ... Skinner, who then bumped up from playing only in base to both base and nickel, seemed to excel with the extended opportunity.

CORNERBACK

Darrelle Revis -- 68 of 69

Alfonzo Dennard -- 66 of 69

Kyle Arrington -- 45 of 69

Logan Ryan -- 2 of 69

Malcolm Butler -- 0 of 69

Quick-hit thoughts: The only play in which Revis wasn't on the field was on the goal line in the third quarter, and he mostly matched up against rookie receiver Sammy Watkins with good success. ... Arrington continues to work solely as the No. 3 corner and is playing well.

SAFETY

Devin McCourty -- 69 of 69

Patrick Chung -- 60 of 69

Duron Harmon -- 16 of 69

Tavon Wilson -- 10 of 69

Quick-hit thoughts: McCourty's rib injury didn't affect his availability as he played wire to wire. Chung came off in some obvious passing situations but continues to be the top option alongside McCourty. ... Harmon came on in the dime, as did Wilson, as the Patriots called on that package more after linebacker Mayo was lost to a knee injury.
thx, mike reiss!!

Pats got creative in the second half. Interesting to see Ninkovich and Chandler Jones lined up in the A gaps
 
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What are some thoughts on Skinner? I have him in my 32 team league. With Nate Irving being sent to the bench in Denver, I need help at LB. But I'm afraid to start a NE IDP due to Belicheck's silliness.

Looks like he did well last week after Mayo went out. Doesn't mean Belicheck sees it the same way though.

 
he was in there a bit more than I'd expect 'cuz hightower was out --- just my opinion, but I think hightower is back this week, although this game might be a little muddy because it's his first week back and on thursday.

after that I think skinner is the one to come off in nickel, and they'll be in nickel 70% of the time.

maybe in a 32 teamer base downs are all you need? idk

ofc, you never know when hightower or collins get hurt again and open things up a bit.

edit: I'm assuming you're already familiar with that new guy in den (nelson?), and I have no idea what you need in a 32 teamer, but maybe check out justin tuggle (hou), or stash bynes in det --- that's just from skimming my snaps thread.

 
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Looks like Hightower and Collins took advantage last night, combining for 16 solos, 10 assists and a sack. Skinner only had an assist.

 
I was very worried throughout the whole game as the Hightower-Collins tandem was very weak against the run. Collins looked lost multiple times. Perhaps it is a gap management thing or that Mayo is Mayo, but the end result was pretty shaky.

 
he was in there a bit more than I'd expect 'cuz hightower was out --- just my opinion, but I think hightower is back this week, although this game might be a little muddy because it's his first week back and on thursday.

after that I think skinner is the one to come off in nickel, and they'll be in nickel 70% of the time.

maybe in a 32 teamer base downs are all you need? idk

ofc, you never know when hightower or collins get hurt again and open things up a bit.

edit: I'm assuming you're already familiar with that new guy in den (nelson?), and I have no idea what you need in a 32 teamer, but maybe check out justin tuggle (hou), or stash bynes in det --- that's just from skimming my snaps thread.
Here's what I don't understand...when they were showing the starting lineups on the broadcast, it showed NE's defense as a 4-3 with Skinner starting at MLB with Collins and Hightower outside. I only watched the first quarter or so and I didn't see Skinner on the field at all. And it looked like NE was in a 3-2-6 with Collins and Hightower as the only LBs on the field...with a boat load of DBs. Why would you need that many DBs on the field against a team that predominantly runs? I seriously think Belicheck has lost his mind. Granted, they won, but it was a close game against what should have been an inferior opponent. I will not start another NE player the rest of this year.

 
womb said:
I was very worried throughout the whole game as the Hightower-Collins tandem was very weak against the run. Collins looked lost multiple times.
Hmm, for the half that I watched I thought it seemed like Collins was the only one out there who knew how to tackle. Not a great DEF performance for NE as a whole, but good for the fantasy stats of those two LBs.

 
The Pats mostly run a 3-4 with Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich as the OLBs, Collins+Hightower now as the ILBs.

 
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Jets exposed the New England Patriots' run defense on Thursday night and the vibe after the game from defensive players was that a combination of missed tackles and miscommunication contributed to the woes. Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower explained the communication issues in the team’s first game without Jerod Mayo, who is out for the season.

“There were a couple [miscommunications] but maybe a handful of those were maybe blitzes that they thought were coming from an opposite direction which would cause us to lose the edge on certain plays,” Hightower said Friday. “Some guys not getting into the right gap and that creating a play. Communication is something that we are really going to have to pick up and that’s one thing that Mayo did was communicate with everybody.“That’s something that me and Jamie [Collins] are going to have to take more ownership of and we are going to get that down pat.”
The Patriots matched the Jets’ 2-WR/2-TE/1-RB package that included Jeff Cumberland and Jace Amaro with a three-safety package of Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung and Tavon Wilson. That’s sometimes referred to as the “Big Nickel.” When the Jets went with 1-WR/2-TE/1-FB/1-RB, the Patriots countered in their 5-2 heavier look with three down linemen (Vince Wilfork, Casey Walker, Chris Jones). Chung, in particular, was strong in run support throughout as he often came down as a seventh (in nickel) or eighth (in base) defender in the box
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in the team's 27-25 win over the New York Jets (includes penalties):

CORNERBACK

Darrelle Revis -- 86 of 87

Alfonzo Dennard -- 50 of 87

Logan Ryan -- 45 of 87

Brandon Browner -- 41 of 87

Kyle Arrington -- 1 of 87

Quick-hit thoughts: Browner was part of a rotation with Ryan as the second corner opposite Revis, with Dennard as the top slot option. That pushed Arrington, the usual top slot player, into a reduced role for the first time this season. ... The one snap Revis missed was on the goal-line when the Patriots called on heavy personnel.

SAFETY

Devin McCourty -- 87 of 87

Patrick Chung -- 77 of 87

Tavon Wilson -- 11 of 87

Duron Harmon -- 5 of 87

Quick-hit thoughts: Chung has consistently been the top option at safety next to McCourty, coming off only in some sub-package situations. ... Wilson was used in a linebacker-type role at times as part of the team adjusting without linebacker Jerod Mayo.

DEFENSIVE END

Rob Ninkovich -- 87 of 87

Chandler Jones -- 84 of 87

Zach Moore -- 16 of 87

Quick-hit thoughts: Season-high total of snaps for Moore, the sixth-round pick from Concordia, as he rushed in sub packages and spelled Jones for a few plays. ... Ninkovich is back to a full-time role after being a part-time player in the opener.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 69 of 87

Chris Jones -- 50 of 87

Casey Walker -- 49 of 87

Dominique Easley -- 20 of 87

Quick-hit thoughts: Easley returned from his right shoulder injury and came on as an interior sub rusher. ... Wilfork's workload continues to catch the eye. ... Jones also played 12 special-teams snaps, which means his blocked field goal came on his 62nd snap of the night -- all the more impressive. ... Walker looks like a little bit of a find as he picked up his first career sack.

LINEBACKER

Jamie Collins -- 87 of 87

Dont'a Hightower -- 87 of 87

Deontae Skinner -- 5 of 87

Quick-hit thoughts: The Patriots played most of the game in their 5-2 or nickel with two linebackers, only going with three off-the-line linebackers for a short stretch in the second half. Skinner was the third linebacker, which explains his low snap total.
than you, mike reiss!!!! :wub:

 
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It wasn't the first thought that crossed defensive tackle Chris Jones' mind after his game-saving blocked field goal secured the New England Patriots' 27-25 victory over the visiting New York Jets on Thursday night.

Only after a little time had passed did he acknowledge, "It's hard to believe sometimes."

Hard to believe, indeed, because the last time the Patriots and Jets had played -- in October of 2013 -- Jones was also the difference-maker while defending against a field goal attempt. But that time, it was his push of a teammate that was penalized on a 56-yard attempt in overtime that Nick Folk missed. After the penalty, Folk hit the game-winning 42-yard field goal in a devastating loss that had Bill Belichick fuming, but later acknowledging his misunderstanding of the rule, and Jones taking personal accountability for costing his team a game.

So it was only natural to make the connection to that game when replaying what unfolded a year later.

With 5 seconds remaining Thursday, Folk lined up a 58-yard field goal as Jones once again joined his teammates on the field goal block team.

"It's win or lose at that point, so there's a lot of stress in that situation," said Jones, in his second year out of Bowling Green. "You have to keep your cool and do your job."

Jones moved at the last moment, aligning in the gap between the snapper and guard, before surging forward and thrusting his left arm into the air as the low-trajectory football exploded into his open hand.

"I felt it pretty good in my palm and knew I got it pretty good," he said. "I saw it go past the line and hit the ground, and I started running off the field. I didn't know what to do at the moment."

How about celebrate?

Turns out Jones, who said it was the first time he has ever blocked a field goal at any level of football, wasn't the only player in a bit of a state of shock.

"I was trying to push the pocket -- put my head down and I just went straight forward as fast as I could," defensive tackle Casey Walker said. "All of a sudden, I just heard, 'Boop!' and I was like, 'What?' I didn't know who did it or what, but as long as it gets done it doesn't matter."

That's true, but the fact it was Jones wasn't lost on many.

"After what happened last year, I thought it was fitting that he made that play," Belichick said. "That was awesome."
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots

 
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I was very worried throughout the whole game as the Hightower-Collins tandem was very weak against the run. Collins looked lost multiple times.
Hmm, for the half that I watched I thought it seemed like Collins was the only one out there who knew how to tackle. Not a great DEF performance for NE as a whole, but good for the fantasy stats of those two LBs.
I sometimes forget that this is a fantasy football forum. This situation is great for fantasy as long as it keeps this way for both Hightower and Collins since they are both playing ILB on a team that keeps missing tackles and gifting post hit yards.

I may be looking at the glass half full on Collins as I definitely saw him more than what I wished while he was just trying to adjust to the play with his feet dancing on the same spot as opposed to closing up on a lane. The glass half full was that, he did tackle the guy running towards him. My big concern is at what cost! I do not like to be giving up 6-to-8 yards on a first down running play, let alone a missed tackle that gets the next first down. We gave many of them this week to a team with an arguable OL and a more arguable guy at the RB position.

This is the gold mine that the next opponent will dig on, and then next, etc. we gotta fix that fast.

Now back to fantasy football. . . Man it should feel great to be a Collins or Hightower owner these days.

 
as always, mike reiss delivers!

thx, mike!

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A look at snaps played by Patriots defenders in Sunday's 51-23 win over the Bears (includes penalties and 2-point conversions):

LINEBACKER
Dont'a Hightower -- 70 of 70
Jamie Collins -- 53 of 70
Akeem Ayers -- 32 of 70
Deontae Skinner -- 24 of 70

Quick-hit thoughts: Ayers, acquired from the Titans in a trade last Tuesday, played six first-half snaps and then 26 in the second half. He was mostly used as a designated pass-rusher at right end as part of a lighter nickel front. Had the score not been so lopsided, it's unlikely he would have played as much as he did, but he was productive on the field with five tackles and one clean-up sack. He also played on the punt coverage and kickoff coverage units. ... Hightower's value as the defensive signal-caller was apparent as he never left the field. ... Collins played every snap before giving way to Skinner midway through the fourth quarter.

DEFENSIVE END
Rob Ninkovich -- 61 of 70
Dominique Easley -- 42 of 70
Zach Moore -- 21 of 70

Quick-hit thoughts: Easley played the most snaps to fill Chandler Jones' void, with Moore coming on in spot duty (9 first-half snaps, 12 second-half snaps). With Ayers also chipping in, it was a three-pronged replacement plan. ... Ninkovich played every snap until the final drive as he's been an ironman following a Week 1 plan in which he was utilized as a part-time option.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Casey Walker -- 46 of 70
Vince Wilfork -- 44 of 70
Chris Jones -- 29 of 70

Quick-hit thoughts: The Patriots never played with all three "bigs" on the field at the same time, which reflected how this was more of a sub-package game. It will be interesting to see if big-bodied Alan Branch is still part of the team's plans, or if they feel the personnel here is sufficient for another week in which they will likely be in sub packages for most of the game (vs. passing-based Denver).

CORNERBACK
Darrelle Revis -- 61 of 70
Brandon Browner -- 57 of 70
Logan Ryan -- 54 of 70
Malcolm Butler -- 15 of 70
Kyle Arrington -- 9 of 70

Quick-hit thoughts: Revis played every snap until the final drive, while Browner played every snap except for the final 13, as he was subbed out for Butler from a rest perspective. That looks like the Patriots' top cornerback combination going forward, with the question as to what happens in the slot, where top option Kyle Arrington has been limited the last two weeks. ... Alfonzo Dennard was a healthy scratch, which was a surprise, as Butler (1 first-half snap, 14 second-half snaps) was active over him. Butler is more of a special teams contributor.

SAFETY
Devin McCourty -- 61 of 70
Patrick Chung -- 56 of 70
Duron Harmon -- 23 of 70
Tavon Wilson -- 12 of 70

Quick-hit thoughts: McCourty played every snap until the final drive. The Patriots played a big nickel at times, with McCourty, Chung and Harmon on the field together, which was usually to counter the Bears' two-TE package with Martellus Bennett and Dante Rosario.
 
Greg Auman ‏@gregauman 27m27 minutes ago

Bucs are getting a fifth-rounder in 2015 from Patriots for LB Jonathan Casillas and a sixth-rounder in 2015.

This is very likely much ado about nothing, as he was pretty much inactive for one of the worst LB corps in the league. That being said, the Pats did trade for him. Additionally, he is an undersized LB that appears to be best suited for cover/nickle duties. He certainly won't play enough himself to matter; but if he actually picked up some of these snaps that would hurt others. I probably wouldn't have given this much of a second though if Collins didn't grade so utterly terrible in coverage last game.

 
Last year Ayers was in coverage as often as he rushed, but for his first game in New England he was used exclusively as a pass rusher. Looking at his numbers last year it is easy to see why. He wasn’t dominant, but one sack and 32 total pressures gave him a 12.3 Pass Rushing Productivity score and a respectable +7.8 pass rush grade. However in coverage he allowed 41 of 47 targets for 385 yards, at 1.90 Yards per Cover Snap, the worst at his position last year.
~ PFF

for reference, they had wake leading the league at 4-3 end with a 12.9 in the pass rushing productivity metric in 2012

 
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- When considering how the New England Patriots effectively slowed the Denver Broncos' lethal offense in Sunday's convincing 43-21 victory, Rob Ninkovich's critical second-quarter interception provides a nice X's-and-O's snapshot of the plan.

This was all about the "interchangeable defense."

For most of the game, the Patriots played a 4-2-5 nickel that had Ninkovich and Akeem Ayers as hybrid end-of-the-line players. Their job was to work in concert with off-the-line linebackers Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower to take away Peyton Manning's go-to play -- the over route paired with a shallow crosser.

To simplify, this is how the defense approached things:

  • If Collins or Hightower rushed up the middle -- they showed quite a bit of pre-snap pressure looks over the center in the game -- it was on Ninkovich or Ayers to drop back into coverage in their place.
  • If Collins or Hightower backed out into coverage, then Ninkovich and Ayers would play more of the traditional defensive end role.
"You have to change it up," Ninkovich explained. "Having [Hightower] and Jamie, those guys can get inside and rush well on backs and also on guards, and when they do that, you have ends that can drop back and cover. So you're able to switch things up and it's all interchangeable."
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4771510/interchangeable-defense-sparks-patriots

 
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in Sunday's 43-21 win against the Denver Broncos (including penalties but not kneel-downs):

DEFENSIVE END

Rob Ninkovich -- 82 of 82

Akeem Ayers -- 77 of 82

Quick-hit thoughts: Unexpected to see Ayers, who just arrived two weeks ago, excel in a front-line role. That is a credit to him and the coaching staff for an interchangeable defensive game plan that tapped the versatility of Ninkovich, Ayers, Jamie Collins and Dont'a Hightower to disguise intentions and keep Denver quarterback Peyton Manning guessing on who was coming. Ayers, who has experience playing both on and off the line of scrimmage, mostly lined up at right defensive end. ... Ninkovich's versatility to rush, set a hard edge in the running game, and drop back into coverage makes him a valued chess piece as well, as we saw on his second-quarter interception.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 62 of 82

Chris Jones -- 41 of 82

Dominique Easley -- 32 of 82

Casey Walker -- 18 of 82

Alan Branch -- 12 of 82

Quick-hit thoughts: Most of the game was played with just two defensive tackles on the field, with the primary responsibility of players in this spot to help defend the run despite lighter numbers in the box. ... Easley was back to more of a sub-rushing role, coming on in obvious passing situations. ... Branch was sprinkled in over four different series, playing nine first-half snaps and three in the second half as he works himself into game shape.

LINEBACKER

Collins -- 82 of 82

Hightower -- 82 of 82

Jonathan Casillas -- 1 of 82

Quick-hit thoughts: Ironman efforts from Collins and Hightower. The lone snap for Casillas came on the one play the Patriots were in a base 4-3 alignment, which technically was negated by an illegal formation penalty.

CORNERBACK

Darrelle Revis -- 81 of 82

Brandon Browner -- 81 of 82

Kyle Arrington -- 54 of 82

Malcolm Butler -- 36 of 82

Logan Ryan -- 4 of 82

Quick-hit thoughts: This was Browner's third game, and his snaps played over that span show the progression of him transitioning back into the lineup -- 41 of 87 against the Jets; 57 of 70 against the Bears; and then almost wire-to-wire against the Broncos. The one snap he and Revis didn't play came on the goal-line on Ronnie Hillman's 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. ... Arrington was solid in the slot against Wes Welker. ... With Alfonzo Dennard a healthy scratch, Butler seized the opportunity to be active and made the most of it, leaping over Ryan as well on the depth chart.

SAFETY

Devin McCourty -- 82 of 82

Patrick Chung -- 69 of 82

Duron Harmon -- 3 of 83

Tavon Wilson -- 3 of 83

Quick-hit thoughts: Chung was active in the game, subbing out at times in favor of a fourth cornerback in the nickel. ... McCourty continues to serve as the steady quarterback of the secondary. ... Harmon and Wilson came on late for the final three plays of the game in dime.
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots

 
INDIANAPOLIS -- Snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in Sunday's 42-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts (including penalties):

DEFENSIVE END

Rob Ninkovich -- 58 of 58

Akeem Ayers -- 40 of 58

Zach Moore -- 11 of 58

Quick-hit thoughts: Ninkovich was the only Patriots defender to play every snap. As I get prepared to go through film review, I can already sense I'm going to be taking back his inclusion on this list. He continues to be an extremely valuable contributor to the defense. ... Moore started but played sparingly the rest of the way in favor of Ayers. When something like that happens, the first instinct from a speculative standpoint is that it could be traced to Ayers' absence from practice Friday (e.g., perhaps it wasn't excused).

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 33 of 58

Dominique Easley -- 32 of 58

Chris Jones -- 29 of 58

Alan Branch -- 15 of 58

Quick-hit thoughts: With the 58 snaps just three shy of a season low (55, vs. Cincinnati), there wasn't a lot of wear and tear on the big guys up front. The versatility of Easley was tapped when the Patriots played a 4-3 base and he moved to end. Could be tough for Casey Walker (inactive) to crack the rotation, especially with Sealver Siliga's expected return from the short-term injured reserve list. ... Branch continues to knock off some rust and looked more effective this week, upping his snap total from 12 versus Denver to 15 against Indianapolis.

LINEBACKER

Jamie Collins -- 57 of 58

Dont'a Hightower -- 57 of 58

Jonathan Casillas -- 12 of 58

Quick-hit thoughts: Collins and Hightower would have went wire-to-wire, but they were part of a substitution on the last two plays of the game. They are raising their game to a higher level than we've previously seen, which Tedy Bruschi touched on Monday in his weekly Patriots chat. Casillas is now the third linebacker when the Patriots play a base package, which they did against the Colts' three-TE package and at times when tight ends Jack Doyle and Coby Fleener were in the game together.

CORNERBACK

Darrelle Revis -- 56 of 58

Brandon Browner -- 55 of 58

Kyle Arrington -- 48 of 58

Logan Ryan -- 33 of 58

Quick-hit thoughts: The only two plays in which Revis was on the sideline came on the goal line, before he replaced safety Devin McCourty to specifically align across from Reggie Wayne. ... Arrington mostly drew the assignment of T.Y. Hilton and had some help over the top, but that shouldn't dismiss his fine performance. He's been rising to the occasion in recent weeks -- first against Wes Welker and now Hilton. ... Ryan was the fourth cornerback, often replacing safety Patrick Chung in the team's four-CB nickel, which was used to match up against the Colts' three-WR set.

SAFETY

Devin McCourty-- 57 of 58

Patrick Chung -- 34 of 58

Duron Harmon -- 8 of 58

Quick-hit thoughts: McCourty nabbed his second interception of the season as he continues to serve as a steadying presence. ... Harmon came on for dime situations in obvious passing downs.
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-england-patriots

 
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in Sunday's win over the Detroit Lions (penalties included; kneel-downs not included):

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 63 of 81

Chris Jones -- 46 of 81

Alan Branch -- 29 of 81

Quick-hit thoughts: It has been a steady progression for Branch, who played 12 snaps in his debut against the Broncos, followed up with 18 against the Colts, and increased his workload to 29 against the Lions. He showed up several times Sunday with strong play up front and when he's in the game alongside Wilfork, it's two big, physical, strong players who are hard to move. ... Chris Jones showed some versatility in this game, kicking outside at times to fill Dominique Easley's void.DEFENSIVE END

Rob Ninkovich -- 81 of 81

Akeem Ayers -- 63 of 81

Zach Moore --15 of 81

Quick-hit thoughts: Ayers continues to contribute since being acquired in a midseason trade with the Titans, as he mostly played right end in the team's nickel front. The Patriots did have a four-man line combination with tackle Chris Jones playing some end.

LINEBACKER

Jamie Collins -- 81 of 81

Dont'a Hightower -- 74 of 81

Jonathan Casillas -- 21 of 81

Quick-hit thoughts: Hightower played every snap up until the final drive when the outcome was decided. ... Casillas was the third linebacker in the base 4-3 defense, as his acquisition at the trade deadline not only added a strong special teams player but someone who is also contributing on defense in a niche role.

CORNERBACK

Brandon Browner -- 80 of 81

Darrelle Revis -- 74 of 81

Kyle Arrington -- 36 of 81

Logan Ryan -- 33 of 81

Alfonzo Dennard -- 7 of 81

Quick-hit thoughts: Browner's lone snap on the sideline came as part of a goal-line package. ... Revis played every snap up until the final drive. ... Dennard didn't play until the final drive. ... Arrington was the top option in the slot, but when he left with a head injury in the third quarter, Ryan took his place for the remainder of the day.

SAFETY

Devin McCourty -- 73 of 81

Patrick Chung -- 71 of 81

Duron Harmon -- 28 of 81

Tavon Wilson -- 9 of 81

Nate Ebner -- 7 of 81

Quick-hit thoughts: McCourty played all but one snap (on the goal line) up until the final drive of the game. ... Chung was subbed out at times in place of Harmon for a bit more of a coverage element. ... All of Ebner's snaps came on the final drive, while seven of Wilson's nine snaps came on the final drive.
thx, mike reiss!! :wub:

 
New England Patriots: Cornerback Darrelle Revis has allowed just 0.64 Yards Per Coverage Snap when lining up from the slot, which is fourth-best for all cornerbacks with at least 100 slot snaps.
Darrelle Revis, CB: +5.0

Breakdown: This was Revis’ highest-graded game since the 2011 season, and he has a cumulative grade of +12.7 over his past four games. Only four cornerbacks have a higher grade over the entire season. Revis spent most of the game shadowing Golden Tate, and held him to two catches for 41 yards on seven targets.

Signature Stat: Stafford was 2-of-10 for 41 yards when targeting Revis, including three passes defensed.
Dont’a Hightower, LB: +4.4

Breakdown: Hightower continued his breakout season, and now leads all inside linebackers with a +18.4 overall grade. Hightower is excelling in all phases of the game, and earned positive grades in both pass rushing and run defense for the third game in a row.

Signature Stat: Hightower had three run stops in addition to a hit and three hurries rushing the passer.
~ PFF

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/11/24/refo-lions-patriots-week-12/

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/11/25/32-observations-week-12-3/

 
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Any news on Kyle Arrington?

I am wondering if he has been practicing this week since he left last week with a head injury. If so, is he a full go in the slot against GB this week?

 
yeah, I don't think that head inj amounted to anything --- pretty sure he actually returned to the game on special teams

it's an interesting question on usage --- is cobb always in the slot in 3 wide?

I wonder if they'd have revis follow cobb to the slot and maybe put ryan on adams on the outside, if that's the way the receivers line up.

but, yeah, he should be healthy enough to play.

 
yeah, I don't think that head inj amounted to anything --- pretty sure he actually returned to the game on special teams

it's an interesting question on usage --- is cobb always in the slot in 3 wide?

I wonder if they'd have revis follow cobb to the slot and maybe put ryan on adams on the outside, if that's the way the receivers line up.

but, yeah, he should be healthy enough to play.
Thanks.

Cobb is generally in the slot. On occasion they will try to throw Jordy there to get a miss-match (I am 99% sure on that). But, mostly Cobb. This, however, is coming from a Bears homer where GP doesn't really need to do all that much scheme wise to rip the Bears. Conversely, I think both teams have a few scheme changes/tricks up their respectve sleeve in this one. I am really looking forward to the game.

Thanks, again, KoolAid! Appreciate it.

 
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in their loss to the Packers (including penalties but not kneel-downs):

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 59 of 71

Chris Jones -- 55 of 71

Alan Branch -- 21 of 71

Dominique Easley -- 12 of 71

Quick-hit thoughts: After missing the Nov. 23 win against the Lions because of his knee, Easley returned and was used mostly as an interior rusher in obvious passing situations. Though the Patriots were focusing on a more disciplined pass-rush, Easley didn't seem to create much push in his limited opportunities.

DEFENSIVE END

Rob Ninkovich -- 71 of 71

Akeem Ayers -- 61 of 71

Zach Moore -- 2 of 71

Quick-hit thoughts: In his pregame radio interview, Bill Belichick said Chandler Jones was getting closer to a return. That will be welcome news to Ninkovich, who never leaves the field and perhaps could benefit from a breather every now and then. ... Defensive tackle Chris Jones moved out to right end in the base 4-3.

LINEBACKER

Jamie Collins -- 71 of 71

Dont'a Hightower -- 70 of 71

Jonathan Casillas -- 9 of 71

Quick-hit thoughts: Hightower's lone snap missed came in the fourth quarter when he was forced out because of an injury before returning after a brief stop on the sideline. ... Casillas came on as the third linebacker in the 4-3 base, although his snap count was low as that wasn't a big part of the matchup game.

CORNERBACK

Brandon Browner -- 71 of 71

Darrelle Revis -- 71 of 71

Logan Ryan -- 27 of 71

Kyle Arrington -- 24 of 71

Alfonzo Dennard -- 10 of 71

Quick-hit thoughts: Ryan started as the fifth defensive back in the nickel and was replaced after three series by Arrington after some early struggles against receiver Davante Adams. ... Arrington then played three series, but looked like he was hobbled while rushing on a field goal attempt and didn't play defense the rest of the game (he was on special teams). ... Dennard played two series in the second half, but was pulled late in favor of Ryan.

SAFETY

Devin McCourty -- 71 of 71

Patrick Chung -- 70 of 71

Duron Harmon -- 5 of 71

Tavon Wilson -- 1 of 71

Quick-hit thoughts: The one play Chung missed came when he remained down in the fourth quarter and had to go to the sideline despite making an initial attempt to stay in the game. He was replaced by Wilson. ... Harmon was used as a coverage option in the dime.
thx, mike reiss!!

 
SAN DIEGO -- Snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in Sunday's win against the Chargers (penalties included but not kneeldowns):

DEFENSIVE END

Rob Ninkovich -- 56 of 56

Akeem Ayers -- 54 of 56

Quick-hit thoughts: Ayers' interception was one of the big plays of the game, as his October acquisition from the Titans continues to pay dividends. He is playing a lot, as the only two times he came off the field came when the Patriots were in a base 4-3. ... Ninkovich continues to be "Mr. Reliable" as his five tackles tied for second on the team, and he added a sack.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 31 of 56

Sealver Siliga -- 25 of 56

Chris Jones -- 24 of 56

Alan Branch -- 16 of 56

Dominique Easley -- 9 of 56

Quick-hit thoughts: This marked Siliga's return to the field (3 tackles, half-sack) after being placed on short-term injured reserve in late September, and safety Devin McCourty credited him with bringing energy to the unit. He was part of a four-man rotation with Wilfork, Jones and Branch. ... Easley was used solely as an interior sub rusher. ... There was a pretty liberal rotation of the top four players.

LINEBACKER

Jamie Collins -- 56 of 56

Jonathan Casillas -- 50 of 56

Darius Fleming -- 2 of 56

Quick-hit thoughts: Collins was magnificent in not missing a snap and leading the defensive huddle. ... Casillas, acquired in a trade from the Buccaneers in late October, had played 43 defensive snaps over his first four games with the team. So this was a hard-to-miss expansion of his duties as he primarily was tapped to take Dont'a Hightower's place. ... Fleming was part of the base defense, coming on as the third linebacker.

CORNERBACK

Brandon Browner -- 56 of 56

Darrelle Revis -- 56 of 56

Kyle Arrington -- 54 of 56

Quick-hit thoughts: This was a pretty straight-forward plan as the Patriots stayed mostly in their sub packages and went only three deep at cornerback, with Arrington capably handling the slot (outside of one tripping penalty).

SAFETY

McCourty -- 56 of 56

Patrick Chung -- 42 of 56

Duron Harmon -- 18 of 56

Tavon Wilson -- 11 of 56

Quick-hit thoughts: Chung was sometimes replaced by Harmon in obvious passing situations to create more of a coverage element, while Wilson's 11 snaps were his most since playing 12 against the Bears on Oct. 26. His solid tackle of tight end Antonio Gates, which helped the Patriots get the ball back to kneel and win the game, was textbook.
thx, mike reiss!!

 
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Snaps played by New England Patriots defenders in Sunday's win against the Dolphins (penalties included):

DEFENSIVE END

Rob Ninkovich -- 78 of 78

Chandler Jones -- 55 of 78

Akeem Ayers -- 31 of 78

Chris Jones -- 25 of 78

Quick-hit thoughts: Chandler Jones played in sub packages, aligning as an end-of-the-line player and sometimes reducing inside over the guard when on the field at the same time as Akeem Ayers. Some followers had asked how many times Jones and Ayers were on the field together, and we charted 23 times in which that was the case. When that happened, it was part of a lighter defensive front that was more equipped to rush the passer than hold up against the run. For Ayers, the 31 snaps are a season low since joining the Patriots Oct. 22 (he had been averaging 54.5 over six games), and reflect how his role was affected by the return of Chandler Jones, and also the Patriots' early game-plan approach of using some more base defense, which had tackle Chris Jones (6-foot-1, 309 pounds) as the end opposite Rob Ninkovich to provide a sturdier presence against the run. Ayers hadn't been playing in the base defense in previous weeks in the few times the Patriots had called on it. Ninkovich, of course, is the reliable standby. According to the NBC broadcast of last week's Patriots-Chargers game, no defensive lineman has played more snaps this season.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Vince Wilfork -- 44 of 78

Sealver Siliga -- 32 of 78

Alan Branch -- 16 of 78

Quick-hit thoughts: The Patriots opened the game with Wilfork and Siliga, with Branch rotating in by the third series to spell both at times. The unit has developed a nice rotation with its three "bigs" over the past two games, which bodes well in keeping them fresh coming down the stretch and into the playoffs. This group was mostly strong where it had to be against Miami's inside zone runs.

LINEBACKER

Jamie Collins -- 78 of 78

Dont'a Hightower -- 78 of 78

Jonathan Casillas -- 10 of 78

Quick-hit thoughts: No residual effects from Hightower's shoulder injury that knocked him out of the Dec. 7 win against the Chargers, as he never came off the field. Meanwhile, Collins continues to play at an extremely high level as an every-down player. Casillas came on as the third linebacker in the 4-3 base package early.

CORNERBACK

Brandon Browner -- 78 of 78

Darrelle Revis -- 78 of 78

Logan Ryan -- 31 of 78

Malcolm Butler -- 22 of 78

Kyle Arrington -- 11 of 78

Quick-hit thoughts: The game plan initially called for a matchup of Revis on Jarvis Landry, Browner on Brian Hartline and Butler on Mike Wallace. The Dolphins attacked the Butler-Wallace matchup with success early, leading to an in-game adjustment as Butler had played 11 snaps over the first two drives, and then was limited to 11 over the final nine drives. Arrington initially stepped in for Butler as the third cornerback before injuring his hamstring. When Arrington left with injury in the second quarter, that mostly moved Ryan into the No. 3 spot over Butler the rest of the way when the Patriots wanted three cornerbacks on the field. Ryan responded mostly well in his first extended action since a tough game in Green Bay on Nov. 30.

SAFETY

Devin McCourty -- 78 of 78

Patrick Chung -- 64 of 78

Duron Harmon -- 31 of 78

Tavon Wilson -- 18 of 78

Quick-hit thoughts: McCourty continues to provide a steadying presence in the deep part of the field, and he once again came down to more of a cornerback role at times, which has shown up a bit more the past two weeks. Early on, the Patriots used a base defense that included three cornerbacks, and that's when Chung came off the field as the Patriots elected for personnel in the secondary that was a bit more coverage-based. Chung would also sometimes come off in nickel packages, depending on the personnel the Dolphins put on the field, in favor of Harmon (also more of a coverage player). Wilson seemed to be rewarded for his strong finish in the Dec. 7 Chargers game by getting some early time in the dime package, and with coaches showing trust in him to handle some responsibilities in the deeper part of the field.
thx, mike reiss!!

 

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