Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

Hey, wssup. I was just wondering how will the matchups for the game with Payton's high powered offense be against Belichick's Championship 3-4 defense. Because to me, I think that you have a really good group that has been able to gel as of late. With a young superstar playmaker at MLB Jerod Mayo who is faster than Bruschi and can cover, rush the passer and stop the run. Then you have Tully Banta Cain who when healthy makes all the difference and was hurt against Indy. He reminds me of McGinest but with more speed, he has alot of experience in that system and is starting to show. And the other Linebackers are doing a good job so far. Smart football. And up front with Burgess, Warren who missed last game and Wilfork are still as good as any group up front at getting pressure and stuffing the run IMO, all of them are pro-bowl caliber. So with that being said, the front seven to me with Wilfork, Burgess, Warren, Mayo, Guyton, A-Thomas and Banta Cain are as good as any in the league. And in the back end, Meriweather has emerged as a playmaker will good instincts like another guy from the U and Bodden has always been a good player to me. And those other young guys back there do a great job in coverage and working well together. Did a fine job against Indy. Just slipped up just a bit but cause Peyton to throw some crazy picks, as well as Sanchez which to me were no accidents. So I think it will be a great challenge this Sunday for Bree's offense. The best he will see all year and the best there is to offer out there. Smart, well coached, playmaking and instinctful group that no one talks about. Should be fun to watch. But if NO wants any chance to move the ball effectively, they must have balance in this game or it's a long night in the Dome. "Monday Night Football, Let's Go!" Simply airing it out will not get the job done this time.

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

IMHO i dont believe you will see a lot of base defense from the pats or the saints

the saints run a lot of 3 WR sets and even when they dont, shockey is usually too fast and strong to be matched up with a LB

i dont expect a lot of blitzes from the pats and that pretty much ruins the entire essence of the 3-4

we will pound the ball up the middle behind our 2 pro bowl guards and then we will open up the passing game

the pats 16th ranked rush defense will struggle a lot against our 3-headed rushing attack

after that i expect a lot of zone coverages from your defense until bill realizes he cant let drew sit in the pocket for 5 seconds and find the open man

even if brady has a good game....i expect to see him on his back a lot considering the ridiculous amount of blitzes we send

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

I have to disagree, even in the past New England's defense has never been a one of stats but just performance and rising up, taking it to a whole other level. And yes, Bill will not hesitate to put pressure on Brees because he is a great QB and thats exactly what we have done in the past. Against McNabb, Big Ben, Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, you name it and we've done it. The pressure will come often, early and consistently from all different spots on the field. It's just something that NO will have to deal with. Especially off the edges and the middle. It will be frustrating and confusing. And I think that Jarvis, Vince, and Ty will man that middle and stuff face for 60 minutes. With help from wildman Mayo and the others up front, will get the job done. And as for our offense, I think our group will do a great job and protection schemes and being athletic against the opposing defensive front, giving Tom time to find the open man who ever that is, and also making holes for Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris or Laurence Maroney to run in. Should be a statement performance from a championship team going against a good offensive team.

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

SailorJ. true to the idea of you guys having rising talent. Jerod mayo is indeed a talented linebacker. but i feel that the other guys are supplemented by his prescense. a good leader for a second year pro. i feel that A-thomas has not been doing as much good since leaving baltimore. merriweather is good, but i see him more of a hard hitting safety rather than a coverage guy. chung is pretty good for a rookie. i feel he will develop yet i think he will be just like merrieweather. wilfork is a great space eating tackle yet i feel he will be caught up inside we have really good lineman and i think our guards will keep him in check. i agree with canton stating what the pats d will be running. shockey is a beast and you cant forget David thomas, and ex pat who clearly is a good TE. im sure we will be running a lot of play actions becasue we will be running alot. watch bell and thomas running between tackles and in the middle while reggie running the outside or occasionally in the middle.

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

Speaking of Bush, Bill has experience against similar guys like Marshall Faulk, Brian Westbrook and such. I think he will be able to neutralize that. And to me, Meriweather is a hard hitter and is also a very good cover man with very good ball skills. And Adalius can still be effective, maybe not what he was but definitely still very good. And Mayo is no longer rising, to me he has risen into an absolute playmaker. And yep, the guys around him are terrific. Great at playing together. And as far as Shockey goes, I don't think that will be a problem, especially doing a good job on Dallas Clark, Jason Witten, Gates, and Gonzalez in the past. And Bell and Thomas I assure will not beat us, but the name of the game is Dare you to run. Beating up those receivers and forcing everything inside. So I assure you it will take Bell, and Thomas to try and get the job done.

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

Westbrook is more like Deuce and Pierre than Reggie.

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

True, but better. But Reggie and Marshall are similar. Reggie is just not quite as good as Marshall

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

one thing i gotta comment on is the comparison to those TEs that you made about shockey

all of them are pass catching TEs and not very good at blocking......shockey is a much better blocker than any of them and runs a lot of delayed routes.....if a linebacker sees he is staying in to block, they will rush the ball....but when he sneaks out for a crossing route he will be wide open....that is the difference that shockey makes

you cant sit on him as a pass catcher because he will run right up to you, pancake you and move on up

as for the DBs

i watched leigh bodden a lot in cleveland and he got beat.....A LOT.....he and shawn springs are talented but not good enough to man up against colston, henderson, and meachem

and tyrone wheatley? c'mon.....its almost better to not cover meachem in the slot

bellichick might blitz.....but i dont expect it a lot.....brees is just too good and known around the league for getting away from pressure and tossing it to the mismatch in the secondary

as for your offense.....its very 1 dimensional.....run moss deep and cross welker over the middle or to the outside

if brady has time he'll go deep to moss......if he doesnt he'll toss it to welker underneath.....the running game is almost non existant until the pats have a lead.....and then its meaningless......but the pats wont get that safe lead in this game....no lead is safe against the saints

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

sailorj you gotta remember that we have more receivers than your D can concentrate on. Drew Brees has thrown touchdowns to 9 different receivers. you gotta put into considerations that we have Marques colston, Lance moore, Robert meachem, devery henderson, Shockey and david thomas to back up bush, pierre, and bell. so your defense has a lot to think about.

Re: Belichick's 3-4 Defense
 

Fair enough. I remember the torchings Marshall gave us. We'll have to see how things play out.