NFL Sunday: A Look at the Patriots D and if There Truly is the "Talib Effect"

You know he's definitely a quarterback that can make a lot of place where it's you know a play that also be an inside run. No contagion that just go outside on you know summer it's not very unique and trying to create some. Home when there's nothing going on form so it definitely had their ability to you know make a big play. Where he really doesn't have a place sort sort through all these terms that are. Further responsibility and you know make sure the -- and also lost Carter you know -- ago. How ironic artifact in order subsidies are. The man with the best -- in the NFL Rob Ninkovich talking about Reggie Bush of the Miami Dolphins. Let's talk about the Patriots defense against the Miami Dolphins offense and we should start with the fact. That. Jermaine Cunningham has been activated. Media was suspended for four games his four game suspension was up. After Sunday's game could be back in the facility on Monday -- his activation also meant the departure of Ron Brace who was released by the team. You'd have to say overall. Ron braces tenure here with. Probably pretty disappointing flag at half mass and Chestnut Hill that's in needed to it's interesting you talked about it a couple of times over the course of his career here. Where he he was. He used the -- disappoint. -- to describe herself and to describe his play especially after his first year and I know he had a kind of heart to heart talk with Vince a couple of hurt our talks with -- very early on in his career. We -- your idea of hoping to get things you know finding a way to kind of turned things around but he just could never. Put it together he could never create. Consistency. Out there both offer me health wise and for -- for one of the reason that's there just just never worked for me. The lasting just is no more and then he was a hog Ferrero worked I think after a few conversations that he there was various you can tell that he had spoken with someone. On his work at the really has started changing here started in the owed that to be more attentive in the facility. A bullet when you have injuries. On top but it. That just puts you behind the eight ball even more. Man he's just been injury prone he's left for years has really put him behind a bola. Look at the emergence of a couple guys that affects this is is often you -- and -- love to see the Kyle loves -- -- -- nowhere you'll see the brand -- those guys of ruling in ovals they weren't our graphics those are guys who came in and contribute in mid roll from the NFL and it. Inevitably hurt Sigalet -- wonder avenue entries -- Kevin mentions. And you were steady but not spectacular player. It's often it will leisure to go -- route with the younger cheaper guy and I think -- you're -- wasn't younger. Younger cheaper yeah it's the best combination of global -- It. Talking about the Patriots defense on TV an interesting number in the first nine weeks of the season first nine games. The patriots. Sent five or more pass rushers 15% of the time oh boy who says oh boy. These are the NFL numbers yeah. Cents to Basel and equipment you can let me finish the point before you tell me it's a crap -- -- got. But sense Aqib Talib arrived. The patriots have sent five or more rushers 34% of the time actually 34 point 1% capture of drop acts. Would you then tell me that they haven't sent five -- more -- more sense to -- arrive than they did before it was here. It's like saying. The course fast because to read it changed the paint color and now it's faster for that the -- is not a -- -- -- capsule absolutely it's coincidental it has YA has nothing to do would be wait to leave. The lead was an Italian had a bit of the Walt to -- -- -- four moves -- what no one asked for first of all -- Florida are in the past defense numbers better. -- I understand that there's a lot of different things and I understand it but are -- saying that the pass defense numbers are not demonstrably better with the two leaders opposed BR but on the same relative to more blitz percentages percentages changing because each year. It's the stability and ability to have four and five guys the safety position stability -- pressure and your worst. Smart nice to talk in between you two safeties who have. Would give you the ability to blitz more to control stuff in the bag and I think -- the confidence level would have been someone familiar Baghdad like DeVon a Smart guy. And Stephen -- you know an essay in it's understanding guy -- -- has been hurt so when you have two guys Baghdad it really worked together. Listen -- that what percentage of those numbers was sold. Ridiculously often not worth mentioning but here's what you do need to understand what was percent to moves because you've been in -- different package but example last week. Sentiment some -- appeared to insult. The only pressure zero -- came from so. To the event that your and so more and you have a pressure packed and putting shall get a book you can't say last week I was we. Pressured 30% of the time we are we did fifteen -- you know there for we wanted to pressure while. You got more looks a large -- -- packages if -- -- on base those percentage of what happened so has a lot less to do with what personnel what you had in the game just what you saw on the aside. I think the point is valid though that the state of Manila early here. One it was a shuffling thing it was a different four and yet we haven't Chordiant quarter. Where he's not as good diseases so it's not so much that is that DeVon was there when we get -- there was a different guy across from the we are of the star was different each week it was a different safety combination. Stability is what allows you to pressure in the big part of pressuring -- here from last reached jags game. Is the ability to skies -- -- it is is coming. What they were doing for the first two months of the season is basically stated in basic coverages and they have a few pressures and to deceive the pressure to get the right down -- distance of that right down and distance on third down along the -- they don't -- an intimate sent. Because -- so much instability. Last week's pressure there was two different kinds they showed in the fiber more throw that out the window but. They ran a store pressure story is that the fifth defensive back that and more Q school he comes down he's got it's generally slot corner in and sub defense nickel and I. And they used him basically as an additional run defender his his. Up pressures actually came running in they've done that a couple attempt to issue with Barrington as well definitely return date they bring it from the slot corner but if you're a game or your point 65. -- the Houston game was much higher base. There -- pressure and emphasis on Musharraf a pass so you can't you can't compare the two things those those steps would need to be filter who. As though opposing quarterback we're all these supposedly pressures that. We played quarterback that that's in the affected that we have the way it. Because buildings known to protect young quarterbacks and to know so you've got to weigh in all these factors about. That pressure at any -- by the way the ball great against. Patriots it was low percentage bullets request and bullets are being bit -- idea now is that they're gonna bring the fifth from an unusual place. If you look at that first drive a gamer or how the jacksons came in the came out nickel double the change was little -- the last segment work pay. You've got. Release of the four major base does positions Bolton safeties are gonna slot -- bet on the corner pollution -- Hutus who basically three of the four have changed. The best -- move against that. Is what's go into -- into eleven personnel which is one tied in one back in three receivers and the reason that's important because you know. You now added a fifth guy who doesn't play fifth defensive back when this situation was more Q school. And then through the for a change. -- and focus of the book the personnel was one part of the second or is there what -- was me. Chad Henne changed at the line the play on all 456 times and for strive. An important was when you get. Guys were unfamiliar guys are new to this becomes blind and we see Tom do this all the time went from a cool watch you saw a young reporter -- consideration he. Start into his cadence allowable safety rotation to have happen you know challenge rotating down he's -- down safety in and Gregory -- in the middle of field and he changed. So you know where the rotation is too soft and with young guys are experts are obese or group doesn't work together a -- to the playoff early and they just motion the run to the other side McGraw and the other way. The third component is a huge bunch receivers. And motions and and what that does is when you've got a group of unfamiliar secondary three of four guys in positions and -- the week prior. Make it a circus have crossing routes have guys coming out of -- is a lot different place in just wait for the the matching your happened. And on that first dropped. Marquee sports amass should choose there were some master match issues and secondary you look at the red -- play were the touchdown happened to Blackmon. There was some uncertainty in the corner and conceived -- who's gonna get who as they came out of the pact. These things happen so all the pressures that we -- see you later just will fire command thingy. That didn't happen till later to but settled now and were able to get out of the Vanilla stuff I do you think that the numbers have increased. Not dramatically been increased to the point where yeah you can argue that the leaders had an impact on this defense and on the second or wrote about it this week. Is it it shuffled other people don't doubt that thing -- I look at their secondary. I think their best grouping is with -- standard and Talib at the corners. Moving according back into the safety spot with Gregory and allowing Arrington to play that slot corner position. At fifth DP slot corner position that's their best position grouping in the secondary -- -- -- -- for a couple weeks and maybe we have an immediate release -- it to trickle down effect candidate it has allowed. Vim to plea to some strength has also allowed frankly to. Kind of create a little bit of an -- situation for some younger -- -- bubbles and he was pulling -- minutes early in here they're not relying on him as much Nellie more last week exactly did -- deeply -- last week but they're not relying on him as heavily now was there were earlier in the season. Hum our friend amenity is Guillen looked at these numbers the opposing the completion percentage from week one through 1066%. Since then 57 point three. Opposing third down conversion percentage point four point six before Talib 33 point eight cents to leave opposing net yards and passing attempts. Seven point 76 point eight -- these -- Beazer. Numbers that again a lot of different things going to pass defense and there are a lot of different variables there quarterback situation whatever by the -- you look at the numbers across the board. I I think you can meet him you can make a real case that this defense has improved across the board because of -- we talk and those numbers right now right. Does it look like they're playing like those numbers back there. And I'm just being -- doesn't look like that does it look like they're stopping you know these guys and completions and everything that I think I think it looks like the numbers are better. I think Leo last week aside LC is last week aside because Henne put up 340 something passing yards and a lot of that was you know let's not forget about these that's -- with that we've been talking might have been given up over a tornado passed -- Obama. If given a when he are running plays to -- last -- -- about it last week seven yards last week the only you hoped to pass please important warrior. Which you again that's something that we are hit them on early in the year allowed -- weren't -- early in your but those numbers are common. I think again I think it's it's secondary stability more than one guy that happened to be -- the reason they changed what they did and are able to come more stable because. You can't say -- wizards my same point if you know -- corps does what is it exactly says one thing -- I think what helped I think it was happening concurrently with the rest of the stability and that's why you sought so it to say that was the stats are good but at the airport at a I think they're worried about that right now.