Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff
News Flash: The Patriots activate Troy Brown from the Physically Unable to Perform list and place Rosevelt Colvin on Injured Reserve, ending the Linebacker's season.
View from Mt. Olympus: Maybe if we're lucky, we'll even get to find out WHY Colvin is out for the season.
On a more serious note, this is a tough injury for the Pats to suffer, not so much because Colvin is so tough to replace, but because this is the one position New England can least afford an injury to. Remember, Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau aren't exactly spring chickens, Adalius Thomas either hasn't performed up to snuff or is battling injuries (bet on the latter), and the depth behind those three and Mike Vrabel is paper thin. All you need to know is they signed Chad Brown, who couldn't cut it after Bruschi's stroke and has been cut from the roster...oh, I don't know, what would you say...185-times?
This injury to Colvin (wherever it is..foot, arm, ear lobe) doesn't signal an end to the Patriots hopes for an unbeaten season or Super Bowl title, but one more injury at that spot just might be the break the rest of the league has been waiting for.
As for Troy Brown, it's nice to have him back, though how he's used in the offense remains to be seen. The best bet; he and Jabar Gaffney fight it out for the 4th receiver slot.
That's the view from here...how do you see it? Are you as confident as I am that they'll survive this one? What if another linebacker injury strikes? Also, see if you can guess Colvin's exact ailment before it's announced...IF it's announced!
Teddy guessing Colvin's ailment before its announced seems a bit on the fruitless side. The point is hes injured which is too bad and dont get me wrong they'll miss him, but that is NOT why they are going to lose a game or two before the season is over. I have said it all year that no matter how good they are a player here or there will get rested and they'll have an off day and well you've heard the expression "Any team can win on any Given Sunday"....
Teddy Troy Brown is one of my favorite Patriots. You are one of my favorite bloggers
The loss of Colvin alone won't matter much but if they happen to lose another LB or they need to play the "old guys" and they get worn down it could cause them some trouble. Especially vs Pittsburgh- those guys may just try to run it EVERY play in the game at Foxboro knowing that they can wear down the 'Backers and try to beat them in the 4th quarter...
If I were Belichick I would rest the starting LBs as much as possible. If they beat the Dolphins 48-35 or something like that will it really matter? Need to get by with Chad Brown and whatever other guys they have in reserve as much as they can afford to during the season to have those guys healthy for the playoffs.
Is there ANY way the Pats do not use that top draft pick on a linebacker (or trade down to take an LB or two)? It's their weakest and most shallow position by so much it's not even debatable.
Funny thing is, they've needed to draft linebackers every year for the last decade it seems like, yet draft day comes and goes and they never really use any high picks on the position.
They've been old there since Belichick got here...Cox, Phifer, McGinest, Bruschi aging before our eyes, Seau. Thomas was really the only guy they signed in the prime of his career (Vrabel, too, but he was mostly a special teams ace in Pittsburgh)
It's weird; they'll go out and acquire a veteran LB, but won't draft one early. So while I would agree with you DB, don't be shocked if next April comes and the first LB taken is in the 4th or 5th round.
Hadn't really realized they've been old at LB for so long.
Some teams just don't draft certain positions highly (think Denver with RBs) but in a 3-4 defense isn't there a premium on having LBs (at least on the outside) that can cover as well as rush the passer? Would seem to me you'd want some real athletes at the position who are smart as well and those kind of guys don't last forever in the draft.
However you do tend to see tons of bust LBs drafted highly (Broderick Thomas) even though plenty of them pan out (AJ Hawk and just about ANYONE who's gone to the U of Miami- think Ray Lewis, Vilma, Jon Beason, etc all went to the same college!) I think the Pats really do go by the value of the slot they are picking at and don't pick for need (although Meriweather seemed to be more of a "need" pick to me).
I really do think they'll deal that #1 pick as it will be so high that they won't want to pay the $$$ and would rather convert it into 2 #2's or a low #1 this year and a #1 next year or something. I agree that they may not pick one until later in the draft (reminds me of the Eagles' draft- I'll be SCREAMING for a big RB that they've needed for years to backup Westbrook and when they finally pick one this year (Hunt) they sit him on the pine all year).