Tag: Stephon Gilmore

Stephon Gilmore explains why his career took off with Patriots

“I feel like that’s when my game took off more.”

When Stephon Gilmore joined the New England Patriots, everything changed — largely because most things stayed the same from year to year.

Gilmore had been playing at a Pro Bowl level while with the Buffalo Bills, but he elevated his game to new heights under Bill Belichick and won the Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. Gilmore has been thrilled to play in the same defensive system with the same defensive head coach for the last three years. That’s what has helped him make the jump: consistency. He didn’t have that in Buffalo, where there was too much turnover of staff and ideas.

“In Buffalo, I don’t think I ever beat New England when I was there,” Gilmore said on Sunday’s episode of the “Double Coverage Podcast”, hosted by Patriots defensive backs (and twins) Devin and Jason McCourty. “I’m like, ‘what are those guys doing that’s different?’ On the other end, I’m going against (Julian) Edelman, (Brandon) LaFell, Tom (Brady), it’s different from seeing it on the other side. I think, me in Buffalo, the first five years, I had four different defensive coordinators, three different head coaches, so I was kind of trying to learn each and every year. So once I got to New England, I got some consistency, the same guys around, same coaches. I feel like that’s when my game took off more.”

Gilmore has dealt with three different defensive coordinators over the last three years, with Matt Patricia in 2017, Brian Flores in 2018 (as the de-facto) and an unidentified defensive coordinator in 2019. Still, Belichick’s vision wins out, even with the coordinator turnover. And that’s what Gilmore has seen as the biggest difference-maker during his career.

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Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore shows ‘new uni vibes’ on Instagram

Gilmore showed off the Patriots new uniforms on Monday.

On Monday, the New England Patriots were the beneficiaries of new uniforms. Across social media, several Patriots players showed off the new threads. Many of them approved of the new uniforms, including Stephon Gilmore.

Gilmore took to Instagram to display the uniforms. He seemed to be pleased with the new look.in what is a new era of football for the organization all around.

These uniforms certainly represent a change from the norm. New England has worn similar uniforms before, as this particular set of uniforms bears a strong resemblance to the Color Rush ones.

Gilmore will undoubtedly be a part of what is expected to be a strong defensive unit for the New England Patriots in 2020. The organization is certainly going to have to rely on him continue to make plays game in and game out. He will certainly provide a constant during a time of change.

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New Uni Vibes 🔥

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3 reasons the Patriots could win Super Bowl LV

Here is what the New England Patriots need to do if they want to go back to the Super Bowl.

It’s been a whirlwind offseason for the New England Patriots, and things are certainly going to look different at Gillette Stadium next season. Even still, New England is extremely talented on both sides of the football, and led by Bill Belichick, anything can happen.

With arguably the hardest schedule in all of football and a new offense, it seems crazy to suggest that the Patriots could even have a shot at winning the Super Bowl. The AFC East is getting better, and there will certainly be competition this year. Getting back to the big game would certainly be an uphill battle for the Patriots. Still, I take a look at three reasons why New England could make it back to the Super Bowl in 2020.

Developing a strong running game

The Patriots could win the Super Bowl if they develop a strong running game. With Tom Brady at the helm, having a strong running game was a bonus and not a must. However, the Patriots could have a shot at winning the Super Bowl if they establish a better ground game.

The talent is certainly there. For instance,  Sony Michel is coming off a season in which he showed flashes that he could be a top feature back. James White is a valuable pass-catcher within the offense in addition to being a strong running back. Brandon Bolden is a back that can be counted on for short-yard gains and red-zone trips. New England needs to find a rhythm within the running game.

Last season, the Patriots ranked 18th in the entire National Football League in rushing. Averaging 3.8 yards per carry, they recorded 106.4 yards per game. The leading rusher was Michel with 912 yards on the year. Rex Burkhead had the second-most yards on the team with 263. The Patriots have many running backs that can serve them well in various roles. If New England utilizes each and every one of them, they could see their way to a Super Bowl. This is something they haven’t had to do in quite some time, and it would be a certainly interesting to see the adjustments that would have to be made offensively.

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Stephon Gilmore defends Amari Cooper after hearing Rex Ryan’s rant about the WR

Stephon Gilmore may have held Amari Cooper without a catch their 2019 matchup, but he still has respect for him.

Stephon Gilmore may have held Amari Cooper without a catch in their 2019 matchup, but he still has respect for the Dallas Cowboys wide receiver.

Cooper signed a five-year, $100 million contract with Dallas and Rex Ryan didn’t agree with the extension. On ESPN’s ‘Get Up’, Ryan repeatedly called Cooper a ‘disappearing act’ and referred to him as a ‘turd’ at the end of the video. While giving Cooper some respect, Ryan continued to acknowledge that the wideout has a tendency to disappear in big moments or against elite cornerbacks.

Cooper has eclipsed 1,000 yards in four of his five seasons and has five games with more than 173 receiving yards. He’s far from a slouch receiver, and Gilmore let that be known.

Ryan quickly turned around and apologized from the comment on Friday night.

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Darius Slay says he “played fantastic” last year despite the numbers and critics suggesting otherwise

Darius Slay says he “played frickin’ fantastic” last year despite the numbers and critics suggesting otherwise

Darius Slay made his third straight Pro Bowl last season for the Detroit Lions and despite his peers acknowledging his greatness, critics and analysts felt otherwise.

Slay has taken some heat all offseason for what some deemed a “down year” in 2019, despite the talented cornerback once again being one of the best at his position in a crowded pool of elite guys.

Following his trade to Philadelphia, Slay signed a three-year extension worth $50 million, giving him an annual average value of $16.67 million.

The debate over Slay’s greatness has prompted the Eagles cornerback to scoff at the notion that he’s not elite.

Last season, Pro Football Focus gave Slay a grade of 56.4.

That grade placed him 83rd among cornerbacks in the NFL. Unless you’ve been under a rock, common sense allows you to know that Darius Slay isn’t the 83rd best cornerback in football.

Still, Pro Football Focus attempted to explain the grade.

Slay had an all-around bad year in 2019, one that was somewhat uncharacteristic for the eighth-year cornerback. In every season from 2014 to 2018, Slay produced a PFF coverage grade above 70.0, ranking among the 20 best corners in the NFL in four of those five seasons. In 2019, he managed a coverage grade of just 56.9, which ranked 92nd in the NFL and was barely better than his 2013 rookie season.

On Thursday, Slay once again answered his critics, stating that he believes he played “frickin fantastic” last season.

“I had a great year.”

“I think I played freaking fantastic, not going to say an excellent level, but it was dang sure good enough to make a pro bowl three years in row.”

Last season Slay had 36 total tackles, 13 pass deflections, two interceptions, 0 forced fumbles in 14 games played.

Slay allowed 346 yards on 162 press coverage snaps, and 177 yards on 214 off-man coverage snaps, per PFF.

The Lions also had one of the NFL’s worst passing defenses and pass-rushing units, so Slay was essentially a man on an island alone, and still came away highly respected by fans and most importantly, his peers.

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Bills take Alshon Jeffery in 2012 NFL Draft redo

In a 2012 NFL Draft redo, the Bills use that knowledge to change their pick. Although, their hand was forced a bit. 

With April, otherwise known as NFL Draft month, quickly approaching, the Bills and league will turn their attention from free agency to the upcoming rookie selection extravaganza.

But NFL.com dipped back into a past draft to discuss what could have been teams… had they known how things would play out. In a 2012 NFL Draft redo, the Bills use that knowledge to change their pick. Although, their hand was forced a bit.

Originally at the No. 10 overall pick that year, the Bills select cornerback Stephon Gilmore. The new pick is Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery instead. But there’s a twist. Would the Bills have re-selected Gilmore? Who knows, because in this redo, he actually is the sixth-overall pick, going to the Cowboys.

Back to Jeffery, here’s how former front office executive turned NFL Media analyst Gil Brandt breaks down the changed pick:

Original pick: Stephon Gilmore, CB.
Jeffery was actually drafted: by the Bears in Round 2 (No. 45).

With Gilmore off the board, the Bills grab Jeffery. Pairing Jeffery with wideout Stevie Johnson would have gone a long way toward providing the kind of offensive firepower that might have kept both coach Chan Gailey and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick from losing their jobs in Buffalo after the 2012 season.

Also worth mentioning might be that the Bills were eventually unable to keep Gilmore after his rookie contract expired and he’s since been on the Patriots. Further comparisons to consider would be that heading into this offseason, the Bills added Stefon Diggs. That’s because they needed a top-playmaking receiver. While Diggs is a higher-caliber playmaker than Jeffery, Buffalo would not have been in such a dire situation to acquire Diggs, had they had a big-bodied playmaker like Jeffery.

However, if we’re making knocks against Gilmore in a sense, it’s only far to do so with Jeffery. In recent seasons he’s had a tough time staying on the field and it appears they’d have their effects on him even when he does get out there. Still, interesting to consider adding Jeffery into that 2012 Bills offense.

In terms of the current-day Bills, let’s look back to Carolina, too. With the No. 9 overall pick in this redo, right before Buffalo’s selection, the Panthers… who had Buffalo’s Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott in-house at the time, still select linebacker Luke Kuechly. A bit of a notion that those two were apart of an important and smart selection.

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Stephon Gilmore gives high praise to Jarrett Stidham

Another Patriots teammate has high praise for the Patriots’ likely starter.

Only a few people truly know how much Jarrett Stidham progressed in 2019. The New England Patriots quarterback spent his rookie season running the scout team, and when Tom Brady was injured, Stidham would run the first-team offense.

With Brady leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, almost everyone in New England — and beyond — is probably wondering how well Stidham will play. His teammates seemed impressed after his rookie season at practice.

“He came in and worked hard and got better and better as the year went on. He has a strong arm,” Gilmore recently told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “He makes some tough throws. Definitely made it hard on me in practice each and every week, going against whoever I was covering, making some great throws. It allowed me to get better in practice to prepare for the games.”

Stidham had an impressive preseason in 2019, with a number of efficient outings and a comeback victory over the Titans. He made just one appearance in 2020, and threw a pick-six. Though, the Patriots signed Cody Kessler to the active roster just a few days after Stidham’s lone appearance, the Auburn product kept his job as the second quarterback on the depth chart.

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Stephon Gilmore ‘not surprised’ Tom Brady chose the Bucs over the Patriots

Patriots All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore wasn’t the least bit surprised when hearing Tom Brady signed with the Buccaneers.

Count shutdown cornerback Stephon Gilmore among the present and former New England Patriots players that weren’t surprised when quarterback Tom Brady left the team to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

When speaking on the phone with ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Gilmore referred to playing football as a business in the NFL—a revolving door of guys coming and going. Anyone can play anywhere, including Brady.

“Not surprised,” said Gilmore. “A player like him, playing somewhere that long, you never can see it, but it shows you that in the National Football League it can be anyone going somewhere. It’s a business, and that’s how you have to look at it.”

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year speaks from experience after jumping ship from the Buffalo Bills to sign a five-year, $65 million deal with the Patriots in 2017. Of course, it still isn’t quite the same as ending a near 20-year marriage after winning six Super Bowls.

Not to mention the Patriots aren’t necessarily in a position to fill the void left by Brady. There are far too many maybes that would come with Jarrett Stidham as the starting quarterback, and the team already knows what it has in Brian Hoyer and Cody Kessler. Hoyer in particular is a quality backup, but he isn’t engineering the sort of game-winning drives necessary to keep the Patriots in the contender conversation.

Former Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy claimed he was mildly shocked by Brady opting to leave, but he also admitted he could “see the writing on the wall.”

It’s rare to see any star athlete finish their career in the same place they started, but there was hope the Patriots’ need for a bridge at quarterback would propel them to keep the dynasty rolling a couple years longer. Brady’s hope is to continue playing until the age of 45, and the championship-starved Buccaneers were willing to put up the money and talent to acquire his services. They believed in him when Patriots coach Bill Belichick couldn’t bring himself to make that sort of leap.

Championship aspirations have suddenly consumed a Buccaneers fan-base that has patiently waited for an opportunity to compete, while Belichick continues on with business as usual with the face of the franchise playing elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Patriots fans are left with the lasting memories from an epic run before tuning in on Sundays to see an amped up Tom Brady screaming “let’s go” on the sidelines in creamsicle colors.

What a time to be alive.

Michael Thomas reacts to new CBA’s 17-game NFL season

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas commented on the NFL’s soon-to-be expanded regular season, which won’t take place until 2021

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The NFL Players Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement this weekend, which will run through the next decade and introduce several big changes to the game. Maybe the most significant new feature is the expansion of the regular season to 17 games, extending the regular season another week (the preseason, however, will be limited to just three exhibition games). This big shakeup will not come into play until the 2021 season at the soonest, but some players aren’t happy with the development.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas can be counted in that number. Thomas responded to the news of this change from his official Twitter account, joking that it’s “time to start load management,” referencing the popular NBA practice of resting key players during lengthy road trips. Thomas also shared a tweet from New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who noted that he’ll have to schedule six massages each week instead of just four during the new, extended regular season.

Professional football is one of the most physically-demanding sports in the world, and few of today’s players know that fact better than Thomas. He set a new NFL record for receptions in a single season last year (149), taking on punishing hits from defenders each week.

He ended up being limited in practice with a hand injury late in the season, which Thomas later revealed to include a fractured bone. Even if receivers and cornerbacks don’t take as many hits as, say, running backs and linebackers, they do experience the rigors of the game all the same. And it’s important to remember that an additional regular season game doesn’t just mean an extra work week for these athletes; it carries a real, physical cost that they must put in more effort to manage.

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Stephon Gilmore is highest-rated Patriot on Pro Football Focus’ Top-101 list

The DPOY, Stephon Gilmore, was the most dominant player for the Patriots in 2019. 

The Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore, was the most dominant player for the New England Patriots in 2019.

He led the team with six interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, while earning First-Team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod. He’s widely recognized as the best cornerback in the NFL right now and his uncanny ability to blanket opposing receivers gives Bill Belichick an insane amount of flexibility on defense.

Pro Football Focus put together a list of the best players in 2019 and Gilmore was the highest-graded Patriot on the list. Here’s what PFF had to say about the lockdown corner was ranked as the No. 22 best player.

For the majority of the season, Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore was a true shutdown cornerback for their defense. He won the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year, and while PFF went in a different direction for that award, there is little doubt he had an excellent season. Gilmore allowed a passer rating of just 48.0 when targeted and a completion percentage under 50%. The only real negative on his season was struggling to contain DeVante Parker against Miami in Week 17, where he gave up the only 100-yard receiving performance of his season.

The three highest graded players were San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle, Los Angeles Rams’ Aaron Donald and Seattle Seahawks’ Russell Wilson. New England had three additional players on the list with Kyle Van Noy (59), Devin McCourty (84) and Joe Thuney (91).