Patriots Bring Back Pierre Woods

or having more down lineman than usual. This move, I think, indicates that the outside pass rush isn’t a HUGE concern going into the game. Without an imminent need for Crable, then, and in light of the 3 or 4 "returns against them on kickoffs and punts that were one more missed tackle away from a TD, they went for an old reliable ST vet.

…as it sort of forces the Patriots to mix up their defensive packages and looks. While Crable doesn’t have the same impact on defense that Moss had on offense, losing Moss forced the Patriots throw the ball around to a variety of different targets. Losing Crable, and going into the game so thin at OLB, forces the Patriots find other ways to generate pressure.

Guyton looked great with inside pressure and could be used as a stunt OLB, who watches the tight ends in coverage, but also can stunt inside for the pass rush, allowing Spikes to watch the edge against the run. A Cunningham-Mayo-Spikes-Guyton linebacker set would be extremely versatile and could generate pressure in a variety of ways. Hmm…

Peyton is no danger as a scrambler, and he doesn’t traditionally do that well on the run. What we need against the Colts isn’t necessarily outside pressure — we just need to get the edge set and keep the pocket tight. What rattles Manning — the extent that you can rattle him — is pressure up the gut.

It’s important to note that we haven’t “lost” Crable. We’ve decided that he is superfluous to our team strategy so he’s been let go — that’s very different. I think what we’re going to be looking at is an effort to bring pressure w/ four guys — 5 at most — with that 5th being a safety/corner as much as an LB. Coverage, jamming up Tamme and Clark, collapse the point of the pocket with pressure up the middle and hit the snot out of them when they catch the ball (calling Patrick Chung).

In short, very similar to the 2003/2004 attack.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Outside linebacker Pierre Woods had been working as a groundskeeper at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, when his phone rang with unexpected news. It was his old team, the Patriots, saying they were interested in re-signing him.

“I didn’t see anything coming. I was very surprised,” Woods said as he walked through the locker room Wednesday morning in a blue hooded sweatshirt, the hood kept over his head so he could remain anonymous.

Later, Woods stopped at his locker and answered questions from reporters on the day he returned to the team in place of Shawn Crable — another former Michigan linebacker — who was waived on Tuesday.

Woods said he never really thought of returning to the Patriots after he was released Sept. 4 on the final roster cutdown day. He figured he’d land with another team, but only had one workout, with the Chiefs.

“Nothing happened, so I was just working out, twice a day. You just have to keep faith,” he said. “It feels great to be back. Everybody accepted me, I’m happy to be back, it’s an opportunity and I’m going to make the best of it. I’m ready to work.”

Woods said he didn’t follow the Patriots too closely, other than keeping in touch with some of his former teammates. He had stopped looking at the waiver wire, and because he didn’t have cable television at his home, he only saw highlights of games while at work.

Woods wore jersey No. 58 in his first stint with the Patriots. With veteran linebacker Tracy White donning 58, Woods will now wear No. 53.

Much rather.

…must have been the main consideration. They were doing great this season but the past few games have looked shaky. Woods was one of the leading ST tacklers last season I believe, so at the very least bringing him back will likely solidify some of our coverage.

Isn’t Woods also good against the run?