The New England Patriots haven't always been known as Tom Brady's team. It wasn't always "Brady to Moss for the touchdown." There was a time when, above all, defense was what other teams feared when facing the Pats. Their depth. Their flexibility. Most importantly, their consistency. The Pats defense ran like a car engine, with each part simultaneously doing it's precise job to make sure the entire play ran perfectly. In the recent years, it would seem that the Pats have strayed from that formula, but this year may mark the beginning of a second era.Although the days of Bruschi and Vrabel are long gone, the Patriots have found new hope in second round pick Brandon Spikes. Like fellow rookie Aaron Hernandez, the middle linebacker caught the Pats attention by breaking a record while playing for the Florida Gators. He has a school career record with six interceptions, four of which were returned for touchdowns. In '07 and '08, Spikes led the Gators in tackles, becoming only the sixth Gator to do so back-to-back.
In his senior season, Spikes was a finalist for the Butkus Award (top linebacker), as well as the Bednarik Award (the nation's top defender). In his entire career, Spikes totaled 178 solo tackles, 6.5 sacks (for -42 yards), and 31.5 stops for losses (totaling 89 yards). He also caused two fumbles and recovered four others. What do you think so far?
So what do you think now? Man, myth, or legend? Spikes is a member of a fairly young linebacking core and in order to become a legend, he'll need to be consistently as good or better than he has so far. Spikes will definitely reach man level this year, becoming a solid contributor and leader on the field. To be a legend, Spikes will only need to prove that he's the best.
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