Leigh Bodden AFC Defensive Player of the Week

by Brefstink on Nov 25, 2009 1:38 PM EST

So I guess it proves that great coaches get the most out of their players. Because when he was here - Bodden was nowhere near Player of the Week.

Will Schwartz and Gunny get the most out of our present players for the rest of this season, and more importantly next year?

...Discuss amongst yourselves! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions! Lions!

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Hmmmm Bodden.....that name seems familiar somehow. Let me think.........

Oh yeah, he was the worthless piece of crap that we got for Shaun Rogers. Can someone explain why we cut him loose? Was it our wealth of secondary personnel?
Mayhew’s biggest blunder I think. Letting him loose I mean, not trading for him.

by NorthLeft12 on Nov 25, 2009 2:40 PM EST reply actions

I always liked Bodden

He performed as well as either of our starting corners have this year.

We should have hung onto him, and I’d like to see him back.

by Nate D. on Nov 25, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions

it was completely a salary cap thing

But it still might’ve been the wrong move.

Read my Lions analysis at: http://www.studyofsports.com/?cat=142

by simscity on Nov 25, 2009 3:02 PM EST up reply actions

Sorry? We could not afford him yet the Patriots could?

Did he sign a new contract with the Pats? Was it not possible to do that here? I guess if Bodden did not want to stay [very possible], and knew he could go somewhere else relatively easily, he could play hardball with the Lions.

It is just depressing to see our struggles in the secondary and know that we had a capable starting CB on the team……..and let him go for nothing.

by NorthLeft12 on Nov 25, 2009 3:32 PM EST up reply actions

we already had him wrapped up in a big contract

and I’m guessing 99% of NFL players are willing to take a pay cut to play for the Patriots.

Read my Lions analysis at: http://www.studyofsports.com/?cat=142

by simscity on Nov 25, 2009 3:44 PM EST up reply actions

If Bodden would've produced last year...

He’d be making more in Detroit than in NE.

by CLF on Nov 26, 2009 7:39 AM EST up reply actions

Leigh Bodden

Leigh Bodden is the reason I still question the front office. It isn’t like we had a secondary filled with pro-bowlers.

by NYLIONSFAN on Nov 25, 2009 3:20 PM EST reply actions

It was the contract.

by CLF on Nov 26, 2009 7:40 AM EST up reply actions

It does seem like a mistake that we let him go

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.

by Hyperion Ecta on Nov 25, 2009 6:11 PM EST reply actions

Bodden

Has had one good week……I’m not bothered that we let him go. His success last week is a product of the system.

by KDawg on Nov 25, 2009 6:22 PM EST reply actions

I beleave we touched on Bodden earlier this preseason.

And if I’m not mistaken most of us thought he was miss-used under the Tampa 2 don’t get near anyone in the secondary until they catch the ball system that Merinera ran. Bodden is a get in your face corner that would have fit in here with Gunnies aproach to D-fence but we don’t have the personnel to do that . . . . . IRONY.

by davis0169 on Nov 25, 2009 6:35 PM EST up reply actions

Like Sims said

it was a cap issue. Does anyone know if we will receive a compensatory draft pick for him in the 2010 draft? I know we would for FA leaving, but he was a cut.

by JazzyBBP on Nov 25, 2009 9:44 PM EST up reply actions

I stated last year when the Patriots drafted him that he would make the Pro-Bowl

and I was absolutely burned on here. If “He who must not be named” didn’t sign him to a huge extension after acquiring him from Cleveland he would still wear HBlue & Silver. He had one year left on his contract, and during training camp he was a beast; so they signed him to a large extension.

Remember, if they didnt call the phantom pass interference on him last year against Minny we would have gone 1-15. But he played on a island all last year againt the opposing teams best wide out. He did perform well for us.

Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain. Lily Tomlin

by Leapin Lion on Nov 26, 2009 8:01 AM EST reply actions

*Edit, Patriots signed him after we cut him.

Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain. Lily Tomlin

by Leapin Lion on Nov 26, 2009 8:02 AM EST up reply actions

It doesnt matter

who the corner is or how good they are if you have 0 pass rush they will look like crap. Bodden was good but here in Detroit he looked subpar. Losing him isn’t too big of a deal and I’m glad he is able to look good again on another team. Once we get a Dline that can get to the passer then subpar corners will actually look better than they actually are.

by Usmarine0341 on Nov 26, 2009 10:34 AM EST reply actions

Seriously.....what has Leigh Bodden done this year except for the ONE game?

Answer:

Not a DAMN THING!

He has had 32 tackles over 10 games, 13 pass deflections, 5 INTs (3 in last weeks game) and 1 TD (last weeks game).

William James has more tackles (37), 4 less pass deflections, and 4 less INTs (only 1 less INT and 1 less PD if you take away Bodden’s game last week), and James has only played in 10 games (started in 8). Bodden has had ONE good game and that is all! He is no better than William James or Phillip Buchanon if you ask me (even if he is no worse either).

by KDawg on Nov 26, 2009 9:11 PM EST reply actions

While I am not disputing the notion that Leigh Bodden isn’t as good as everybody makes him out to be, you have to be careful with secondary stats. They are misleading because they don’t account for things that don’t appear on the statsheet. How many times has Leigh Bodden had his man blanketed so the QB didn’t even look twice in his direction? Some of the best corners in the league don’t have the numbers because the QB doesn’t even try to throw in his area of the field. I don’t see William James blanketing his man whereas, lockdown man coverage is supposed to be Leigh Bodden’s forte.

We didn't lose the games, we just ran out of time -- Bobby Layne

by detpistons3 on Nov 27, 2009 12:58 AM EST up reply actions

That is very true......

And I had this same discussion with TCLions (who said the same thing). The problem I have with that argument is that Leigh Bodden did not always play in a zone when he was in Detroit. If he is such a great cover corner, then why did he get torched when he was in man coverage when he was here? Not only that, but I have seen him play this year a few times too. He looks like the same guy we had, only now he plays more man to man than he did in Detroit. I am not saying that he is not better at man coverage than zone coverage, that much is obvious, but I am saying that he is not a true shut down corner.

Plus, if he were still in Detroit he would still be getting beat on a regular basis. Why? Because we have NO pass rush! Bodden is good at reading the QB in man coverage, and with NE’s pass rush he is able to make a quick read and react. Without a pass rush, all of a sudden he thinks he knows what the QB is going to do, but the QB has time to adjust to HIM instead of him adjusting to the QB! At that point man coverage becomes the same thing as running with a man in your zone……and Leigh Bodden can’t hang. In other words, with a decent pass rush (limiting the time a QB has to adjust) when he can move in one direction while making a quick read and then change direction in reaction to that read, Bodden makes plays. When he moves in one direction without a pass rush (giving the QB plenty of time to adjust), he gets burned on the reaction to his read because he is slow to adjust to the QB’s adjustments and does not have the speed to make up for it.

Bodden sucks in a zone (on an island) because he is slow to accelerate and make a break on the ball when he has more than one responsibility (especially with no pass rush or because of poor pass coverage by the linebackers). It is pretty much the same concept. No pass rush in Detroit = piss poor play from Leigh Bodden whether in man coverage or in a zone…..because he lacks acceleration and closing speed. A decent pass rush in NE (in a defense that predominantly plays man coverage) = Leigh Bodden looking like a decent #2 corner (even if he is playing #1 CB for NE). The pass rush in NE makes up for Bodden’s lack of acceleration and closing speed. He still gets beat…..I have seen him get beat this year.

by KDawg on Nov 27, 2009 1:31 AM EST up reply actions

+1

I’ve said before that Bodden was a step slow. He’s a man corner rather than a zone corner, but he’s more of a physical press man corner and a guy who relies on reads, not a pure man cover corner that can chase a WR downfield.

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Nov 27, 2009 3:46 AM EST up reply actions

Never said he was a hall of famer

BUT, he is better than anything we have right now. And would still be on the team if not for that contract that he was signed to.

Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain. Lily Tomlin

by Leapin Lion on Nov 27, 2009 1:05 PM EST up reply actions

I disagree

I think he is about equal to Buchanon or James…..maybe a fraction of a bit better. If he is better, it is not by much. The rest of New England’s defense makes him look better….especially the pass rush. If the Lions had a pass rush, then even the corners we have would look much better.

by KDawg on Nov 27, 2009 3:08 PM EST up reply actions