Lay off of Brandon Spikes

New England Patriots middle linebacker Brandon Spikes has been having trouble getting onto the field due to constant knee issues, but some fans are starting to knock Spikes’s motivation. Nothing could be further from the truth, and it’s ridiculous to think that Spikes “lacks concentration” or, worse, “he doesn’t care”. I’ve seen it in message boards, comments, mailbag questions, and tweets across the internet. It’s driving me- and others- to the brink of insanity.

The fact that people are knocking a player who is dealing with injuries- especially knee injuries- is quite immature. Not only that, but Brandon Spikes is one of the most violent players on the field. He compared himself to a shark. And it’s completely accurate. The man is a monster against the run, and he’s one of the best run-stopping linebackers in the league. How can such a physical, vicious linebacker lack motivation?

Whenever Spikes is on the field for the Patriots, you can just see the electricity flowing from him and charging up the rest of the players on defense. His very presence gives the Pats defense a different kind of vibe. It’s tough to put my finger on what it exactly is, but it’s still awesome nonetheless. He’s the catalyst for this defense and strikes fear in the opponent’s running game.

As far as I’m concerned, the notion that Brandon Spikes isn’t motivated is ridiculous. The only reason why he struggles to find the field- and this is a legitimate concern- is his lack of health. His knee is clearly bothering him and handicapping his ability to be one of the top linebackers in the league.

“Absolutely. That’s my nature: be aggressive, be a shark — it’s Shark Week you know, so of course,” Spikes said.

He has missed 12 of 32 games in his career, so it is imperative that Spikes stays healthy for the remainder of the season due to the loss of Dane Fletcher for the 2012 season. Spikes is a great player, but the focus turns on him and his knee. He’s practicing after being in-and-out due to injury, and we can only hope he stays healthy. One thing’s for sure; he doesn’t lack motivation. Young, aggressive linebackers who are dealing with knee injuries and are itching to get on the field do not lack focus.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.