xmarkd400x

The biggest flaw with your 2008 Patriots is their pass defense. (Surprising, I know)

Blame it on the scheme, the pass rush, the injuries, the coverage, or whatever. I'm just relaying the facts from the ColdHardFootballFacts.

Opposing QBs of the 2008 New England Patriots (through week 13) have compiled this stat sheet:
225 cmp / 356 att (63.2%) 2,708 yds 7.61 YPA*, 21 TD 12 INT for a 92.1 Passer rating
(Whole list here: Cold, Hard Football Facts.com: Defensive Passer Rating through Week 13)

As a reference, that passer rating would be #7 on the career passer rating list (below Montana and above Philip Rivers)
(Reference: Career Passer Rating Leaders - Pro-Football-Reference.com)

Our own Matt Cassel is having a worse year than opposing QBs are having against our pass defense:
305 cmp / 442 att (64.0%) 3,052 yds 6.9 YPA* 14 TD 10 INT 85.3 Passer Rating

*I copied the YPA stats and I do not believe they factor in sacks.

fumbrunner

I shutter to think about the type of game Warner can potentially have. Thankfully it is in Foxboro. If it were in Arz, it would have been a massacre.

Watson's IQ

The thought of Fitzgerald and Boldin against our pass defense has been keeping me up nights worrying about this game. I can't imagine a worse matchup for the Patriots, I'm just hoping we win a shootout. Maybe one of them will be dinged up next week and will be held out of our game with them since they've clinced the division (and aren't likely looking at a bye anyways).

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“I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok…”
-Shaquille O'Neal

PatsDeb

Unfortunately, we are all well aware of what the fatal flaw is in this team, particularly pass defense on 3rd down.

BlitzFritz

how did we get here?

- the plan for replacing Asante -- Deltha O'neal, signed days before Game 1
- no DBs drafted on Day one in 2007, 2006 !!
- lousy pass rush -- bad luck?? low production due to injuries, age

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"If you counted out the Patriots, you just don't get it." Adam Schein, September 2008

“We are building a big, strong, fast, smart, tough and disciplined football team that. consistently competes for championships.” Guess who.

bradmahn

Let's not forget about Meriweather.

I'm pretty sure Terrence Wheatley (who started game 8, when, unfortunately, he was lost for the season) and/or Wilhite could be considered plans for replacing Asante. It's pointless to debate, but I think it's pretty clear O'Neal was a stop-gap until the younger corners picked up their own play.

A lot of injuries to the parts of the defense that were weakest and had the most inexperienced depth (secondary and linebackers) is the predominant reason why they've struggled.

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I don't like Dungy and that's because he [was] the head coach of the Colts. Period. End of question. The degree to which I like a player or coach is predicated solely on the color of the laundry they wear on Sunday. When fans admit this and stop bashing players and coaches for any other reason, the world of sports will be infinitely improved.

PatsFanSince74

"Massacre?" Yeah. I guess you might be right, but we are talking about an 8--5 team in the weakest division in the league with three other teams that have nine wins among them all year.

Still, I'm hoping for a game time temp of 19 degrees F, 15 mile/hour winds gusting to 25 and maybe a little sleet or snow, just like they get in Arizona where they close the Dome when the temp drops below 40. Or, as Brewski likes to say "Patriots Weather."

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It is what it is. It wasn't what it wasn't.

Fencer

The top four picks in the last draft were devoted to the defensive back 8. But two of the top vets in the group (Thomas, Harrison) hit IR, as did 2 of the top rooks. And there was a plague of JAG injuries as well.

Projected starters for next week are a returning All-Pro, last year's top pick, another recent first-rounder, three recent mid-round picks (one of them a rook), and two once-excellent vets returned from the scrap-heap. Top backups are a UDFA rookie and some JAGs.

I think they botched the Asante negotiation by undervaluing him before he proved himself. But I don't think they've disrespected the needs of the positions.

bakes781

Uh oh another negative thread! Better post while it's still here I suppose!

It is incredible that this team is even above .500 with those kinda stats. I guess you could say the schedule has been very favorable. I still think it's one & done in the playoffs unless the offense can really start to resemble 2007 consistently or someone emerges as a consistent pass rusher.

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stcjones

Warner can't pass very well if he IS FLAT ON HIS BACK!!!!.......This is the key for the NE Pats for the remainder of their games....but most importantly against the CAHDinals......BRING THE F'in house on nearly every down........If you get pressure ON ANY QB it obviously takes PRESSURE off of the secondary....How BB and Pees have not figured that out this year is beyond me......We have a weak secondary....starting with Hobbs....who always seems to get left on an island and burned like a piece of charcoal.....WE all know that......so why give the opposing QB all the time in the world to get a throw off against our weak secondary? BLITZ!!! BLITZ!!!.....put a spy or spies on the RB.....but all other D lineman are all in.........I would rather go down that way than
playing "bend don't break" and let the next Seneca Wallace pick us apart.........GO PATS!