VJCPatriot

Healthy, aggressive, physical. This year it seems that we have the health coming into the 1st game so I am optimistic about this defense's chances. And yeah I'd like to see some smart blitzing now and then. Play it too conservative and you give the QB too much time with the ball and that means you give up a big play.

When you boil it all down. I think the key for this defense starts with stopping the run. You can build everything else off that. Hopefully we'll see the D that showed up for game 2 and 3 of the preseason rather than games 1 and 4.

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mgteich

I want a defense in the top five is scoring defense, and in the top five in red zone scoring defense. I care not at all about stats for rinning and passing yardage allowed.

I see a lot of criticism of Mangini, as we would for any ex-patriot. I think the criticim is misplaced. The defense last year was as good as it could be. As always, the style defense and game plan depended on who was available. Blame Mangini if you want, but there was little to do with Bruschi out and Vrabel nicked, when the FO gave him Beisel and Chad Brown as his ILB's, and Starks as his replacement for Ty Law.

By midseason, the patriots had one of the very best defenses in the league, good enough to win in the playoffs. Last year's defense was indeed a SB quality defense. There was one major loss and losts of improvements. I want this year's defense to be equal to the one we had at the end of last year.

Clonamery

Perhaps the lack of aggression on Mangini's part had more to do with personnel than philosophy but I'm not sure we'll a marked difference with the Jets........

And yes the 2 stats you hit upon (scoring D and red zone D) are most important and go hand in hand. Yardage allowed stats don't mean much if a lot of it is given up in garbage time. Manning can throw for 350 yds for all I care if the Pats win 31-20.

PromisedLand

Wow, some people are really good at giving detailed answers. My response to the question, "What kind of defense would you like to see this year?" is:

Impenetrable.

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Box_O_Rocks

Aren't you the cunning linguist.

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dalero

Anything but the "Bend But Don't Break" defense.

PatsFanInVa

can Willie Andrews play next to Troy at ILB?