Why is Pats' RZ defense worst in league?

[JR4]

I know it was like this around the half way mark but PATs
Red Zone D is still 32nd!

Is it because PATs secondary can not cover man on man well?
Is it because PATs went too heavily with getting real good
zone type players.
Why is a Belichick defense sooooooooo bad in the Red Zone???

 

[JSn]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

We're still suffering the hangover of VERY bad early season numbers, and we' haven't improved it a lot. I think we're getting better at keeping teams out of the RZ, though, hence most of our others numbers are on the rise.

 

[signbabybrady]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

I think it may have to do with inexperience in the ILB and Safety positions. these spots become so crucial in the red zone as TE and Backs become more important in the tight spaces.

I can think of a few touchdowns where it seemed someone in the middle of the DE was out of place. It is hard to tell who would be at fault but I recall a few TD in the back middle of the end zone.

 

[dtbrks]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

We're still suffering the hangover of VERY bad early season numbers, and we' haven't improved it a lot. I think we're getting better at keeping teams out of the RZ, though, hence most of our others numbers are on the rise.

The raiders did well scoring in the redzone and that was just two weeks ago.

The pats just need to keep teams out of the redzone

 

[AzPatsFan]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

When you are rebuilding a Defense, those things happen.

But the RED ZONE rating is sometimes a RED HERRING.

All it measures is how often, having gotten into the red zone, an opponent scores a TD. Without context its a ridiculous statistic to keep. Supposing that you had the ultimate Defense and prevented any team from getting in the red zone, except one single time a season. One single time you let a team get there and they scored. Your red zone Defense rating would be -100% and worst in the league even though your opponents only scored... ONCE.

To evaluate red zone Defense you must see how many opportunities they yielded. The Pats are averge or better in the number of red zone opportunities that they gave up to their opponents.

Besides, BB's defensive strategy is always to prevent the quick long score. "Bend don't Break" is the summation of the strategy. What that means in practice, is that if you keep bending and not breaking, the opponents when they finally score, will probably score from the red zone.

The experience gained by all the newcomers will cut down the red zone opportunities next year.

Alternatively, if you had a Defense that gave up long TDs over and over, and over again, and couldn't stop anybody. The Defense would then have a pretty good red zone rating, but it would be a totally misleading statistic.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

Early in the season, when Matt Cassel was that "stiff should have been cut!" guy and the team was integrating all the young players, the defense played a very passive style designed to cut down on the number of possessions in the game. The team didn't blitz much, and the lack of pressure exposed the #2 corner and the middle of the defense against the pass.

Now that Cassel is the new black, the safeties are playing better (the ILB rookies are still struggling in coverage) and Seymour has gotten healthy and returned to his dominant self, I'd expect to see more blitzing all over the field, and better results in the defensive red zone.

 

[RayClay]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

When you are rebuilding a Defense, those things happen.

But the RED ZONE rating is sometimes a RED HERRING.

All it measures is how often, having gotten into the red zone, an opponent scores a TD. Without context its a ridiculous statistic to keep. Supposing that you had the ultimate Defense and prevented any team from getting in the red zone, except one single time a season. One single time you let a team get there and they scored. Your red zone Defense rating would be -100% and worst in the league even though your opponents only scored... ONCE.

To evaluate red zone Defense you must see how many opportunities they yielded. The Pats are averge or better in the number of red zone opportunities that they gave up to their opponents.

Besides, BB's defensive strategy is always to prevent the quick long score. "Bend don't Break" is the summation of the strategy. What that means in practice, is that if you keep bending and not breaking, the opponents when they finally score, will probably score from the red zone.

The experience gained by all the newcomers will cut down the red zone opportunities next year.

Alternatively, if you had a Defense that gave up long TDs over and over, and over again, and couldn't stop anybody. The Defense would then have a pretty good red zone rating, but it would be a totally misleading statistic.

Excellent post. Statistics in isolation are worthless. Interpreting their meaning takes context and analysis.

 

[scout]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

When you are rebuilding a Defense, those things happen.

But the RED ZONE rating is sometimes a RED HERRING.

All it measures is how often, having gotten into the red zone, an opponent scores a TD. Without context its a ridiculous statistic to keep. Supposing that you had the ultimate Defense and prevented any team from getting in the red zone, except one single time a season. One single time you let a team get there and they scored. Your red zone Defense rating would be -100% and worst in the league even though your opponents only scored... ONCE.

To evaluate red zone Defense you must see how many opportunities they yielded. The Pats are averge or better in the number of red zone opportunities that they gave up to their opponents.

Besides, BB's defensive strategy is always to prevent the quick long score. "Bend don't Break" is the summation of the strategy. What that means in practice, is that if you keep bending and not breaking, the opponents when they finally score, will probably score from the red zone.

The experience gained by all the newcomers will cut down the red zone opportunities next year.

Alternatively, if you had a Defense that gave up long TDs over and over, and over again, and couldn't stop anybody. The Defense would then have a pretty good red zone rating, but it would be a totally misleading statistic.

You are right in your theory, tho, it's not a one and done with the Patriots. It has happened over and over (22 TD's in 33 possessions before they faced Pittsburgh). While Indy has the best red zone offense in the league, and its not because they've hardly been there. Which is why I would not like to meet them in the playoffs.

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: Why is PATs RZ defense worst in league?

Early in the season, when Matt Cassel was that "stiff should have been cut!" guy and the team was integrating all the young players, the defense played a very passive style designed to cut down on the number of possessions in the game. The team didn't blitz much, and the lack of pressure exposed the #2 corner and the middle of the defense against the pass.

Now that Cassel is the new black, the safeties are playing better (the ILB rookies are still struggling in coverage) and Seymour has gotten healthy and returned to his dominant self, I'd expect to see more blitzing all over the field, and better results in the defensive red zone.

Indeed. We were tending to sit back in coverage earlier in the year. Now, if you watch the games, on third down we either show a full blitz and back some of the LBs off or bring the heat. I'm loving it as I don't think we have the type of secondary (yet) that can afford to just sit back.