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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.I think the Patriots defense is going to be weak. Hopefully it gets better by playoff time and the offense has scored enough to get the Patriots in.......I know people will get pissed and say I am a troll but that is how i feel...
The Patriots defense has been weak for the past 4 years. I don't think anyone will troll you for saying in now.I think the Patriots defense is going to be weak. Hopefully it gets better by playoff time and the offense has scored enough to get the Patriots in.......I know people will get pissed and say I am a troll but that is how i feel...
The Patriots defense has been weak for the past 4 years. I don't think anyone will troll you for saying in now.
Do you know what BB is doing with the D this year? I mean it's becoming easier to see? If so, HOW can you say this defense will be weaker. Please articulate why.
It's easy to say "The D will be weaker", but unless you can articulate why, it doesn't have much teeth.
I'll play.Yes I understand what BB is trying to do. I think he will get it where he wants it soon. Is that game one of the season? No.
I have questions about the defense.
The entire front line. In the 4-2-Nickel BB was using Burgess and TBC on the edge. Inside he rotated Warren/Wilfork with Green/Seymour. Wright or Pryor replace Seymour now that he's been traded. Pryor is unproven, but he sure demonstrated some explosion in preseason and got a lot of pressure on the QB. There's some pocket collapsing power there.Where is the pressure on the qb coming from?
Meriweather and Sanders are a year smarter and were working together very well toward the end of last season - improved. Wilhite was starting toward the end of last season, he's done nothing to indicate a decline in preseason - improved over O'Neal and about the same from the end of 2008. Butler is the Nickelback, last season Wilhite was, it looks like an improvement on paper and from preseason. Bodden is the mystery, he looked pretty good in preseason, but until I see him play against Buffalo I can't say he's an upgrade over Hobbs, but I don't think he's a downgrade - we'll see.will the pass defense get better?
I think the Linebackers will be the key, Mayo is no longer a rookie, neither is Guyton, that is going to make a huge difference, especially as the season works to get them smarter. The other area that will make a difference is the Safeties. Meriweather appeared to make some key mistakes last season as he took over for Rodney, I think those days are past, he's fully seasoned now. Bodden is a veteran, a larger CB more capable of being physical in a phone booth than Hobbs - I think he'll be at least a slight improvement over Hobbs in that regard. Finally, Springs is a veteran who will make a difference in short field situations - he's seen it all before and if healthy (the big if) he'll be able to diagnose plays and disrupt things before they occur.Third down defense?
The things I talked about for Third down apply here too. There is one upgrade in the goal-line package to note - Eric Alexander replaces Larry Izzo. Folks may not have noticed before, but Izzo was a goal-line regular, Alexander is bigger, stronger, better able to take on blockers, and I think an upgrade.Inside the redzone.
Hurt it? Not so much. Better? Not right away, but let's see how the youngsters develop as they get more experience playing in the time slots Sey would have filled. Change the way Dean Pees does business a bit, yes, that will occur. I think in the short term there will be growing pains as Pees works out who needs to do what to replace everything Sey brought to the table, but I think the overall talent on the DL is up to the task. And you can't argue that big Ron Brace doesn't create an imposing presence inside against the run.Did losing Seymour hurt the run defense? You can not tell me losing Seymour made this defense better.
Yet? Perhaps not, but Buffalo is a good tune-up.They got younger and faster but are they better yet? I guess we will find out.
I've noticed a few regulars who seem to struggle with it too. :confused2:I don't know if trolls can digest that much salient analysis, Box.
Sorry, but I think this article especially its title is pretty dumb. BB has been accountable for a long time now. This trade does not change a thing when it comes to that.
initially there will be some issues.. but about 1/2 way through they will gel and emerge as a very good D.
Agreed. I support Box!
Folks need to give this D time to gel and develop as a cohesive unit. Lots of questions for sure but that doesn't mean there aren't answers. Patience is key. The luxury this team has is that on the other side of the locker room is one of the greatest offenses in history is there to put up 35+ points in it's sleep.
I personally believe that there is WAY too much speed and raw talent on this D not to do well. I do think they'll be a bit shaky in the early going but by the bye, they will be performing well- maybe not 2008 Steelers well but at least better in the critical areas (red zone, INTs, QB pressures, 3rd down, passer rating, run D) that will allow them to get off the field.
The item that I am most concerned about is the Ds mental toughness and attitiude. I do put a little bit of value on leadership, physical play and mental toughness. They have lost a lot in that area. No question BB is counting on Mayo, Merri, Wilfork to lead both vocally and by example in that regard.
My .02$
I've said over and over that I expect this defense to be much better than the 2005-2008 defenses by mid-season.
The Box analysis is right on, there are some who really believe that BB is deliberately makeing this D worse... nothing is further from the truth, initially there will be some issues.. but about 1/2 way through they will gel and emerge as a very good D.
If there is anything that has me concerned it's the CB depth chart.
Also, can anyone give a quick technical analysis of why Chung got burned multiple times against the Giants?