Kontradiction
On my retirement tour.
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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.Folks forget that NE had the 28th ranked run defense in 2001 and 11th ranked pass defense. NE is 26th in both categories now tied for best record in the NFL.
This bend dont break defense is making enough plays to win. Mcourtys 1st INT was the turning point in the Detroit game for NE.
The Pats defense can stop anyone, but not for a complete game - at least not yet. The Pats were up 24-3 against the Steelers going into the fourth. They beat the Lions in the second half 35-7. The Pats held the Colts to 14 points almost midway through the fourth (and held them scoreless in both the first and third quarters). The Pats were beating the Vikings 21-10 in the fourth. The Pats were beating the Chargers 20-3 going into the fourth.
The Pats' defense's problem isn't that they cannot stop anyone. Their problem is that they cannot put together a complete game and they can go from a shutout defense to a siv in a matter of one drive to the next. They need to work on their consistency. Unfortunately, inconsistency is a trait of a young defense.
Felger: This defense can't stop anyone.
PatsFans: This forum can't stop posting Felger articles.
They do bend a lot and break a little but what they are doing different from the previous couple of years is creating turnovers and getting special team plays.
I'm baffled at why anyone would argue this point. Of course the overall statement is hyperbolic but the point stands. They are awful on defense, especially in the second half of games which is most troublesome. Thats not so say they don't have talent, as they have plenty, but as someone else said, they are just way too inconsistent.
Statistically, that is not true.
Last year the team had 18 INTs and 19 forced fumbles for an average of forcing 2.31 turnovers a game.
This year they are averaging 1.18 TOs a game 13 INTs and 4 FF.
Difference: they are not turning the ball over and the timing of the TOs has been incredible.
I'm baffled at why anyone would argue this point. Of course the overall statement is hyperbolic but the point stands. They are awful on defense, especially in the second half of games which is most troublesome. Thats not so say they don't have talent, as they have plenty, but as someone else said, they are just way too inconsistent.
You're correct that a turnover is a stop (the best kind of stop) and, ultimately, the only stat that matters is scoring more than the other team. However, you must admit the Patriot defense is allowing a conspicuously large amount of yards, is god awful on 3rd down defense and is allowing red zone TDs at an abysmal rate. Given that, I think it is fair to worry "if the opposing team's D plays us tough all 4 quarters, can our defense keep us in a game like that?". Any Patriot fan has to worry about that question after watching the Patriot D this season.
I'd feel a hell of a lot better about this defense if they could step it up in the red zone. Otherwise we better score 25 points or more a game.
I'm sorry but I disagree. The patriots have been able to go into prevent defenses in at least three games, the Bengals, Colts, and Steelers. In all three of those games, which the Pats won, they went up by three scores and stopped doing what they had been doing. As soon as they went to prevent, the other teams put up large numbers, those numbers completely skew the Patriots' defensive numbers. If you take those 3 4th quarters out, there would be a huge difference in the Patriots defensive numbers and ratings.
I realize you can't throw out those numbers, but we end up counting garbage time numbers as the same as numbers that happened when things mattered.
Honestly, what is to argue in Felger's article? It's perfectly accurate. Our defense - by every measure, including opponent-adjusted - is in the bottom third of the league. If you look at Football Outsiders, our D is truly up there with the dregs of the league - we are about as bad as any defense save for Houston and Denver. It is not a good defense, by any stretch. But neither was New Orleans' D last year - but they made plays when it counted.
And so has ours.
Combine that with the best offense in the league - and by a huge margin with opposition is accounted for - and you have a team that can win the SB.