Curran:Will defense betray the Patriots in the end?

[stinkypete]

I've been down on this defense for 5 years and they're finally doing something consistently they haven't done in that time span - win games.

Sums things up perfectly. Not since 2004 has the Patriots defense sealed the deal so consistently. Not to compare the two units, that's just not reasonable, but no Pats defense since could be counted on to hold a one score lead.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

Not since 2004 has the Patriots defense sealed the deal so consistently. Not to compare the two units, that's just not reasonable, but no Pats defense since could be counted on to hold a one score lead.

:yeahthat: exactly. I'm confident in this defense the same way I was confident in 04. They're not the same teams but I feel that same level of confidence, this team can play up.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I love our D as I've explained in other threads. I just want to add that they're young, and while it drives me insane, they are up and down and tend to not take some opponents as serious as they should. Good news is the playoffs will mean a lot of important games against serious opponents, and I expect our defense will respond accordingly.

 

[The Dynasty]

:yeahthat: exactly. I'm confident in this defense the same way I was confident in 04. They're not the same teams but I feel that same level of confidence, this team can play up.

How can you be confident the same way in this years defense as the 04 defense. That defense was full of veterans where most of them had won 2 Super Bowls. This defense is full of inexperienced rookies and 2nd year guys for the most part.

 

[WhoaDirty]

The health of the Pats D-line might determine how far they go into the playoffs. I think they need the inactive guys from the GB game back in a hard way.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Is there or will there be a monster offense in the playoffs?

Yes ... there will be one ... The Patriots ... :bye2::bye2::bye2:

Our defense is good enough ... and they will be a bit better next month.

Our defense practices against the top NFL offense ... this is why they are getting better.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

How can you be confident the same way in this years defense as the 04 defense. That defense was full of veterans where most of them had won 2 Super Bowls. This defense is full of inexperienced rookies and 2nd year guys for the most part.

Like I said they're not the same team but I feel a similar confidence.

 

[RayClay]

All they have to do is play well enough, within the game plan, to defeat teams in conjunction with Tom Brady and company.

If it's a high scoring team and the O spots us two touchdowns, we can let a little line out and prevent the other team from scoring enough before 60 minutes elapses. That is all that counts.

Love to see special teams come up big again, like in Chung's big game earlier. That's the beauty of a bellichick team, beats you in many ways.

 

[patsfan13]

This D will be ready to excel by the first playoff game.


This D has had it ups and downs especially in the early season and has had mixed results in a couple of trap games (Cle and GB). However it has improved steadily over the course of the season. Especially after bye weeks, when BB had extra time to work on helping them 'get it' as opposed to focusing on the next game/game plan.

What is different from the last few years we have a plethora of young alhletic PLAYMAKERS... something that has been lacking. This is why we see the increase in turnovers.

IMO we will win the next 2 games and get the HFA and a bye before the first playoff game. Again BB will put the extra time to good use and we will see the youngest team in the league take another step up.

This team will be a tough out at home this year and by the way if we win the AFCCG we will have an extra week for BB to coach up the D before the SB.

I am not worried about our rapidly improving D.


BTW the Pats have the biggest point differential in the league. While arguably playing the most difficult schedule.

 

[Ron Sellers]

I think the question of whether or not the defense will 'betray the Patriots in the end' is a legitimate one. But the way I see it the goal is to win games, not gain high stat rankings. The defense, despite its well documented shortcomings, has done what it needed to do to win. It's not as if the Patriots are scoring on every possession and then the defense gives up the lead on every subsequent possession.

The defense has improved game after game. While they may not be the NFL's best defense, right now it looks like they are good enough to help the Pats go deep into the playoffs - and perhaps all the way to another championship.

 

[Ring 6]

All they have to do is play well enough, within the game plan, to defeat teams in conjunction with Tom Brady and company.

If it's a high scoring team and the O spots us two touchdowns, we can let a little line out and prevent the other team from scoring enough before 60 minutes elapses. That is all that counts.

Love to see special teams come up big again, like in Chung's big game earlier. That's the beauty of a bellichick team, beats you in many ways.

You bring up an excellent point.
This defense needs to play well enough to win with Tom Bradys offense.
Whether or not they would win with anyone elses offense is irrelevant.

If in fact the Patriots were the best offense in the NFL and they win the SB, the defense did its job, even if it would not have won the SB with the 2nd best offense.
The only judgment of this defense is whether it wins for THIS team. Anything else is speculation and meaningless.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Will people be surprised when the day comes that Arrington or Chung gets beat for a game winning touchdown on the closing minute?

 

[patsfan13]

BTW the Pats are 16th in the league in pts allowed. In a few cases points were given up while playing prevent D with big leads. We are 16th in pts allowed the teams we have played so far avs ~.5pts below the league average.

For the season we have played like an average D. The second half of the season being better than the first half of the season.

 

[Ring 6]

Will people be surprised when the day comes that Arrington or Chung gets beat for a game winning touchdown on the closing minute?

Sure because the Patriots have been as good or better than any defense in the NFL at protecting 4th quarter leads in close games.

 

[Ring 6]

BTW the Pats are 16th in the league in pts allowed. In a few cases points were given up while playing prevent D with big leads. We are 16th in pts allowed the teams we have played so far avs ~.5pts below the league average.

For the season we have played like an average D. The second half of the season being better than the first half of the season.

And 12th since week 3, allowing just 6 more points than Atlanta, and 9 more than both Baltimore and the Jets.
Lets think about that for a moment.
With all of the comments on this board about the difference between the Patriots defense and the Jets or Ravens, we have allowed only 9 more points in the last 11 games than each of those teams.

 

[ATippett56]

BTW the Pats are 16th in the league in pts allowed.

Spot on!

NFL Stats: by Team Category

If the New England Patriots defense sucks, then you might as qualify the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts as Super Bowl pretenders right now!

 

[pherein]

I didn't bother to read the article but I will say this...


However, a team like the Eagles or Saints and maybe the Falcons could frustrate this young defense.

QB
#19 Vick
#3 Brees, with 19 ints
#11 Ryan

Offense
#1 eagles
#6 Saints
#12 Falcons

Defense
#13 Eagles
#9 Saints
# 15 Falcons

Wish you guys all the luck in the world, and then some. You deserve a 4th ring. We see what it takes now, Brady and BB have worked very hard.

 

[The Dynasty]

Sure because the Patriots have been as good or better than any defense in the NFL at protecting 4th quarter leads in close games.

Its pretty easy when they are double digits and Tom Brady is your quarterback

 

[mgteich]

Apparently, for some, it is good to be the worst 3rd down defense in the nfl and the worst Belichick has ever coached.

Yes, the patriots can beat the best teams out there. The open question is whether the defense will have one aweful game that the offense and special teams don't make up for.

 

[mgteich]

No, they will blame the refs.

Will people be surprised when the day comes that Arrington or Chung gets beat for a game winning touchdown on the closing minute?