E Belichick Unum
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A bit of perspective on our "disgrace" of a pass rush:
2001: 39 total sacks. Team leader-7.
2003: 41 total sacks. Team leader-9.5.
2004: 45 total sacks. Team leader-9.5.
2000: 29 total sacks. Team leader-6.
2002: 33 total sacks. Team leader-5.5.
2005: 33 total sacks. Team leader-7.
2006: 44 total sacks. Team leader-8.5.
2007: 46 total sacks. Team leader-12.5.
2008: 30 total sacks. Team leader-8 (Seymour).
2009: 31 total sacks. Team leader-10 (Seymour had 4).
2010: 36 total sacks. Team leader 5.5 (Seymour had 5.5).
The first 3 totals are from our Super Bowl victories. The rest are broken up by other years, and then the last two with our "disgrace" to the human race pass rush.
In fact, we've increased the sack totals in the two seasons since Seymour left, and the team leader has matched or exceeded Seymour's totals since he left. That's not meant as a knock against Seymour, just to show that the pass rush hasn't become significantly worse since he left.
The 36 sacks from last season would rank 6th out of 11 seasons in the BB era. This was compiled with a decimated DL, street FAs starting games, and two first-time starters at OLBs.
Not that it matters. The Pats have the worst pass rush in the history of football to some posters, and no amount of evidence will change that.
You are trying to compare apples and oranges, and arguing that because they are both round and grow on trees that they are the same thing. If you look at 2001, 2003 and 2004 there is one major element missing, a dominent OLB! Willie McGinnest was player that had to be considered whenever the QB went back to pass. In 2001 McGinnest had 6 sacks, but he had 2 in three playoff games, the team had 7 total. In 2003 Willie had 5.5 sacks, three in the post season the team had 12 total and 2004 he had 9.5 sacks, but none in the post season, the team had 6 total in the post season.
In basketball you can't teach height, in football you can't teach sack, you either can or you can't. Spreading the sack total out amongst the team is a good idea in theory, but to make it successful you have to be able to sustain pressure and force the offence to commit an extra player to block. There are very seldom extra players being committed against the Patriots, and it shows in the post season. No pressure, no sacks, no wins.
In 2007 playoffs the team had 5 sacks, in 2009 the team had 0 post season sacks and in 2010 the also had 0 post season sacks. The regular season is a play in pound, the playoffs are where the rubber hits the road and the Patriots have had a serious shortage of rubber the last two playoffs.