Let's hear it for the defense!

[Rob0729]

Ok, Brady was otherworldly other than a brief stretch early, but I think the story was the defense tonight.

They have been much maligned all year, but other than after the Brady INT they were the exact opposite of what people biatched about them this year,. They were agressive, swarming, disciplined, stingy, and shutdown. The defense was great from start to finish.

Yes, the Denver offense isn't great, but they have played very well at times this year including last week (granted against a depleted Steelers with a stubborn DC who wouldn't adjust). Even against a bad offense, what the defense did today was impressive.

All you "With this defense, the Pats are one and done" crowd have a bit of crow to eat tonight.

 

[reflexblue]

Ok, Brady was otherworldly other than a brief stretch early, but I think the story was the defense tonight.

They have been much maligned all year, but other than after the Brady INT they were the exact opposite of what people biatched about them this year,. They were agressive, swarming, disciplined, stingy, and shutdown. The defense was great from start to finish.

Yes, the Denver offense isn't great, but they have played very well at times this year including last week. Even against a bad offense, what the defense did today was impressive.

All you "With this defense, the Pats are one and done" crowd have a bit of crow to eat tonight.

Although i picked the pats to win 42-24 i had posted that i thought they would be one and done. I'm eating my Crow sauted with onions. But i'm glad i was proved wrong. The defense played great.

 

[carolinatony]

They did play well but Denver is not much of a offensive threat.

The good news is whoever they play next week are not the Saints.
Neither team has a great offense but very good defense's.

 

[Ring 6]

I think it was important to see the D play well against a team trying to be balanced. That means you must defend the whole field. Its not the same as defeniding a pass heavy offense, but it was a great effort.

 

[JDot]

Lights out tonight. The Pats D balled...

But let's not get carried away. The Pats D strength is againts the run, not the pass.

Tough road ahead.

But man I was so stoked about our D today...

 

[bondjames.]

They did play well but Denver is not much of a offensive threat.

The good news is whoever they play next week are not the Saints.
Neither team has a great offense but very good defense's.

There is only one GREAT offensive team left for the patriots, and that is the packers.

 

[Ilikehappyppl]

Defense was lights out!!

Great job on both sided of the ball as well as ST, was a great game!

 

[The_Riddler]

Spikes and Chung mean so much to this defense and getting those 2 back shows what kind of defense we can be going forward.

Also like BB playing McC at safety and Moore at CB, it's working.

They were agressive all night and the DLine just mauled that good Denver OLine.

 

[VrabelJr]

Fantastic game by Ninkovich, Ellis, Warren, and others. While we weren't challenged in the passing game, I don't see our future AFC opponents challenging us in the passing game either.

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Caused 14 negative plays. Impressive. Let's hope they play like this for the next two games. That's all I ask. That's all we ask as Pats fans.

 

[strngplyr]

Very impressed with how they shut down the option. Was like facing Miami and the Wildcat for the second time in 08. Never run the same gameplan twice against BB.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Lets hope they keep it up next week!

 

[strngplyr]

...one clap!

 

[Joey007]

Whoever wins either way tommorow (or today), we gotta big challenge for the run D next week cause we're either facing Ray Rice or the Foster/Tate combo.

 

[PatriotSeven]

#2 defense in the NFL. But nobody will listen. Could even be #1 when it's all said and done. They have been this all year long. People should have known this on the day they lost to the Giants.

The Giants, #8 offense in PPG in the NFL, average 24.6 points per game against an average defense and have a +0.4 turnover margin.

When the Patriots have 4 turnovers against the Giants vaulted D and all the Giants could muster up is 24 points, which is less than their average, that tells you something. This defense is good enough to take on the #8 offense and neutralize the effect of 4 turnovers.

-#2 defense in efficiency in the NFL
-#2 special teams defense in defending starting field position.
-kept Broncos to only 10 points despite a -1 turnover margin in the playoffs
-goal line stand against the #1 rushing team in the NFL in the playoffs.

And they still get no respect? Because of the most worst measurement known to men in all of sports, when it comes to ranking anything in football.

I demand a change d%#*!@t! It's gone beyond ridiculous when it comes to criticizing the wrong teams or the wrong players for actually doing a damn good job at what they are SUPPOSED TO DO!

 

[MoLewisrocks]

This team in general and D in particular is like a baby Bill has been carrying for months. I think tonight we saw the birth of an identity. The labor pains sucked at times, but the delivery proves they are worth it.

 

[PatriotSeven]

Not at all. Only blind mediots saw the birth of it tonight. I've been watching it do this all season long. Efficiency stats have had them at #2 all season long. Same for GB. They have been a top 3 defense all season long.

But unless you have crap special teams and rushing offenses and give away field position, you're not going to be ranked very good in yards.

That's the deception.

And NE and GB both have great special teams. They both have great total defense. You know, the real total defense that keeps teams from scoring?

They are no different than the 49ers or the Steelers in their ability to stop opponents from scoring. The yards they give up is what makes them so effective in the first place.

The 49ers "give up" 21.1 yards per point. They are #1.
New England "give up" 19.2 yards per point, #2 in the NFL.
Pittsburg Steelers "give up" 18.7 yards per point, #3 in the NFL.
And Green Bay "gives up" 18.3 yards per point , #4 in the NFL.

But in reality what they are actually doing is forcing offenses to travel 21.1 yards just to earn the equivalent of 1 point. If you want to score 7 points against the 49ers you have to travel 147.7 yards. Well the field is only 100 yards long. So what does this mean? They STOP you. You need on average at least 2 possessions, or two tries to score a touchdown or put up 6 points.

What makes them good is all of these teams force their opponents into having to travel a lot of yards, or needing a lot of possessions to score a touchdown against them. That's what makes you good. That means they are STOPPING teams before they can score points, especially a TD, which is what a defense is supposed to do.

The more yards you "give up" compared to the points you allow....the better the defense. The more yards you force an opponents offense to travel, and the more possessions they need against you, for them to score a touchdown, the better you are as a defense.

Because for every time you stopped them you put your offense on the field. And when you have one of the top most efficient offenses in the NFL it almost becomes unfair. Not only do you force them into traveling alot of yards, but your defense also tends to give your offense better field position.

It becomes a no contest.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I think it was important to see the D play well against a team trying to be balanced. That means you must defend the whole field. Its not the same as defeniding a pass heavy offense, but it was a great effort.

Agreed. It would have been a negative going into next week's championship game if the Patriot O had to pull out a victory because the D was yet again allowing another team to score early and often. What a confidence booster for our much maligned D to play maybe their best game of the year on the biggest game of the year (even if against a marginal O).

Of note, the discipline of the defense was very good and, imho, was the difference maker as compared to the first Denver game. For example, I noticed Ninko (among others) playing extremely disciplined against the Denver option and within the pass rush. It neutralized Denver's bread and butter offensive capabilities and forced them to have to move the ball in a way they are not accustomed to. Similarly, if we can also ably execute a defensive game plan that neutralizes Ray Rice and make the Ravens have to move the ball without him, I like our chances.....

 

[supafly]

Lights out tonight. The Pats D balled...

But let's not get carried away. The Pats D strength is againts the run, not the pass.

Tough road ahead.

But man I was so stoked about our D today...

While true, you have to feel much better about the current lineup that's in there now, in regards to defending the pass.

Having Chung and McCourty as safeties, with Arrington and Moore at corner certainly works in the sub-packages.

Not only that, but DMcC seems to me like he's been improving in the base at CB in the past couple/few games.

They have definitely put together some sort of halfway respectable secondary, when you compare it to the earlier ones. In my opinion it's even halfway respectable when compared to the other teams that are left.

They may not be as good as some teams, but one or more of those teams may likely be eliminated within the next week.

Moore has been a real find, at least in my opinion; and McCourty has been defending the pass better too. Chung even looks okay in pass defense lately.

It also should not be overlooked that this unit is giving up about 18 pts a game at Gillette stadium. That is impressive.

 

[supafly]

Similarly, if we can also ably execute a defensive game plan that neutralizes Ray Rice and make the Ravens have to move the ball without him, I like our chances.....

While I would certainly assume that they will limit BAL's offense, I do feel as though it will be hard to totally shut down Ray Rice--if not impossible.

I would hope for something in the neighborhood of 20-21 pts allowed to the Ravens, and I think that would give us a damn good chance in the AFCCG.

If we make it past next Sunday, I would obviously prefer to our prolific offense to have to try and figure out a solution to a good defensive team such as SF or even the NYG...as opposed to our mediocre defense having to figure out a solution to the high-powered offense of the GB Packers.

I'll take the challenge of dealing with solving the good defenses of the league anyday over having to try and stop all of those weapons on the side of the Packers.

The good news is that the GB Packers have 2 fairly hard challenges ahead of them too, as they will face a pumped up NYG team tomorrow, and then (possibly of course) a very stout defense in the SF 49'ers next Sunday.