Is this Belichick's finest coaching job in New England to date?

[MassPats38]

Like i said before, it's the worst defensive coaching bill has ever had.

Bill has certain standards that he must live up to, just like how a great tebow game would be mediocre by brady standards.

Is this not the worst defense bill has ever had?

Try to focus on the question rather than the stats. Were the defensive players on this team, talent- wise, the same as those on the team in 2001 or any other year? Can a great defensive coach take no-names who lack speed, strength and agility and make a great defense? Defenses are a successful through skills, technique and planning. If you believe that a bunch of high school players can cover professional offenses if they have a great coach, then you don't understand the effect of coaching and really don't understand the question. It is not about stats. Also, changed rules on contact have made all defenses less effective this year than in previous years, so the coaching job is not as easy.

 

[MassPats38]

Allowing for talent, it has to be up there. Much like 2001, there are castoff veterans who have stepped to the plate in a new system to make the offenses and defenses run. I would agree that Brady requires less coaching than he did in 2001, and has more weapons than that team had, so coaching is not as essential to success. Defense last year was probably a more impressive accomplishment give the average age of the team and lack of grizzled veterans who bought into the system. Overall, I would say it is very good to great, given the results this year to date, but I would still put 2001 at a higher level than I would this year given the importance of QBs and how the team had to make a radical shift in season as it did. The game plan against a much more talented Rams team alone sets the bar pretty high.

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

Not the greatest, but a great season none the less. BB is obviously still one of the best coaches out there and well ahead of the curve.

 

[supafly]

Is this not the worst defense bill has ever had?

2005 was probably up there, and maybe even 2009.

It may be the worst defense, but it's close.

I think the whole "the best defense is a good offense" approach is different than in yrs past, and he is not asking as much from this defense.

All in all, you have a point; but I do think it's going to be a progression. It started in 2009, carried through 2010, and this yr we've seen some steps in the right direction from guys like Chung and Spikes, Fletcher etc.

The 2012 version should be much better, with a full off-season, another yr of maturity from the young guys, the return of injured players, the draft, and another decent free agency period.

When you look at the defense, you have to be fair and look at the whole rebuilding process too. He's done a pretty good job of rebuilding on the fly. The loss of Seymour was probably the biggest blow, but it started with losing a lot of key vets and guys to free agency like Law and Samuel too.

 

[Steve102]

Belichick the GM makes Belichick the coach work much harder. I would say this is BB's best job coaching by a substantial margin. He's done it with coachable guys off the steet as opposed to talented diva's who won't listen.

Regardless of Sunday...The fact that he got them here is amazing.

 

[coolguy]

2005 was probably up there, and maybe even 2009.

It may be the worst defense, but it's close.

I think the whole "the best defense is a good offense" approach is different than in yrs past, and he is not asking as much from this defense.

All in all, you have a point; but I do think it's going to be a progression. It started in 2009, carried through 2010, and this yr we've seen some steps in the right direction from guys like Chung and Spikes, Fletcher etc.

The 2012 version should be much better, with a full off-season, another yr of maturity from the young guys, the return of injured players, the draft, and another decent free agency period.

When you look at the defense, you have to be fair and look at the whole rebuilding process too. He's done a pretty good job of rebuilding on the fly. The loss of Seymour was probably the biggest blow, but it started with losing a lot of key vets and guys to free agency like Law and Samuel too.

Imagine what this defense would look like if the patriots didn't waste that pick on mallett and drafted a safety or cornerback.

Eldelmen playing cornerback is what we get.

 

[supafly]

Imagine what this defense would look like the patriots didn't waste that pick on mallett and drafted a safety or cornerback.

Eldelmen playing cornerback is what we get.

Well, to be fair they did draft a CB; and a very high pick at that.

Ras-I-Dowling was practically a 1st rounder, and was the #33rd overall pick. He looked pretty darn good in the limited reps that he got this yr, and should add another solid position at CB next yr.

The drafting of Mallett is a very understandable move, as he was projected to be a top 15 pick by most, and was easily the most "NFL ready" prospect out of all of them. He played in a pro style offense at Arkansas, and was a pure passing gunslinger.

It was too good of a pick to pass up, especially in the 3rd round.

I am personally fine with their draft from last yr, but I can appreciate what you're saying about another safety. The problem is that I'm not sure how much he would've contributed in his first yr here, especially trying to pick up a complicated defense in a labor situation with no off-season. We may have still used the ones we have now. Actually, there's a very good chance at that.

This defense will improve. I don't believe there's as many holes there as people think. As far as the game goes for Sunday, we will have to make the best of what we have. A good scheme will go a long way.

I also would suggest the consideration that we didn't exactly get lit up by them the first time, and that was with a bunch of no-names out there like Philip Adams etc.

 

[supafly]

Eldelmen playing cornerback is what we get.

Edelman has held his own to some degree as the 3rd or 4th CB.

If he covers Manningham, we should be fine for the most part. He was able to cover Boldin until they adjusted with the sideline routes.

I am expecting a lot of snaps for McCourty as a pure CB again, paired with Moore. I think Arrington will play the slot.

If Edelman plays more than 20 snaps or so as a CB, I would be surprised, but you never really know what Belichick is going to do.

If it's not working out, they will adjust. Hopefully quickly.

 

[nabwong]

Imagine what this defense would look like if the patriots didn't waste that pick on mallett and drafted a safety or cornerback.

Eldelmen playing cornerback is what we get.

I thought the mallett pick was genius. We have to be prepared for life after Brady. I'm not saying that mallett will be Brady 2.0 but I know that mallett is a hell lot better than Curtis painter.

We talk about the draft as if it's a madden game. There are no certainties and no reset button. You have a draft philosophy and go with it. To BB's credit, he has admitted the busts of maroney, cj etc. he's not afraid to get rid of them. Also, does it matter of our lower draft picks are more successful than The higher draft picks? Bb is equal opportunity.

Also it doesn't mean that a player who is successful on another team would be a fit here. Every team runs a different system and the chemistry is what is important. Branch looked like dogpoop in Seattle.

Does bb have faults? Sure. But tell me One who doesn't. Give me a coach you'd rather have.

 

[Ivan]

You're saying that as a personnel evaluator. As a coach, it's remarkable that he coached his team into the Super Bowl even WITH the defense.

Either way he is a complete moron.

 

[Ivan]

Imagine what this defense would look like if the patriots didn't waste that pick on mallett and drafted a safety or cornerback.

Eldelmen playing cornerback is what we get.

Here's a tip, since it sucks so bad don't watch the game. The hater fanbase here simply doesn't deserve to enjoy the success the Patriots are having, what a bunch of frigging douchebags.

 

[CheeseMonkeys]

It's tough to say what year was his best coaching year because we weren't there to see all the small things he did that mattered. Bill has always been a great coach but from what I've seen, his best coaching job was in the 01-02 season. That team wouldn't have gone far at all if it wasn't for Bill making the decisions.

 

[Ivan]

2001 has always been his finest job to me, and that's really saying something given how well he has done every aspect of his job over the past 12 years. In 2001 Belichik took a team that was very mediocre in talent and was in turmoil and molded them into winners and created the foundation for years and years of success in doing so, and the play-off run that year that culminated in them beating one of the greatest offensive teams in history was off the charts. That season gave the Patriots the belief they were winners and they bought into everything belichik did after that., It changed the culture of the franchise and changed the fortunes of the franchise for good, and now they are one of the storied franchises in the NFL with a HOF Coach, QB, and now an HOF Owner.


Having this season end with Goodell handing the Lombardi Trophy to Bob Kraft would be the best possible ending to this season that the NFL could possibly have, and in this case I have to believe that many NFL players across the league would be happy with that outcome because they were the ones who credited him with saving the season, and I'm sure Jeff Saturday will be clapping.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

You can't say that though. Brady feels pressure to put up points unlike any season he's ever had.

I'll put it like this
In 2007 The patriots put up 30 points because they could
In 2011 the patriots put up 30 points because they had to

Ummm, no. The Pats D gave up about 21 PPG, which was about league average. And they gave up 25+ points only three times; only SEVEN teams in the league managed that feat.

 

[oldskool138]

No. 10char

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

Ummm, no. The Pats D gave up about 21 PPG, which was about league average. And they gave up 25+ points only three times; only SEVEN teams in the league managed that feat.

You didn't get the memo. You have to win by more than a TD for it to count hence them needing to score over 30 points.

 

[Kontradiction]

In terms of what his specialty is ,,,,WHICH IS DEFENSE!!

Brady anger in that redskins game sums up how he felt this season.

Brady's anger in the Foreskins game had more to do with the fact that he had just thrown only the third red zone INT in his entire career.

 

[Kontradiction]

The offense has been superior to almost any offense in the league, while the defense has been middle of the road.

This is the opposite of 2001 when the defense carried the team, but the offense was scoring about 20 pts a game.

Either way, when you are 15-3 and have done enough of a job to gain a SB berth it's pretty impressive on any level.

I think the defense will continue to grow through another period of free agency + the draft, a full off-season, and one more yr of experience for some key players who are still young. Also keep in mind that we've yet to have the opportunity to utilize such players who had injuries problems this yr in Ras-I-Dowling, and Shane Vereen.

The defense is not as far away from where you want it to be than you think it is. Imagine another yr from Sterling Moore, Arrington, McCourty, with Dowling entering the mix + a good chance of a free agent addition. Imagine a blue chip draft choice at safety, while Chung gets another yr under his belt. The LB core has improved tremendously, and we still need that ONE huge young future player at DE/OLB to continue to move ahead. (not 'needed' but would be nice)

They will be right back in the top 10 scoring defense next yr, and will be more middle of the pack in yds allowed. No doubt.

This offseason should set itself up to be a lot like the 2003 offseason, IMO. I would love to see moves at safety, CB, and OLB on defense. I would love to see Tyvon Branch in a Pats uniform personally. Guy can play in the box and has the range to play in the defensive backfield with the speed to chase down the speediest deep threats.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

This offseason should set itself up to be a lot like the 2003 offseason, IMO. I would love to see moves at safety, CB, and OLB on defense. I would love to see Tyvon Branch in a Pats uniform personally. Guy can play in the box and has the range to play in the defensive backfield with the speed to chase down the speediest deep threats.

This team is a helluva lot younger than the 2003 team. This year's team is a great foundation to build on when you consider how dialed in the players are, how strong the locker room is and how much young talent is on the roster. The long term prospects of this team are the best they have ever been.

 

[PatsFan24]

I think the best might have been in 2001.