Curran:Answers elusive for Patriots defense

[SVN]

Answers elusive for Patriots defense

kinda calls out patricia and bb

 

[Sciz]

Another Curran article that I'm not overly impressed with. What did he expect to happen? Belichick and his coaches have never given out information before, and they're not going to start now.

 

[Wrath Mania]

Another Curran article that I'm not overly impressed with. What did he expect to happen? Belichick and his coaches have never given out information before, and they're not going to start now.

Indeed. I like Curran, he's pretty articulate when he wants to be and is pretty fair on the Pats (without being as timid in his assessments as Reiss can annoyingly be), but too many of his CSN articles read like half-baked tumblr updates. Yeah we KNOW the defense is bad and that BB and Patricia deserve the blame. I think everyone who follows the Patriots even poorly get that. But to just half-assedly vomit those thoughts onto a page as a veneer for criticizing the Pats PR is just lazy. I live in the Philly area, and I have to read dumb articles like this in regards to Andy Reid every damn day. They're the complete opposite of insight. Too bad.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

I agree with the sentiment of the other posters. I think Curran is one of the better writers but this was a lazy article. Of course the lack of success by the secondary falls on Patricia and ultimately BB. And the canned, automaton like answers given to the media by BB and staff have nothing to do with it (it actually is a positive to say little to the media, always). Get over it Curran, this is how BB runs the organization (regarding media comments).

I am one who recognizes us Patriot fans have been VERY fortunate to have BB at the helm of the Patriots yet recognize he and his staff have fallen down on the responsibility of fielding an effective secondary. The Patriots have allowed QBs who are considered the mopes of the NFL to put up big numbers last year (the year before that wasn't pretty) and it hasn't changed this year. The Patriots have had a string of questionable secondary selections (draft and FA). The Patriots lack of a consistent pass rush certainly hasn't helped. And it appears that the technique practiced by the Patriots hasn't jived with the players they have chosen to keep/play.
IMHO these are the items that Curran could speak to....items that dig into the nuts and bolts of the secondary's trouble.

The good news is?? With a routinely ineffective secondary in 2011, the Patriots were a play or two from being SB champs. Let's see if that kind of magic can happen again this year (in lieu of what seems like the impossible dream! An effective secondary).

 

[BSR]

What is so elusive? The players are making mistakes. Coaches are trying to teach them not to make mistakes but aren't doing the best job of it.

 

[DarrylS]

What is so elusive? The players are making mistakes. Coaches are trying to teach them not to make mistakes but aren't doing the best job of it.

Just a reminder last week our starting D backfield, totalled less than 6 years NFL experience.. so they need a lot of time to develop.

The lack of padded practices also impedes their progress..

 

[borg]

Just read BB's explanations in this article......his D philosophy is clearly stated...."Manage the Damage." While the best D's in the league try to stop offenses, a Patriots D tries to "Manage the Damage"......aka...Hope the other team shoots itself in the foot. The Pats are very lucky that very few quality QBs are on their schedule

 

[nekromantique]

Just read BB's explanations in this article......his D philosophy is clearly stated...."Manage the Damage." While the best D's in the league try to stop offenses, a Patriots D tries to "Manage the Damage"......aka...Hope the other team shoots itself in the foot. The Pats are very lucky that very few quality QBs are on their schedule

its funny though...because the run d is very good. thats not 'managing the damage'...thats stopping the run. the secondary isnt managing anything but to give up huge plays. they are getting damaged more.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I agree with the sentiment of the other posters. I think Curran is one of the better writers but this was a lazy article. Of course the lack of success by the secondary falls on Patricia and ultimately BB. And the canned, automaton like answers given to the media by BB and staff have nothing to do with it (it actually is a positive to say little to the media, always). Get over it Curran, this is how BB runs the organization (regarding media comments).

I am one who recognizes us Patriot fans have been VERY fortunate to have BB at the helm of the Patriots yet recognize he and his staff have fallen down on the responsibility of fielding an effective secondary. The Patriots have allowed QBs who are considered the mopes of the NFL to put up big numbers last year (the year before that wasn't pretty) and it hasn't changed this year. The Patriots have had a string of questionable secondary selections (draft and FA). The Patriots lack of a consistent pass rush certainly hasn't helped. And it appears that the technique practiced by the Patriots hasn't jived with the players they have chosen to keep/play.
IMHO these are the items that Curran could speak to....items that dig into the nuts and bolts of the secondary's trouble.

The good news is?? With a routinely ineffective secondary in 2011, the Patriots were a play or two from being SB champs. Let's see if that kind of magic can happen again this year (in lieu of what seems like the impossible dream! An effective secondary).

Everything Bill does is based on percentages. He'd love to have a talented stand alone secondary, but it's been a long time. It is what it is, which is why getting the offense back into a more consistent ryhthm and eliminating mistakes (by players and coaches including bizarro seemingly agenda driven personnel decisions) that are leaving points all over the field actually has to be job 1.

 

[Deus Irae]

Just read BB's explanations in this article......his D philosophy is clearly stated...."Manage the Damage." While the best D's in the league try to stop offenses, a Patriots D tries to "Manage the Damage"......aka...Hope the other team shoots itself in the foot. The Pats are very lucky that very few quality QBs are on their schedule

Every play an offense is on the field is a play the offense could screw up. That's pretty basic stuff, and BB's not wrong there. The problem is that this defensive backfield has a very difficult time limiting plays. You'd rather give up a 20 yard completion than a 50 yard completion, but even giving up the 20 yard completions sucks.

This team has some defensive pieces:

Wilfork
Jones
Hightower
Spikes
Mayo
Love (sort of)

but two of those are rookies and none of them are in the defensive backfield. There's no Rodney Harrison, no Ty Law, no Asante Samuel, or even a James Sanders. This year's draft is supposed to be excellent for safeties. If the Patriots can draft the right one, we could see a very dramatic improvement in overall defensive play.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

I would like to see our Linebackers blitzing more often.

1. We have THREE linebackers who are good at blitzing

2. Our 4 man DLine obviously can't apply enough pressure on their own in some games.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Another Curran article that I'm not overly impressed with. What did he expect to happen? Belichick and his coaches have never given out information before, and they're not going to start now.

I think that Tommy Boy steals his best stuff from Mary

 

[Jackson 2]

I think that Tommy Boy steals his best stuff from Mary

Makes sense to me on a couple of levels.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Everything Bill does is based on percentages. He'd love to have a talented stand alone secondary, but it's been a long time. It is what it is, which is why getting the offense back into a more consistent ryhthm and eliminating mistakes (by players and coaches including bizarro seemingly agenda driven personnel decisions) that are leaving points all over the field actually has to be job 1.

Completely agree with what you said (and said almost the same thing as you just did in a post in the 'Dennard' thread). The Patriots/BB have a roadmap for victory that is largely effective even with a largely ineffective secondary.
And while the offense is not hitting on all cylinders, I believe it will come around. The same thing happened last year with arguably a less capable offense (it was a tough stretch in the middle of the season where the D actually played a couple of good games). The offense did eventually re-hit its stride....and I don't see anything to make me believe that won't happen again. There are just too many strengths on the offensive side of the ball for it not to be a highly effective offense.

 

[BSR]

but two of those are rookies and none of them are in the defensive backfield. There's no Rodney Harrison, no Ty Law, no Asante Samuel, or even a James Sanders. This year's draft is supposed to be excellent for safeties. If the Patriots can draft the right one, we could see a very dramatic improvement in overall defensive play.

I still have no idea why they cut Sanders. They guy wasn't the fasts/most athletic, but he knew where everyone needed to be and could QB the backfield. More than anything that is what it seems they are lacking right now.

 

[MTM558]

I still have no idea why they cut Sanders. They guy wasn't the fasts/most athletic, but he knew where everyone needed to be and could QB the backfield. More than anything that is what it seems they are lacking right now.

They likely saw him on a decline. That would explain why he is already on his second team in 2 years since his release.

 

[Deus Irae]

I still have no idea why they cut Sanders. They guy wasn't the fasts/most athletic, but he knew where everyone needed to be and could QB the backfield. More than anything that is what it seems they are lacking right now.

It was a mistake, just as the Meriweather cut was a mistake. They weren't necessarily mistakes based upon the players themselves. They were mistakes because of what was replacing them.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

It was a mistake, just as the Meriweather cut was a mistake. They weren't necessarily mistakes based upon the players themselves. They were mistakes because of what was replacing them.

Sanders couldn't be that QB in the backfield because he couldn't play the position well enough to remain on the field. Sanders was one of those high floor low ceiling players whose range between his floor and ceiling kept shrinking once he was extended. He reportedly came in to camp after the lockout out of condition and he had begun to have some attitude issues with the difference in perception the team was developing about his performance having peaked or regressed. That made him something Bill won't even tolerate in a much more talented player or one with remaining upside, a potential negative leader.

Meriweather was just an uncoachable idiot. Maybe because he saw or was told how the writing on the wall reads here. He determined he would take his own approach to playing the position and trust his own instincts as opposed to doing what the coaches dictate. That will never fly here. Even Ty Law had to change his approach or preference to playing his position and play it Bill's way. And Ty was an elite talent. He had to do what Bill determined was in the best interest of the unit overall schematically and go from there. It worked (he still got to make his plays) so he was OK with it.

You don't stick with something you know isn't working at the expense of seeking out potential better alternatives in the Not For Long league where if you aren't getting better you're getting worse. Hasn't worked out better in hindsight, but the alternative was no more viable long term. As Bill says, you never know what you have until you see it perform in your system. After 3-4 seasons, Sanders and Meriweather weren't cutting it for multiple reasons, and unless you have the stones to move on you will never get it where it needs to be. It's the same risk reward calculation coaches find themselves facing annually which is why most teams turn nearly their entire roster over every 4-5 seasons.

 

[everlong]

Even Ty Law had to change his approach or preference to playing his position and play it Bill's way. And Ty was an elite talent. He had to do what Bill determined was in the best interest of the unit overall schematically and go from there. It worked (he still got to make his plays) so he was OK with it.

In interviews Ty and Rodney, and for that matter Tedy, Ted Johnson and Vrabel, would talk about how they would see something in the offense and switch assignments post snap to confuse the offense and often this would result in turnovers and big plays. These guys were all established vets and Romeo and Bill allowed them to do it because they knew the system inside and out and could do either job.

I'm sure Meriweather and to a lesser degree Sanders saw himself in this light and got exposure to them making these plays and thought they should be given more latitude on the field to do so but they couldn't even get base right most of the time.

 

[Jimke]

I agree with Tom Curran. Patricia and Belichick respond to questions about
the Patriots' leaky pass defense using doubletalk.

All you have to do is watch a game from the stands to see wide receivers open everywhere.