Bedard:Patriots pass rush will have to get better

[VrabelJr]

The New England Patriots have not adequately replaced Mike Wright, on the current roster, as the third down interior pass rush specialist.

Boom. This is it.

 

[ATippett56]

For anyone with a functioning eye, LDE hasn't been an issue for us at all. It's the 3 technique DT that we're missing.

Ninkovich and Cunningham will both be unrestricted free agents in calendar year 2014. Selecting a defensive end in the 2013 NFL Draft allows the collegiate prospect a year to develop before "thrown to the wolves", so to speak.

 

[VrabelJr]

Ninkovich and Cunningham will both be unrestricted free agents in calendar year 2014. Selecting a defensive end in the 2013 NFL Draft allows the collegiate prospect a year to develop before "thrown to the wolves", so to speak.

We still have Bequette in the wings that we are bringing along. He's ~270 lbs currently. Seems like the perfect size for a LDE eventually.

 

[JPsPats]

Not sure I'm I'm just seeing things but when i watch chandler jones i feel like he has a slow first step, but as if he does it on purpose to set his pass rush move up.

I noticed once he gets off the snap he stands right up and kinda does like a hop then explodes out of the hop, usually in mid air kinda head faking he's going outside then cuts sharply into the inside. I remember this move worked nicely when he got his strip sack against tennessee.

I feel like sometimes it hurts him tho, usually the OT gets their arms on him when he's hops or lands and kinda takes him outta the play, also this move takes time to set up and may result in no pressure at all.

I feel like on critical passing plays chandler needs to use a burst right out of his stance and get to that qb as if that qb was beating up his momma, get their with RAGE!

 

[supafly]

Patriots pass rush will have to get better - Patriots - Boston.com

Found this quite amusing

It's amusing due to the fact that they were trying to get pressure on him, even if it wasn't through the typical blitz packages that Belichick doesn't like to run very often.

I would have blitzed the hell out of Sanchez. The knock on him is that he gets very rattled when he gets hit early. Yeah, that is a knock on most QBs including Brady, but he gets exceptionally bad when he is rattled early.

I hope on Thanksgiving that they blitz him early and often or at least dial up the pressure with the front four.

I imagine that you saw the NFL soundbites from the game.

They showed Belichick basically driving it into the defense's heads that "he can't make that throw if we're in his face," almost pleading with them to get some more pressure.

I think there are many games where we tend to try and let the QB drive the length of the field and make the mistake without gambling too much (Baltimore and Flacco come to mind), but in this particular game I have the feeling that we were certainly trying to get more pressure, but just couldn't.

Of course the popular thought is that Belichick should blitz more, but I don't think that is going to happen too often, and it's practically maddening---but he is the expert.

 

[supafly]

Ninkovich and Cunningham will both be unrestricted free agents in calendar year 2014. Selecting a defensive end in the 2013 NFL Draft allows the collegiate prospect a year to develop before "thrown to the wolves", so to speak.

I agree on some level for sure, but then you have to take into acct the fact that we are lacking in the following areas:

--DT...not only interior pressure, but overall talent. The fact that Brace and Pryor will both be FA's next year only adds to that need.

--Coverage LB...we certainly have run stopping thumpers, but no one to provide any type of coverage skill. The assumption would be that they will hope that 1st rd pick Hightower picks up his game, not to mention getting Fletcher back and likely signing one or more of the following FA's: T.White, Koutouvides, Bobby Carpenter.

--S...obviously, this seems to be the team's biggest weakness. Chung who sucks in coverage AND is a FA next year only makes it more of a need, and Gregory doesn't seem to have 'it,' although he may be fine for a #4 depth position or something.

---CB...obviously this is another huge need, and would likely come in at need priority #2 overall. Arrington's departure, along with McCourty's inconsistency and year after FA status only cloud the picture even more. The inability of Dowling to shake the injury bug and at least allow the coaches a glimpse of somthing must be just about maddening to Belichick, Patricia, and the secondary coaches.



So, we pretty much have all of the bases covered in terms of need. I would prioritize it in the following way, although you may disagree:

NEED #1---Safety

NEED #2---DT (although some will argue CB. My thought here is that they are both needs, yet DT comes before CB. It really could go either way)

NEED #3---CB (again, some will switch needs #2 and #3)

NEED #4---DE

NEED #5---Coverage type LB. It'd be nice to have, but I imagine the hope is on Hightower so this becomes nothing more than a luxury. That said, it's hard to watch them get beat constantly right in the middle.

 

[ATippett56]

So, we pretty much have all of the bases covered in terms of need. I would prioritize it in the following way, although you may disagree:

NEED #1---Safety

NEED #2---DT (although some will argue CB. My thought here is that they are both needs, yet DT comes before CB. It really could go either way)

NEED #3---CB (again, some will switch needs #2 and #3)

NEED #4---DE

NEED #5---Coverage type LB. It'd be nice to have, but I imagine the hope is on Hightower so this becomes nothing more than a luxury. That said, it's hard to watch them get beat constantly right in the middle.

Bill Belichick probably will not agree that defensive end is a high priority since five defensive ends are under contract for calendar year 2013:

Jones
Ninkovich
Cunningham
Francis
Bequette

The New England Patriots only have three defensive tackles under contract for calendar year 2013:

Wilfork
Love
Deaderick

Myron Pryor could possibly be signed as an unrestricted free agent, however that would most likely be on New England Patriots terms due to Pryor's injury history.

I don't see the need for a coverage linebacker since the New England Patriots typically utilize a safety as the dime back in subpackages. Furthermore, Hightower will have a season under his belt next year and Fletcher will have a full year to recover from ACL surgery.

Thus, that leaves safety, cornerback, defensive tackle (with pass rushing capabilities) as the three main defensive priorities. Whether Bill Belichick will address the safety position in unrestricted free agency or the 2013 NFL Draft is debatable. However, the 2013 NFL Draft will incorporate a much stronger safety class than the 2012 NFL Draft.

 

[supafly]

Thus, that leaves safety, cornerback, defensive tackle (with pass rushing capabilities) as the three main defensive priorities. Whether Bill Belichick will address the safety position in unrestricted free agency or the 2013 NFL Draft is debatable. However, the 2013 NFL Draft will incorporate a much stronger safety class than the 2012 NFL Draft.

Hopefully it will be explored via the draft AND free agency both, much like this past year.

Still lots of work to do on defense, although there are some decent main parts there.

 

[ATippett56]

Hopefully it will be explored via the draft AND free agency both, much like this past year.

Still lots of work to do on defense, although there are some decent main parts there.

If Wes Welker departs via unrestricted free agency, that gums up my entire draft projection for 2013.

 

[Claremonster]

We still have Bequette in the wings that we are bringing along. He's ~270 lbs currently. Seems like the perfect size for a LDE eventually.

Why is he red-shirted so far? Isn't he ready yet?

 

[supafly]

If Wes Welker departs via unrestricted free agency, that gums up my entire draft projection for 2013.

Maybe not though.

I would like to hope that there would be some sort of plan in place if that were to happen, likely via free agency or even (collective group groan) in-house with Edelman, assuming of course that we re sign him.

I wonder if Belichick would rather pay Amendola bigger money, since he's a lot younger etc? Nonetheless, I am assuming that Welker's situation won't have too much bearing on the draft as a whole.

I'm hoping that no matter what defense is still the majority of the picks, at least through the first 3 or 4 rounds.

They can slip a WR in there somewhere too--whether it be in the first few rds or later on, or even both; but we still need to go defense, and with high picks to boot. There are just too many needs there, although Belichick will probably put a band-aid on a position or two via free agency too.

 

[nekromantique]

So the sacks and hurries don't count because of our excellent coverage? That's certainly a novel way of looking at it.

sacks arent a good indicator of pressure is what hes trying to say. he just gave the example of the coverage sack. thats not a result of direct pressure...just not having anywhere to throw the ball/holding on too long.

generally if a qb has more than 3 seconds to pass...thats not real pressure.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Bequette is a possible option on the outside. He's got the size and was one of the quicker DE's at the combine. He should have it mentally, but we shall see.

Interior pressure would be nice, but our edges aren't collapsing with regularity either, and there isn't consistent pressure. It seems like we either get a sack or the QB stands back there for days. We need a happy medium.

 

[ATippett56]

Hopefully it will be explored via the draft AND free agency both, much like this past year.

I hope the New England Patriots will explore the unrestricted free agent market for safeties since the cornerback market is severely overpriced. The four unrestricted free agent safeties currently on my radar are denoted below:

Dashon Goldson
Kenny Phillips
Jairus Byrd
Glover Quin

As for the 2013 NFL Draft, the safety class is far stronger in 2013 than 2012.

NFL Draft - 2013 NFL Draft Prospects - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

NFL Draft - 2013 NFL Draft Prospects - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

Shawn Williams, SS from Georgia could provide excellent value in the third round.

Shawn Williams*|*Georgia,*SS*:*2013 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile

Still lots of work to do on defense, although there are some decent main parts there.

Resolving the safety issue would go a long way to improving the New England Patriots pass defense as well as finding an interior pass rush especially on third down.

 

[ATippett56]

Maybe not though.

I would like to hope that there would be some sort of plan in place if that were to happen, likely via free agency or even (collective group groan) in-house with Edelman, assuming of course that we re sign him.

I'm thoroughly convinced now that Wes Welker needs to be retained. The cornerback market is severely overpriced and wide receivers, whether thru unrestricted free agency or via the NFL Draft, have a tough time acclimating to the New England Patriots pass offense. Furthermore, Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork only have two years left on their contract, so might as well go all in with Wes Welker.

 

[Avenger]

BB should go after Reed

 

[nekromantique]

pairing a solid pass rushing DT next to Wilfork (who could then split time with Love to keep him fresh as he gets older) would help alot. but thats still really only rushing 3. the next step is figuring out where to keep mccourty.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I would have blitzed the hell out of Sanchez. The knock on him is that he gets very rattled when he gets hit early. Yeah, that is a knock on most QBs including Brady, but he gets exceptionally bad when he is rattled early.

I hope on Thanksgiving that they blitz him early and often or at least dial up the pressure with the front four.

I think the reason BB refused to blitz is that he is scared what the corners will do when they are left on an island. The lack of faith in the secondary is probably why we aren't blitzing. BB is afraid to open up more holes in an already leaky pass defense. At least logically, that's what it seems is happening. I have no idea what Patricia is thinking, but that's a reasonable read on why they would be calling the plays that way.

What I don't like is that the Pats pass defense has made Russell Wilson and Mark Sanchez look like HOF QBs. The coverage is simply terrible. Is there a way to rush the passer better without exposing that horrible secondary even more? If so, I'd love to hear it and hope that our coaches will implement a new gameplan against the Rams who have NO RIGHT to pass for 300+ on us. I mean they are the freaking 28th ranked offense in the NFL.

 

[nekromantique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob0729

I would have blitzed the hell out of Sanchez. The knock on him is that he gets very rattled when he gets hit early. Yeah, that is a knock on most QBs including Brady, but he gets exceptionally bad when he is rattled early.

I hope on Thanksgiving that they blitz him early and often or at least dial up the pressure with the front four.

I think the reason BB refused to blitz is that he is scared what the corners will do when they are left on an island. The lack of faith in the secondary is probably why we aren't blitzing. BB is afraid to open up more holes in an already leaky pass defense. At least logically, that's what it seems is happening. I have no idea what Patricia is thinking, but that's a reasonable read on why they would be calling the plays that way.

What I don't like is that the Pats pass defense has made Russell Wilson and Mark Sanchez look like HOF QBs. The coverage is simply terrible. Is there a way to rush the passer better without exposing that horrible secondary even more? If so, I'd love to hear it and hope that our coaches will implement a new gameplan against the Rams who have NO RIGHT to pass for 300+ on us. I mean they are the freaking 28th ranked offense in the NFL.

the thing is. you don't have to blitz everybody. if you send 1 or 2 of the linebackers (one through the gaps another off the edge) you shouldn't lose so much in coverage that the safety (now that it's mccourty and wilson and they may play some cover 1) can't handle it. and blowing that coverage isn't any worse than what they've been doing anyways. higher reward than risk imo.


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[Mack Herron]

I think the reason BB refused to blitz is that he is scared what the corners will do when they are left on an island. The lack of faith in the secondary is probably why we aren't blitzing. BB is afraid to open up more holes in an already leaky pass defense. At least logically, that's what it seems is happening. I have no idea what Patricia is thinking, but that's a reasonable read on why they would be calling the plays that way.

What I don't like is that the Pats pass defense has made Russell Wilson and Mark Sanchez look like HOF QBs. The coverage is simply terrible. Is there a way to rush the passer better without exposing that horrible secondary even more? If so, I'd love to hear it and hope that our coaches will implement a new gameplan against the Rams who have NO RIGHT to pass for 300+ on us. I mean they are the freaking 28th ranked offense in the NFL.

I don't get the fear of blitzing. "Protecting" the secondary has given us the worst pass defense in the NFL. Do we think the LBs are providing help on the back end? This is not working. Try something else. Anything.