BY THE NUMBERS: Patriots Pass Defense Has Improved

[PatsFans.com Article]

BY THE NUMBERS: Patriots Pass Defense Has Improved
By: Ian Logue

The Patriots pass defense was their weak link for the early part of the year, but lately that's one area that is finally becoming the strength of this team....

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[Gumby]

BY THE NUMBERS: Patriots Pass Defense Has Improved
By: Ian Logue

The Patriots pass defense was their weak link for the early part of the year, but lately that's one area that is finally becoming the strength of this team....

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS STORY​

STRONGER, yes. no doubt.

THE STRENGTH. ummmm poor choice of words there.

interesting you date the change point to before Talib showed up. Was your cutoff point the McC FS point? it appears so, but not sure which game that was off the top of my head.

So if Pats are now at 2.75 20+yd plays per game; what is league avg and are the best D teams (bears, sf, den, sea) doing in that regard (who posts those type stat #s)?

ALSO: Am I the only one who finds the new format on these BLOGS UTTERLY ANNOYING. I like reading OTG as a change of pace, but reading every blog in OTG-like format LARGE RED-BOLD font is a bit annoying.

 

[Gumby]

STRONGER, yes. no doubt.

..............
.

So if Pats are now at 2.75 20+yd plays per game; what is league avg and are the best D teams (bears, sf, den, sea) doing in that regard?

.............

Top 3 Teams in (Least) 20+ yd plays:
Squeelers 22 (= 1.8 per game)
SF 25 (= 2.08 per game)
Rams 27 (= 2.25 per game)

Worst:
NE: 59 (by a good margin +7 over 31 ranked TB)

A 2.75 avg through the season to date would mean the Pats would have been the equivalent of the 10-14th ranked pass Ds for 20+ plays. Trendwise that is good; ....

but total stats for year (if they maintain that pace of 2.75) would still leave them at 4.37 per game or the equivalent of having 52 at this point instead of 59. Congratulations.... the improvement moved you from 32nd to tied for 31st IN THE LEAGUE. Wooo Hoooo.

So definitely, NOT THE strength. I would have to say THE strength is FORCING TURNOVERS.

 

[Kontradiction]

In that time period, the team has played the following ranked passing offenses: 22, 26, 5, 28, and 23. Not exactly a murderer's row of passing offenses. We'll see just how much this pass defense has improved on Monday night.

 

[Ian]

STRONGER, yes. no doubt.

THE STRENGTH. ummmm poor choice of words there.

interesting you date the change point to before Talib showed up. Was your cutoff point the McC FS point? it appears so, but not sure which game that was off the top of my head.

So if Pats are now at 2.75 20+yd plays per game; what is league avg and are the best D teams (bears, sf, den, sea) doing in that regard (who posts those type stat #s)?

ALSO: Am I the only one who finds the new format on these BLOGS UTTERLY ANNOYING. I like reading OTG as a change of pace, but reading every blog in OTG-like format LARGE RED-BOLD font is a bit annoying.

I was purely looking at this chart and noticed the trend, which started with the Rams game:

2012 Patriots Defensive Play Broken Down by Distance Allowed

So that was the reference point when I put the entry together. You're right, not necessarily the "strength" (that was the wrong word) but certainly no where near as bad as they were through the start of the season and at least it shows they're heading in the right direction.

On your other comment, what does "OTG" mean? I'm also wondering what you're referencing regarding the "large red-bold" font? I'm still tweaking things here and there so I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Fixit]

In that time period, the team has played the following ranked passing offenses: 22, 26, 5, 28, and 23. Not exactly a murderer's row of passing offenses. We'll see just how much this pass defense has improved on Monday night.

True, but hasn't that been one of the biggest problems over the last few seasons? Making sharty QBs look like Pro Bowlers? Judging by nothing other than my stress level whenever someone drops back to throw... and my confidence that the D can now consistently get stops ... there has been definite improvement.

 

[Fixit]

On your other comment, what does "OTG" mean?

"Off The Grid." HE tends to get CREATIVE with his FORMATTING.

 

[Ian]

"Off The Grid." HE tends to get CREATIVE with his FORMATTING.

LOL - Gumby was referencing the blogs though, so I'm just trying to figure out what he was referring to.

 

[mayoclinic]

In that time period, the team has played the following ranked passing offenses: 22, 26, 5, 28, and 23. Not exactly a murderer's row of passing offenses. We'll see just how much this pass defense has improved on Monday night.

That's true. But who did we make look like superstars in the first 7 games:

- Week 1: Jake Locker/Matt Hasselback
- Week 2: Kevin Kolb
- Week 3: Joe Flacco
- Week 4: Ryan Fitzpatrick
- Week 5: Peyton Manning
- Week 6: Russell Wilson
- Week 7: Mark Sanchez

Aside from Manning, we didn't exactly face an elite group of QBs in the first 7 games, but we still got shredded. 36 receptions over 20 yards, 5 over 40.

Since the Sam Bradford 50 yard pass in the first quarter of the Rams game the Pats have only given up 1 completion over 40 yards (the Andrew Luck to TY Hilton TD pass after the game was well out of reach), and only 4 receptions over 30 yards. They had 8 interceptions in the last 5 games.

The pass defense has clearly improved. Whether it is good enough to stand up to a top level passing attack is another matter altogether, but however it does, the pass defense from the first 7 games would have fared far worse.

 

[Raymond]

Well, I was pleased that Bess was held to only one catch for 13 yds, far below his average.

It's looking a bit better. But...

Let's see Andre Johnson. 1114 yds, 74 catches, 15 ypc, in 12 games. That guy scares me.

 

[mayoclinic]

Well, I was pleased that Bess was held to only one catch for 13 yds, far below his average.

It's looking a bit better. But...

Let's see Andre Johnson. 1114 yds, 74 catches, 15 ypc, in 12 games. That guy scares me.

As he should. But here's the stats for the other Texans' WRs (Kevin Walter, Lestar Jean and Keshawn Martin) combined: 653 yards, 48 catches, 13.6 ypc, 4 TDs.

The Texans' use their TEs (Owen Daniels, and James Casey - who plays as both FB and TE - combined for 104 receptions, 1115 yards, `1 TDs) and backs (Arian Foster, Ben Tate, Justin Forsett, 41 receptions, 209 yards, 2 TDs) more than they use a second WR. And for all his yards Andre Johnson has only 3 TD receptions, and the WRs 21 combined, compared to 14 for the TEs and backs.

Put Aqib Talib on Andre Johnson and make sure he has safety help. Put Alfonzo Dennard on the other WR and if they beat you with their second WR, so be it. But the key for the Pats' defense will be the LBs and safeties controlling the TEs and backs.

 

[Raymond]

Put Aqib Talib on Andre Johnson and make sure he has safety help. Put Alfonzo Dennard on the other WR and if they beat you with their second WR, so be it. But the key for the Pats' defense will be the LBs and safeties controlling the TEs and backs.

That would be in line with BB's usual plan of taking out the best guy and make them beat you with the others.

 

[Deus Irae]

I was purely looking at this chart and noticed the trend, which started with the Rams game:

2012 Patriots Defensive Play Broken Down by Distance Allowed

So that was the reference point when I put the entry together. You're right, not necessarily the "strength" (that was the wrong word) but certainly no where near as bad as they were through the start of the season and at least it shows they're heading in the right direction.

On your other comment, what does "OTG" mean? I'm also wondering what you're referencing regarding the "large red-bold" font? I'm still tweaking things here and there so I appreciate the feedback.

If you're still tweaking, you might want to think about moving the "forum jump" button from the left side at the bottom of pages over to the right side. That would put it on the same side as the scroll bar.

 

[mayoclinic]

That would be in line with BB's usual plan of taking out the best guy and make them beat you with the others.

No, I think the primary focus for the Pats will be on stopping the Texans' running game and slowing down the TEs and backs. That's their wheelhouse. Johnson gets the publicity, but the majority of the Texans' yardage and TDs have been generated by their running game and their backs and TEs receiving: 1710 yards rushing + 1224 yards receiving by the backs and TEs = 2934 yards out of a total of 4795 yards from scrimmage = 61%; and 16 TDs rushing + 14 TDs receiving from the backs and TEs = 30 TDs out of 37 total = 81% of their TDs. The WRs have produced only 19% of the Texans' TDs this year. So while I think BB will want to keep track of Andre Johnson and make sure that he doesn't burn them, I don't think that he'll be the #1 guy to stop.

 

[ATippett56]

The New England Patriots pass defense is currently ranked 29th in opponent passing yards per game. Only three NFC teams are currently ranked below the New England Patriots pass defense in opponent passing yards per game.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Passing Yards per Game on TeamRankings.com

The New England Patriots pass defense is 3 yards per game better than last season, not statistically significant.

 

[Ian]

The New England Patriots pass defense is currently ranked 29th in opponent passing yards per game. Only three NFC teams are currently ranked below the New England Patriots pass defense in opponent passing yards per game.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Passing Yards per Game on TeamRankings.com

The New England Patriots pass defense is 3 yards per game better than last season, not statistically significant.

If you take a look at the entry I posted I was comparing the early part of the season to the last four games:

"Through the first seven games of the season the Patriots allowed 36 plays of over 20 yards, including 5 of over 40 yards and two that went for over 50, an average of about 5.14 plays per game of that distance allowed.

However, things started to turn around in the London game against St. Louis. Coming off of the Jets overtime win a week earlier where they allowed 6 plays for over 20 yards, against the Rams they yielded just 3. They were much more physical and really seemed like they were on to something.

Since then, they’ve been even better. They’ve allowed just 11 plays of over 20 yards in four games, about 2.75 plays per game – far better than how the beginning the year started. Heading into the final stretch of the season, obviously defensively that’s going to be a big key as they head into the postseason."

Needless to say they've actually gotten quite a bit better

 

[Nikolai]

The New England Patriots pass defense is currently ranked 29th in opponent passing yards per game. Only three NFC teams are currently ranked below the New England Patriots pass defense in opponent passing yards per game.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Passing Yards per Game on TeamRankings.com

The New England Patriots pass defense is 3 yards per game better than last season, not statistically significant.

True, but that's an aggregate number. The article is about an improving trend, which won't necessarily come out in the aggregate.

 

[mayoclinic]

The New England Patriots pass defense is currently ranked 29th in opponent passing yards per game. Only three NFC teams are currently ranked below the New England Patriots pass defense in opponent passing yards per game.

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Opponent Passing Yards per Game on TeamRankings.com

The New England Patriots pass defense is 3 yards per game better than last season, not statistically significant.

According to your authority, the team with the worst pass defense in the NFL over the past 3 games - and it's not even remotely close - is the Houston Texans. And Brice McCain is on IR, and Jonathan Josph probably out, against the Pats. Houston had the worst pass defense in NFL history in 2010, and may be regressing.

 

[ATippett56]

Needless to say they've actually gotten quite a bit better

In last five games, the New England Patriots defense has faced the following ranked passing offenses:

St Louis Rams - 22nd
Buffalo Bills - 26th
New York Jets - 28th
Miami Dolphins - 23rd

NFL Football Stats - NFL Team Passing Yards per Game on TeamRankings.com

The aforementioned teams are not exactly the creme de la creme of passing offenses.

One final thought, weren't the St Louis Rams missing wide receiver Danny Amendola in the London Game?

 

[Gumby]

......

On your other comment, what does "OTG" mean? I'm also wondering what you're referencing regarding the "large red-bold" font? I'm still tweaking things here and there so I appreciate the feedback.

Ian, sorry Off The Grid (the wild-crazy guy who posts all in various colors, multiple fonts, lots of photos). Didnt think anyone didnt know him at this point. (I am a closet fan. )

Maybe is just me, and my settings somehow then. But ever since this past weekend all the blogs come on my displaz printed in extra large bold red font.