Defense looked very "bendy"

[patsox23]

I thought this Sporting News column made some excellent points (I imagine there is already a thread about this but I haven't checked):

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...g=yesthepatriotshaveaweakn&prov=tsn&type=lgns

I am not all that impressed with the Patriots' defense. They basically have two guys (Seau and Bruschi) who should be retired sharing time at middle linebacker.

Any team that has Chad Brown on the roster has got some holes on defense.

The offense has been so good it has been able to keep the defense off the field.

Getting Rodney Harrison back should help, maybe. We'll see.

Thomas, I don't know if you're just sh!t-stirring or what, but yours is a most ridiculous post. There's so much ignorance I don't know where to begin, but let's take Chad Brown.

Chad Brown is no longer a great, or even good, player - that's not really in too much dispute. HOWEVER, you make it seem like he's starting. He's not. He's asked to play sparingly, in a role so specific it asks him to do things Belichick feels he does well. The team is not LEANING on Chad Brown.

Seau and Bruschi have both been doing perfectly fine, Seau especially. Seau was arguably the Patriots best LB last year - he got hurt toward the end, but that's mitigated a bit by the fact that last season the team set a franchise record for points allowed. He had something to do with that. Why do you say both should be retired? What is that based on?

I agree that Rodney Harrison "should help," 'though I'd leave off the "maybe" that you include, mainly to avoid looking like a total tool who doesn't actually WATCH the games.

Explain to us, though, please why Bruschi and Seau are bad. Sure, they're not what they once were, but considering the Pats have given up 14, 14, 7 and 13 points this year, I have a hard time believing they've been much of a liability. Also, I've watched the games and they seem to be doing okay. Anyway, give us your analysis - we'd love to hear it.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

I thought this Sporting News column made some excellent points (I imagine there is already a thread about this but I haven't checked):

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...g=yesthepatriotshaveaweakn&prov=tsn&type=lgns

I am not all that impressed with the Patriots' defense. They basically have two guys (Seau and Bruschi) who should be retired sharing time at middle linebacker.

Any team that has Chad Brown on the roster has got some holes on defense.

The offense has been so good it has been able to keep the defense off the field.

Getting Rodney Harrison back should help, maybe. We'll see.

Are you serious..............

The only thing that matters is 14,14,7, and 13. I remember the same talk in '03 about the defense. Averaging 12 points a game given up seems like a pretty good defense to me. They're 4th in the league (JAX is 2nd but they've only played 3 games) behind TB, JAX, and PIT.
http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...d-447263-s=TOTAL_POINTS_GAME_AVG&d-447263-n=1

-4th in passing yards per game 156.2
http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...Type=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=false&Submit=Find
-3rd in Rushing yards per game 69.8
http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...Type=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=false&Submit=Find
-4th in Receiving Yards Per Game 179.0
http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...Type=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=false&Submit=Find
-tied for 9th in sacks - 11
http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...Type=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=false&Submit=Find
-tied for 8th with TDs given up - 6
http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...Type=REG&tabSeq=2&qualified=false&Submit=Find

If that's bendy then call me elastic man.

Um, you forgot one. Yards/game allowed - 226 per game - 1st (by more then 30 yds)

what the hell else do you guys want ?

 

[thomas144]

Explain to us, though, please why Bruschi and Seau are bad. Sure, they're not what they once were, but considering the Pats have given up 14, 14, 7 and 13 points this year, I have a hard time believing they've been much of a liability. Also, I've watched the games and they seem to be doing okay. Anyway, give us your analysis - we'd love to hear it.

I thought the Sporting News column addressed this pretty well. They haven't been able to stop anyone in the red zone.

[I started to write a lot about this but it gets kind of boring.]

Three of the teams they played had pretty suspect offenses (Chargers surprisingly so). Against Cincinnatti they ran the ball like crazy, I think in part to keep the Bengals offense off the field (but also because the Bengals had no linebackers).

Anyway, I see lots of room for improvement on defense.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

I thought the Sporting News column addressed this pretty well. They haven't been able to stop anyone in the red zone.

[I started to write a lot about this but it gets kind of boring.]

Three of the teams they played had pretty suspect offenses (Chargers surprisingly so). Against Cincinnatti they ran the ball like crazy, I think in part to keep the Bengals offense off the field (but also because the Bengals had no linebackers).

Anyway, I see lots of room for improvement on defense.

You do realize that we've only allowed like 6 trips into the RED ZONE in 16 quarters, right? That's 1.66 times a games, and we've not allowed and outside the zone TD all year (big play). I don't care if you let them score EVERY TIME in the red zone, you only allow 11 points a game, against this offense........... YOU WILL NOT LOSE VERY OFTEN.

Oh yeah........ We're missing our best defensive player and another pretty solid player/leader as well (that we get back this week). That's not to say, we can't or won't get better.

But your overall thesis that this defense is not very good erases whatever valid argument you wanna make.

Start with...... This defense is very good, but I think we could get better if..... and people might take you serious.

 

[thomas144]

Start with...... This defense is very good, but I think we could get better if..... and people might take you serious.

Seriously, not "take you serious."

Okay, the defense has been pretty good, but I'm waiting for some real competition. They haven't really been tested.

Did anyone watch last year's playoff game against the Colts?