The Cliche That Keeps Me Up At Night

[PatsFanInVa]

"Defense Wins Championships"

98 Vikings. The Colts, most of this decade (BBS, or "Before Bob Sanders.") The Chargers in the Coryell era.

Two formulas are used when describing championship teams: "They're just the more complete/balanced team," and "defense wins championships."

I'm not dogging our defense. We might be one of those teams where there's "just enough D" to get it done.

I also note we're still the prohibitive favorites to go all the way.

But if anything keeps me up at night, it's this. The weather is getting colder, and we're getting down to the nitty gritty.

Don't hate me... I am noting the history and noting the cliches they've boiled that down to, and saying It worries me.

Discuss.

PFnV

 

[apricissimus]

"Defense Wins Championships"

98 Vikings. The Colts, most of this decade (BBS, or "Before Bob Sanders.") The Chargers in the Coryell era.

Two formulas are used when describing championship teams: "They're just the more complete/balanced team," and "defense wins championships."

I'm not dogging our defense. We might be one of those teams where there's "just enough D" to get it done.

I also note we're still the prohibitive favorites to go all the way.

But if anything keeps me up at night, it's this. The weather is getting colder, and we're getting down to the nitty gritty.

Don't hate me... I am noting the history and noting the cliches they've boiled that down to, and saying It worries me.

Discuss.

PFnV

The Patriots defense is currently 4th in the NFL in both yards allowed per game and points allowed per game.

I hope that makes you sleep better.

 

[Michigan Dave]

Funny, I was looking at this cover at my desk yesterday.

 

[RussFrancis]

Let me put your mind at ease. First of all, the teams you mentioned WERENT the Patriots. Those old Vikings and Colts teams. Those teams had never won rings. Specifically THREE rings. They also didnt have Tom Brady. They were also DOME teams, which are typically softer teams built to run on a track. Dont let the smooth taste fool ya with this team. This is NOT a finesse team. They may not be running the ball a ton this season, but these guys still play POWER football. Noone. Noone. NOONE is going to tell Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vrabel, Thomas, Seau, etc etc etc that they are a FINESSE team. Who's going to tell one of those guys that?? I can see it now. "Hey, Big Vince. So, you guys seem to be playing SOFT this year. When did you start playing with finesse?" Big Vince would finesse that reporter's head faster than he could fart.

Look, scoring is big. Obviously youd rather score alot than a little. But look how have the Pats closed the deal in the 5 big wins theyve had this year. Think about it. Dallas. Those guys take a brief lead early in the 3rd quarter, New England outscores them 27-3 the rest of the way and SHUT THEM DOWN. NE trails Indy 20-10 into the 4th quarter, SHUTS THEM DOWN after that and closes the deal with a strip sack. Philly. Another challenge, but in the end, NE slammed the door late with not one, but TWO huge INTs. Game over. Baltimore. That game was a complete fluke all the way around. You'll never see another game like that in your life, but NE completely shut them down in the 4th and made the huge defensive stops to get them off the field when they needed to. And Pittsburgh. Completely SHUT OUT in the 2nd half. Outscored them 17-0. Not to mention they held most everyone else theyve faced to far below their averages. Theyve had some flukey games where theyve lost a little focus or taken the team a little light. Dont sweat it. It happens.

This is a team of champions. They know how to win big game against other great teams. Their D has been there and done that. As has Belichick many times over. You forget the man has coached in 5 Superbowls. Those teams won all of those games. Dont buy into the hype that some team is coming to our house and taking this team down. Its not happening. No DOME team or any other is coming to Foxboro in January and winning a football game against this team. Not happening.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Me too -- but then I would be worried if it were the fourth quarter of the Superbowl and the Patriots were up by three touchdowns. So would you PFnV -- I don't really understand fans who don't worry ...

 

[Michigan Dave]

Me too -- but then I would be worried if it were the fourth quarter of the Superbowl and the Patriots were up by three touchdowns. So would you PFnV -- I don't really understand fans who don't worry ...

Seriously. I worry about the game until the clock is triple zeros.

 

[AirForcePatFan]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that worries about the playoffs... It's not that I don't doubt our team, but I'm a worrywart and I worry that a team is going to figure out the "formula" (whatever it is) that defeats the Patriots and they won't be able to go to the chopping block to fix it for the next game...

 

[JR4]

Up until last week I would share your concern.
PATs red zone D last week was very encouraging to me and against one
of the better offenses in the red zone.

In big games, the vets on this team will step it up.
Is this a shut down D? ... no. But it is good enough to keep any team
to less than 30 in good weather and probably less than 20 points
in bad weather.
Even in bad weather, I just can't see PATs O scoring less than 21 points.

Bottom line PATs D is one of the best with potential to be
very very good in big games.

 

[BelichickFan]

I would say I do worry - it's not a shutdown defense. And if we didn't have a historically great offense I would be really concerned I do think it's a good enough defense, though - believe it or not we are 4th in the league in points allowed.

 

[shakadave]

General averages don't guarantee a whole lot, though. Think specifically: we're hosting the Colts in the AFCCG, we're up 23-21, the Colts get the ball with 2:44 left. Are we OK?

 

[BelichickFan]

General averages don't guarantee a whole lot, though. Think specifically: we're hosting the Colts in the AFCCG, we're up 23-21, the Colts get the ball with 2:44 left. Are we OK?

Of course we aren't. Who is ? But the defense is playing fairly well. Like I said, I do worry - absolutely. But not a huge worry as we're more likely to be up 38-21 on the Colts next time :rocker:

 

[cstjohn17]

I am not worried, there really is know super dominant defense out there. As funny as it sounds the one defense that could get hot and create havoc is Indy, their style can produce turnovers but without Freeney the are not as scary.

This year the defense only has to be ok, not great. If they hold the opponent under 25, the Pats win. If the hold the opponent under 30, there is still a very good chance they win.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

This defense plays its best in December and January. I didn't see the Raven's game as a fluke, just another way for the Pats to win. They basically did not allow anything for the entire 4th quarter.

 

[Chevy]

Just look at the scoring ... The Pats have played 42 quarters of football, and have held their opponents scoreless for 22 of them (52%).

 

[tedylb]

Just look at the scoring ... The Pats have played 42 quarters of football, and have held their opponents scoreless for 22 of them (52%).

And in crunch time the D made huge stops against the Colts, Eagles, Ravens and Steelers.

Plus I like the Playoff format, with an extra week of rest for the first round bye, and two weeks to rest up for the SB.

 

[aluminum seats]

You might not have the absolute level of confidence in this D that maybe you had in say, 2004. But I would say this--the defense has shown the ability this year, repeatedly, to shut down teams when it has to--Dallas, Indy, Baltimore, etc.

I also think the Pats entered a new zone in the second half of the Pittsburgh game--I really felt, offensively and defensively, that the "lull" was over and both sides would be dominant until Arizona. No small part of that is the sense that Rodney Harrison is now fully BACK. That guy makes such a huge difference for the Pats D it's not even funny.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Let me give you another cliche,

"You MUST establish the run in order to pass"

Pats don't live by cliches.

 

[bradmahn]

There have been plenty of teams that have won the Super Bowl with scoring defenses that were ranked worse than the Patriots, if that helps you to sleep a little better at night. As has been said, the Patriots are currently ranked 4th in scoring, the '83 Redskins were 1st in offense, 11th in defense; the '87 Redskins were 5th in offense, 6th in defense; the '88 Niners were 7th in offense 8th, in defense; '92 Cowboys were 2nd in O, 5th in D; the '94 Niners were 1st in O, 6th in D; '97 Broncos were 1st in O, 7th in D; '98 Broncos were 2nd in O, 8th in D; '99 Rams were 1st in O, 4th in D; '01 Pats were 6th in O, 6th in D; and the '06 Colts were 3rd in O, 23rd in D.

 

[Nordy]

Pittsburgh supposedly has the best D in the league. How did they do on Sunday? There isn't a dominant defense in the league this year.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

Our defense can still hang with top teams.

BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED!!!!!!!!

You have witnessed the constant meddling in the league affairs by Polian and his ilk.

The fact is that offense now wins championships, which is part of why BB built an offense this year like we see.

I respect BB so much for staying one step ahead of the jokers that try to abuse the competition committee to gain a competitive advantage.