Last year: new offense. This year: new defense.

[Snarf]

This should be fun.

 

[Jimke]

Wait until we see how many wide receivers re-sign. The Pats may

also need a new offense.

 

[Snarf]

For 2008: Moss, Gaffney, Jackson, Welker

We're good.

 

[satz]

For 2008: Moss, Gaffney, Jackson, Welker

We're good.

good luck as some one posted logan mankins had more catches and yards then jackson last year.

 

[pats1]

As suggested by yours truly on the Monday After on the temporary forum, and in this thread (of course, I was ridiculed for it, as "the defense did not lose the Super Bowl"):

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=77280

 

[BionicPatriot]

With this move made, there's no excuse to not give Moss a good deal. They have plenty of cap space now. It will damn sure be killing me to wonder why they draft/sign/trade for to fill the holes. I'm excited to see the defense get faster, but worried how the inexperience will affect them.

 

[Jimke]

With this move made, there's no excuse to not give Moss a good deal. They have plenty of cap space now. It will damn sure be killing me to wonder why they draft/sign/trade for to fill the holes. I'm excited to see the defense get faster, but worried how the inexperience will affect them.

I'm scratching my head and wondering what the Pats will do to fill the

holes. They usually don't rely on rookies to fill the bill; however, this is

a weak year in free agency for cornerbacks, linebackers, and wide

receivers. Maybe, the Pats will trade draft picks for veterans.

 

[Ring 6]

I'm not understanding the overreaction.
Colvin as expendable, because we have 3 OLBs. This was probably decided last year when we signed AD.

DL- No changes
LB- Vrabel and Thomas retrun outside. Bruschi and Seau are to be seen
DB- We need to most likely replace Samuel

We are talking about 2 maybe 3 changes. That is a typical season for most defenses.

 

[363839]

As suggested by yours truly on the Monday After on the temporary forum, and in this thread (of course, I was ridiculed for it, as "the defense did not lose the Super Bowl"):

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=77280

I agree for the most part that the D was not really responsible for the SB loss. After all, they only gave up 17 points.
The Oline or for that matter the Giants front 7 was more responsible for the loss.
Having said that, the defense did fail to hold in the last drive when it counted most.
Furthermore, during the season, the D kept letting teams back in games.
How many 3rd down conversions were made by the opponents during the season?!
I remember in the chat rooms the frustration of fans because the 3 or 4 rushers were not getting any pressure. As I've said before, 7-8 guys in coverage and they still couldn't stop the pass.
They could definitely use help on D.
BTW I think Dom Capers could help immensely with this.
Sure our D isn't horrible but it definitely could improve.

 

[fgssand]

As suggested by yours truly on the Monday After on the temporary forum, and in this thread (of course, I was ridiculed for it, as "the defense did not lose the Super Bowl"):

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=77280

I agreed with you then and now....10 minute drive to start the game (doesn't matter that they did not get 7 - it set the tone) and inability to stop them at the end when it counted the most, falls squarely on the "D".

I want a dominating "D" that does not bend or break. I want three and outs. I want the big stop at the important, game on the line time.

I want what we had when we won Superbowls - a defense that scared and shut down our opponents. They stopped the greatest show on turf and totally shut down Peyton's offense. That is what has been missing.

I think what you are seeing is BB/SP reshaping this defense right in front of our eyes.

I think we are going to like what we see.......

 

[Ring 6]

I agree for the most part that the D was not really responsible for the SB loss. After all, they only gave up 17 points.
The Oline or for that matter the Giants front 7 was more responsible for the loss.
Having said that, the defense did fail to hold in the last drive when it counted most.
Furthermore, during the season, the D kept letting teams back in games.
How many 3rd down conversions were made by the opponents during the season?!
I remember in the chat rooms the frustration of fans because the 3 or 4 rushers were not getting any pressure. As I've said before, 7-8 guys in coverage and they still couldn't stop the pass.
They could definitely use help on D.
BTW I think Dom Capers could help immensely with this.
Sure our D isn't horrible but it definitely could improve.

I put a lot of blame on the D because the game was in their hands and they failed. Everything that happens all game, all playoffs, all season long is irelevant to me if your unit is on the field a reasonable chance to win the game (I do not think our offense had enough time after the Giants went ahead to consider it a reasonable chance) and you fail.

But, lets not recreate history.
There are numerous fans that cry every time the other team gets a 3rd down conversions, and until we allow 0% there will be idiots criticizing the 3rd down D. But to say "How many 3rd downs did we allow" as if to assume our 3rd down D was bad is flat out ignorant. Go over to NFL.com and check out where we ranked in 3rd down D then get back to me.

 

[aluminum seats]

I'm not understanding the overreaction.
Colvin as expendable, because we have 3 OLBs. This was probably decided last year when we signed AD.

DL- No changes
LB- Vrabel and Thomas retrun outside. Bruschi and Seau are to be seen
DB- We need to most likely replace Samuel

We are talking about 2 maybe 3 changes. That is a typical season for most defenses.

Thank you--I've been thinking the same thing, that there doesn't seem to me to be all that many changes. It's also true that the Vrabel/Thomas/Colvin thing did create an odd man out. It was nice to have the depth last year, but not at these prices.

I personally have changed my thinking a little on Seau/Bruschi, thinking they'd probably retire (certainly Tedy). But if they can accept reduced role, and we can get another ILB in there, I'd be very happy. I'm not up enough on the FA/College market to say who that would be, though.

 

[Pats726]

So a more 4-3 D?? or a hybtid of the 3-4?? I wonder what they are thinking now..

 

[363839]

I put a lot of blame on the D because the game was in their hands and they failed. Everything that happens all game, all playoffs, all season long is irelevant to me if your unit is on the field a reasonable chance to win the game (I do not think our offense had enough time after the Giants went ahead to consider it a reasonable chance) and you fail.

But, lets not recreate history.
There are numerous fans that cry every time the other team gets a 3rd down conversions, and until we allow 0% there will be idiots criticizing the 3rd down D. But to say "How many 3rd downs did we allow" as if to assume our 3rd down D was bad is flat out ignorant. Go over to NFL.com and check out where we ranked in 3rd down D then get back to me.

We are agreeing here, right?
Face it, the SB loss was a team effort.
You could say the D didn't stop them when it counted.
I could say the offense just didn't score their usual 30 or so points.
We could also say the coaching staff didn't make the right adjustments, if any.
We (The Pats) lost a real tough game against a very tough team that just happened to be the Super Bowl. I still think this was a great team but you could see the flaws more and more as the season progressed.
We(The Pats) are going to be better next year. I have confidence in BB to make sure of that.
That west coast swing will make going undefeated very difficult if not impossible but I will take number 4 with 12-4.

 

[fgssand]

I Go over to NFL.com and check out where we ranked in 3rd down D then get back to me.

Irrelevant, unless you can show me that stat when it's 3rd or 4th down AND the game is on the line.

Making the crucial stop when it mattered most was the hallmark of the defenses that I remember that won Superbowls. I have not felt confident for a few years now that we had that "D" anymore.

Defense wins Championships.....just ask the Giants.

 

[bradmahn]

Irrelevant, unless you can show me that stat when it's 3rd or 4th down AND the game is on the line.

Making the crucial stop when it mattered most was the hallmark of the defenses that I remember that won Superbowls. I have not felt confident for a few years now that we had that "D" anymore.

Defense wins Championships.....just ask the Giants.

But the Giants defense couldn't make the stops when the game was on the line and they were up 10-7.

 

[Jimke]

I'm not understanding the overreaction.
Colvin as expendable, because we have 3 OLBs. This was probably decided last year when we signed AD.

DL- No changes
LB- Vrabel and Thomas retrun outside. Bruschi and Seau are to be seen
DB- We need to most likely replace Samuel

We are talking about 2 maybe 3 changes. That is a typical season for most defenses.

I guess that this is my day for not agreeing with the Moderators.

ILB Eric Alexander, Larry Izzo

CB Ellis Hobbs, Tim Mixon, Mike Richardson, Antwain Spann

WR Chad Jackson, C.J. Jones, Wes Welker

Unless we re-sign some of our players, this will be the Pats' depth chart

at these positions when free agency begins. I stand with my statement

that the F.O. has quite as bit of work to do.

 

[signbabybrady]

Irrelevant, unless you can show me that stat when it's 3rd or 4th down AND the game is on the line.

Making the crucial stop when it mattered most was the hallmark of the defenses that I remember that won Superbowls. I have not felt confident for a few years now that we had that "D" anymore.

Defense wins Championships.....just ask the Giants.

what about the 5-10 stops from the start of the game till the start of the fourth quarter with the superbowl on the line and a small lead. They gave up 17 points in the superbowl thats as good ot better than some of those defenses that won you championships in the past.

Don't hate on last years team so much dude they were so close.

You are right though it does seem as though BB is starting to retool this de and I would imagine a few good solid defensive moves come the end of this week.

 

[VJ11]

I have to agree with Jimke: there isn't much reason to have a lot of confidence in the players that are now on that depth chart. Remember that the roster has a big number of role players, they won't man their position full-time. They need to rotate with others. Those others we need to find elsewhere or simply re-sign. It remains to be seen who will be our first signing come Saturday. If his last name is Moss and first name is Randy, we're on the right track.

 

[bradmahn]

I have to agree with Jimke: there isn't much reason to have a lot of confidence in the players that are now on that depth chart. Remember that the roster has a big number of role players, they won't man their position full-time. They need to rotate with others. Those others we need to find elsewhere or simply re-sign. It remains to be seen who will be our first signing come Saturday. If his last name is Moss and first name is Randy, we're on the right track.

I completely agree, if only the NFL had an institution that allowed teams to sign players that are not under contract or even one where teams could draft and sign college players to fill possible holes on rosters. Imagine what the Patriots could do if they had those resources available to them before the start of the season in 8+ months.

The team will look completely different after the draft, let's wait 'til then before we start panicking.