Defensive scheme

[BRiZ]

are we playing defense "the right way"?

when i look at all the dominant D's of the past they are all really aggressive, tight man coverage, lots of blitzing, getting after the QB, safeties close to the line etc. Like the 2001 Ravens, San Diego's D, pittsburgh, even the 03 pats played this way, especially in the Rams SB.

It seems like we play way too much zone defense, which gets shredded. We keep our safeties back usually to not get beat deep, keep everything infront of you. Bend but dont break, well its been breaking alot. I just dont see that aggressive style of D. The pats seem to play this way on purpose, its their scheme, is it wrong?

We dont really have the personell to play the other way, we dont have the corners, we dont have Antoinio Cromartie or Champ Bailey, we didnt draft that way we drafted zone corners. We dont have elite pass rushers on the dline we got guys that drop back into coverage well.

I want our D to be as dominant as our O, i want to have one of those amazing defenses. I just feel like we cant have it because we dont play that way, anyone else feel the same?

 

[Patdown93]

I think the philisophy is to not allow the big plays. The longer a drive keeps going the more potential for the offense to make a mistake. The more we blitz and keep to tight coverage the more chance of one slip and one big, possibly game-changing, play.

It probably is because we don't have the corners to play the other style.

 

[BradyToMoss]

BRiZ, I agree. With the personnel that we currently have, to be honest, I would adopt more of a cover-2 / 4-3 scheme, a line that would feature Big Sey and Vince inside with Crable as the edge rusher and Ty on the other end with AT/Mayo/Vrabes in the LB slots and bump and run physical corner coverage with Wheatley and Ellis. Adopt that Colts scheme that Dungy runs, I think our personnel is more suited to that.

This bend but don't break soft zone stuff is really starting to drive me nuts, we've seen inferior offenses go right up the field at will against our 1's the last two weeks. I know the talent isn't that bad, it's now pointing to the scheme.

 

[Patdown93]

It was the same thing last year when the Eagles and Ravens gave us a run for our money in the regular season.

 

[pats1]

even the 03 pats played this way, especially in the Rams SB.

Do you mean 01 Pats and the Rams SB or 03 Pats and the Panthers SB?

 

[BRiZ]

Do you mean 01 Pats and the Rams SB or 03 Pats and the Panthers SB?

yea my bad i meant the rams SB in 01, and in 03 we really ramped up this style of D during the regular season. Maybe it was Crennel? Is Peas just different and have a different philosophy? Or is BB the one calling the shots designing the D?

 

[IcyPatriot]

The defense is in a period of transition which is why it appears sloppy at times. I think most of the kinks will be worked out by the usual 6th game of the season ... it's the same every year for Belichick. Every year he tweaks the team and the real team shows up around weeks 6 - 8.

 

[BRiZ]

BRiZ, I agree. With the personnel that we currently have, to be honest, I would adopt more of a cover-2 / 4-3 scheme, a line that would feature Big Sey and Vince inside with Crable as the edge rusher and Ty on the other end with AT/Mayo/Vrabes in the LB slots and bump and run physical corner coverage with Wheatley and Ellis. Adopt that Colts scheme that Dungy runs, I think our personnel is more suited to that.

This bend but don't break soft zone stuff is really starting to drive me nuts, we've seen inferior offenses go right up the field at will against our 1's the last two weeks. I know the talent isn't that bad, it's now pointing to the scheme.

i agree we need to change, we could probably get by in the dline and lb department but i dunno about corners. We need to draft some stud man-to-man lockdown cbs, and add an elite passrusher. i hate zone D it gets shredded to peices, i just want a dominant aggressive turnover producing D and not one that allows the other team to march down the field get a chance for a TD, or a guaranteed FG. We need to get the ball back to our O asap, 3 and out or force a turnover. Just not happening with this scheme.

 

[borg]

The bend but don't break drives me nuts. BB takes away the edges and the deep passes but the holes in the center of the field are ginormous. It's tough to argue with the results....big leads dictate the defense. But one could point out the red zone inadequacies of last year and ask how can a team "tighten up" when they are so used to giving a cushion. Pressure on the QB is the key and Vrabel started off hot in the first half of last year...but tapered off. Thomas had some post season moments...but all in all, the Pats 3-4 is not capable of sustained pressure for extended periods. Three DLinemen going head to head with 5 OLinemen... it is alot to ask them to get after the QB on a sustained basis.
As much as I enjoyed the record-breaking offense from last year, I would kill to see a Patriots defense that just whoops the crap out of the Jets...and Indy...and everyone they face. Unfortunately, the DLine has been designed to hold ground and not advance.