Pats D: A Brick Wall in the Second Half?

I know that some folks were down on our D when they criticized it for having trouble getting off the field against Green Bay, a topic that was debated at length a week ago and that I don't want to re-open here. The pros and cons were hashed and re-hashed last week, from the Pats failure to establish the running game and leaving them on the field for over 36 minutes to a couple of dropped passes by Rodgers' receivers.

Wherever we come down on last week's game, I really do think it's worth pointing out that, since the Bye, the Patriots' Defense has given up a TOTAL of 16 points in the second half, including against two of the most prolific offenses in the NFL in Indy and GB. In the Chargers and Packers games, the Defense yielded a total of three second half points between the two games.

In the last four games, the Pats have outscored a reasonably good group of opponents 55-16 in the second half after posting 65-53 for the first half.

I think that this is a BB Defense that adapts quickly. It seems that, for the last four games at least, if you're gonna beat the Pats, you have to build an early lead and then hope to hang on.

The D always starts off slow, but they've made excellent adjustments after the first 1 or 2 drives.

Bottom line is the team has gelled and this is the D we thought we'd see from Game 1. It took a little time to get everything working as it should, but now you see what this D is capable of. If people keep trying to compare it to the early teams, then they'll be disappointed because the game is played differently than it was back then. So that means they will give up yards in some game. Teams will move the ball. But this team plays stout in the redzone and they know how to create turnovers, which is something even the porous defense of the past few seasons knew how to do well.

Willie Mac said it, and I agree whole-heartedly, that this a SB defense. Barring the dreaded "I" word, this D can make the plays when they matter and the D won the game for NE on Sunday night. That is something that we have been clamoring for for many years now. We wanted to know if the D could stop someone when the O plays miserably, and you saw that against a Chargers team that can score with some of the top teams in the league.

This D is versatile and we're seeing those exotic looks we used to see. We're seeing the crazy disguising that BB was scared to employ the past few seasons because he just didn't have the personnel. This unit is fast, aggressive and fearless. The thing I love about it most is that they know it and play like it. They're not scared of anyone. Some may disagree with me, but I think that starts with Browner. They feed off of his aggressive play. We know the other names, and I don't want to single anyone out in this thread. Suffice to say, this team plays excellent team defense and BB needs to figure something out to get Revis and McCourty signed, and they'll have to start thinking of Hightower and Collins too because I believe they are budding SUPER stars in this league. Oh, and please get Ayers under a new contract as well, BB.

PatsBoy12 said:

Bottom line is the team has gelled and this is the D we thought we'd see from Game 1. It took a little time to get everything working as it should, but now you see what this D is capable of. If people keep trying to compare it to the early teams, then they'll be disappointed because the game is played differently than it was back then. So that means they will give up yards in some game. Teams will move the ball. But this team plays stout in the redzone and they know how to create turnovers, which is something even the porous defense of the past few seasons knew how to do well.

Willie Mac said it, and I agree whole-heartedly, that this a SB defense.

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Great post. I completely agree. This was the D I was waiting to see all season. My only question is whether San Diego made things a bit easy by not adjusting better.

I think a BB defense will always be a bit frustrating. He changes things up from week to week, and schemes so much, sometimes it seems like he gives away too much and gets too fancy. But this performance was comparable to the kind of beat downs we've seen from Seattle. I'm hoping to see more of this down the stretch.

PatsBoy12 said:

This D is versatile and we're seeing those exotic looks we used to see. We're seeing the crazy disguising that BB was scared to employ the past few seasons because he just didn't have the personnel. This unit is fast, aggressive and fearless. The thing I love about it most is that they know it and play like it. They're not scared of anyone. Some may disagree with me, but I think that starts with Browner. They feed off of his aggressive play. We know the other names, and I don't want to single anyone out in this thread. Suffice to say, this team plays excellent team defense and BB needs to figure something out to get Revis and McCourty signed, and they'll have to start thinking of Hightower and Collins too because I believe they are budding SUPER stars in this league. Oh, and please get Ayers under a new contract as well, BB.

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Again, no disagreement from me. I've said many times that Browner is underrated, and that he adds the aggressiveness and physicality that the rest of the unit feeds off of. He's one of my favorite players on the defense. I also agree about being fearless. With a 9 point lead in the 4th quarter, I felt this game was over - I saw no way that the Chargers could move the ball for 2 scores given how the defense was playing.

I don't think there is a defense in the league which has the depth, talent and versatility of personnel to compare with our unit. It's taken a lot of time assembling the personnel and training them up to get to this point, but I think we'll see the rewards over the next 6 games.

I think it is perfectly normal to start slow, but quality coaching goes a long way in putting your players in the right position to win once they figure out what other teams are trying to do...what their game plan is, especially when it comes to secondary play.

The strategy I subscribe to is throwing the ball in the first half while these secondarys are trying to figure things out, this is when the adrenalin is revving for those front seven in the first half. This has a dual benefit of wearing down the big boys up front while getting at the secondary early, get the ball out of the qbs hands early. Then in the second half it is easier to wear down the fronts with pounding backs like Blount when business decisions are made a little quicker...

As far as our team is concerned, we now not only have the coaching but we have the horses, this puts us in a position to beat the elite teams in this league.

Doesn't it feel nice to watch a game again and trust in the defense to get off the field and quickly to give the offense extra possessions again? That's why I never understood how people actually defended the defense from 2009-2011. THIS is an actual defense capable of stopping the opponent dead in it's tracks. Those defenses blew and anybody that was a fan of this team and watched those dynasty defenses should have known better.

Any one have the combined second half defensive stats for those 4 games?

AndyJohnson said:

Any one have the combined second half defensive stats for those 4 games?

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Which 4?

As much of a cliche as it sounds it's always been true... defense wins championships.

AndyJohnson said:

Any one have the combined second half defensive stats for those 4 games?

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On average per 2nd half over the last 4 games

127.5 yards allowed (not including yards lost via sack)
4 points per allowed (1 TD and 3 FG)
Only allowing 28% conversion on 3rd down.

KontradictioN said:

Doesn't it feel nice to watch a game again and trust in the defense to get off the field and quickly to give the offense extra possessions again? That's why I never understood how people actually defended the defense from 2009-2011. THIS is an actual defense capable of stopping the opponent dead in it's tracks. Those defenses blew and anybody that was a fan of this team and watched those dynasty defenses should have known better.

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To be fair, the saving grace for those defenses was that they created a ton of TOs (second only to GB over that time span).

mayoclinic said:

Which 4?

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The op I think was talking about the last 4 games.

1960Pats said:

As much of a cliche as it sounds it's always been true... defense wins championships.

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So does offense

JMC00 said:

On average per 2nd half over the last 4 games

127.5 yards allowed (not including yards lost via sack)
4 points per allowed (1 TD and 3 FG)
Only allowing 28% conversion on 3rd down.

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6 2nd half points allowed over the past 3 games (3, 3 and 0).

mayoclinic said:

Great post. I completely agree. This was the D I was waiting to see all season. My only question is whether San Diego made things a bit easy by not adjusting better.

I think a BB defense will always be a bit frustrating. He changes things up from week to week, and schemes so much, sometimes it seems like he gives away too much and gets too fancy. But this performance was comparable to the kind of beat downs we've seen from Seattle. I'm hoping to see more of this down the stretch.



Again, no disagreement from me. I've said many times that Browner is underrated, and that he adds the aggressiveness and physicality that the rest of the unit feeds off of. He's one of my favorite players on the defense. I also agree about being fearless. With a 9 point lead in the 4th quarter, I felt this game was over - I saw no way that the Chargers could move the ball for 2 scores given how the defense was playing.

I don't think there is a defense in the league which has the depth, talent and versatility of personnel to compare with our unit. It's taken a lot of time assembling the personnel and training them up to get to this point, but I think we'll see the rewards over the next 6 games.

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The only thing I will say in response to your eloquent post is that I was not basing my assessment on just the SD game. I'm basing it on how they have played the past eight or so weeks. They are getting more and more dominant each game. They played well even in the loss to GB and came within a highlight reel Gronk catch from winning that game against a team that had score 50+ points in two consecutive games and, IMO, probably has the league MVP on their team at QB. Some will argue that it's Brady, and I won't put up much of a fight because it could easily go to either player. Nonetheless, you and I are on the same page. This D is really good and borderline great.

Ninko is playing so well. Big Vince . . . what else can be said about him. Look, he's the consummate football player. Collins and Hightower are emerging. Revis is proving once again that he never fell off. Browner is Rodney playing corner. McCourty may not be putting up gaudy numbers, but he is the glue that keeps the secondary together. Ayers was a Talib-like in season addition. He has been making plays since his first game here. Siliga is getting healthy. Jones, who I believe could play now if the team really needed him to suit up, will definitely be playing in the playoffs. Man, this D is scary and they play well together. The chemistry is rivaled only by the '03-'o4 teams.

I love what this D has become. The scary thing is I don't believe we've seen everything (on either side of the ball). I do believe that BB and JMc are holding back some stuff that we'll see in the playoffs.

I guess patricia and boyer have nothing to do with this . They only are responsible for the sucky parts .

KontradictioN said:

Doesn't it feel nice to watch a game again and trust in the defense to get off the field and quickly to give the offense extra possessions again? That's why I never understood how people actually defended the defense from 2009-2011. THIS is an actual defense capable of stopping the opponent dead in it's tracks. Those defenses blew and anybody that was a fan of this team and watched those dynasty defenses should have known better.

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Been saying since the Bears game that this team has that '03-'04 vibe about them. That's the last time I think we all truly felt the D could and would make the critical stop when it mattered. And yes, it does feel nice to watch a game again and trust in the defense to get off the field. I agree 100 percent.

I watched the SD game again yesterday because I had missed the second Q; as someone mentioned, I was pumped on seeing the D perform and loved Rivers' expression when he was picked off by Ayers.

Liked what Tedy Bruschi mentioned on D&H:

source: http://itiswhatitis.weei.com/sports...onal-foul-penalty-was-right-call-by-the-rule/

"...— no matter how good you are offensively — theBroncos of last year, the ’07 Patriots, the Rams in ’01, you come up to a team that eventually has things figured out and has things as a physical defensive unit, and it seems like hat team always comes out on top,”

mayoclinic said:

6 2nd half points allowed over the past 3 games (3, 3 and 0).

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Against Stafford, Rodgers,and Rivers, 2 on the road.

AndyJohnson said:

Any one have the combined second half defensive stats for those 4 games?

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First Half
865 Total Yards by opponents' Offense against Patriots Defense, 49 points scored by opponents' Offense

Second Half
510 Total Yards by opponents' Offense against Patriots Defense, 16 points scored by opponents' Offense

41% fewer yards and 67% fewer points yielded by the Defense, second half vs. first half.

One might try to argue that the yards stats are skewed by the GB game, where the Pats gave up 347 yards in the first half vs. 126 in the second, but there is no escaping the point differential: six second half points total in the last three games (Indy scored 10 in the game right after the break).