The Defense is Playoff Ready

mayoclinic · Dec 22, 2014

Nice read from Karen Guregian:

We’ve been waiting a decade for this defense. It’s the kind of defense that will keep you in games, and make big plays that ultimately push you over the top.

It’s the one that bends, but rarely if ever breaks. It’s the one that has a knack for delivering in the clutch.

With the Patriots wrapping up a first-round bye yesterday, inching closer to the coveted first overall seed in the AFC and home field throughout, having this unit front and center should serve them well heading into the postseason.

Whether the offense gets out of its current funk or not, you can put money on the defense standing tall. As we’ve seen on plenty of occasions, including yesterday’s 17-16 squeaker over the Jets, Darrelle Revis & Co. will keep the team in games for as long as it takes.

That’s different than many of the defensive units the Patriots took with them into the playoffs in recent years.

Since the last Super Bowl win in 2004, Patriots defenses haven’t been able to get off the field. They haven’t made the timely stops or the difference-making plays. Not on a consistent basis anyway, and certainly not in the big games.

This defense does it every week.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...ots/2014/12/patriots_defense_is_playoff_ready

There's a lot of hand-wringing and beating of breasts going on today after a narrow 17-16 win over the Jets, and a poor offensive showing. We're apparently doomed, before the playoffs even start.

I expect that the offense will be up and down. That's been the pattern the last 3 years: 40 point blowouts in the divisional round against Denver (2011), and Indy (2013) followed by low-scoring games in the AFCCG and playoffs (23 and 13 against Baltimore in the 2011 and 2012 AFCCGs, 17 against the Giants in the 2011 SB, 16 against Denver in the 2013 AFCCG). But I expect the defense will be consistent. No more than 26 point allowed in the past 11 games, 16 or less in 4 out of the past 5 games, 6 points or less (and 0 TDs) in the 2nd half in each of the last 5 games.

The offense will be up or down. But the defense will keep us in every game.

Rob0729 · Dec 22, 2014

I still think the amazing thing about this defense is that they haven't given up a TD in the second half in five games. In the last three games, the Pats have only given up three TDs on defense (one each game).

mayoclinic · Dec 22, 2014

Rob0729 said:
I still think the amazing thing about this defense is that they haven't given up a TD in the second half in five games. In the last three games, the Pats have only given up three TDs on defense (one each game).

They've done it different ways. Reiss notes that they were in base most of the time against the Jets, and played a 5-2 front on almost half the snaps (26/53) with Wilfork-Branch-Siliga inside, and using a big nickel when the were in sub:

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/new-...4774808/patriots-defensive-snaps-change-at-de

The Brandon Five · Dec 22, 2014

While watching that Hawks game last night I couldn't help but think that the Pats would have won SB 46 if they had drafted Sherman before Seattle did in the fifth round.

BradyManny · Dec 22, 2014

mayoclinic said:
The offense will be up or down. But the defense will keep us in every game.

The thing about those low-scoring affairs in the postseason is they often happened in short games with abnormally few possessions. Outside of the Green Bay game this year, this defense has been getting off the field and turning it over. If you give this offense enough chances, even when its sluggish, it usually finds enough of a rhythm to get it in the end zone a couple times (see Miami, Detroit games). In a low-scoring game, that's often enough to win. It demands a lot of the defense, but it seems ready.

mayoclinic · Dec 22, 2014

BradyManny said:
The thing about those low-scoring affairs in the postseason is they often happened in short games with abnormally few possessions. Outside of the Green Bay game this year, this defense has been getting off the field and turning it over. If you give this offense enough chances, even when its sluggish, it usually finds enough of a rhythm to get it in the end zone a couple times (see Miami, Detroit games). In a low-scoring game, that's often enough to win. It demands a lot of the defense, but it seems ready.

The way I look at it, if the offense plays poorly, the defense should keep them in the game and give them a chance to make some plays to win it. If the offense plays well, then I think the Pats can handle anyone. It all comes down to executing and nothing's a given, but I think that no other team in the playoffs has the combination of a defense as good as ours AND an offense which is capable of doing what ours can.

Mack Herron · Dec 22, 2014

Defense has been a force. Andy is not gonna like the "funk" part.

The Defense is Playoff Ready

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