How Have We Improved

wizwor · Mar 17, 2015

FCB02062 said:
The OP makes a statement based on facts, asks a simple question, yet people on here accuse the guy of "whining." Truth is Miami, Buffalo, and the NYJ have signed some quality players (and haven't lost much that i can see) whilst the Pats have lost a ton and haven't signed anyone that is not currently a JAG based on their prior year's production.

This is by design. Free agency and the cap are designed to encourage parity. The teams with all the good players lose some to the teams with none of the good players. It's amazing that the Patriots front office has been able to replace these players with other players and maintain their position at the top year after year. This year is no different.

FCB02062 said:
All signs point back to that horrific defense of the last 5, 6 years prior to this season...why no signings?

The Pats have done OK with that 'horrific' defense...

XXXVI New England Patriots 20–17
XXXVIII New England Patriots 32–29
XXXIX New England Patriots 24–21
XLII New York Giants 17–14
XLVI New York Giants 21–17
XLIX New England Patriots 28–24

The BB Pat's point differential in four SBs won is 13 -- or 3.25. Their differential in two games lost is 7 -- or 3.5. In six SBs, they are 4-2 and have scored six more points than their opponent. Those are pretty close games. Different games, different opponents, different unexpected game deciding circumstances, but any of these games could have gone either way. If Welker makes that catch, if there is no helmet catch, if there is no acrobatic catch, if there is no immaculate interception, then maybe CBs are overrated or Revis is just another player on a Patriot team that did not finish the job.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the brain trust solves the puzzle this year. I will be particularly interested in watching how Revis plays our team having played for, with, and against the Patriots for a year.

ensoul · Mar 17, 2015

The OP makes some valid point. It is very frustrating that the Jets, Bills and Dolphins have improved the roster while the pats big moves are signing JAGS like Chimdi Chekwa, Jonathan Freeny and Jabaal Sheard. Not to mention the pats lost Bush to a team that is a complete an utter mess and Johnson to what looks to be an average chargers team.

What really gets me is that the NFL is a pass first league and the pats answer for Jets and Bills receivers are Chimdi Chekwa (he has never had an INT) and Newman who will be 37 when the season starts.

billdog3484 · Mar 17, 2015

kennyb said:
Yes, where is the HoF CB to replace Revis, huh? huh? Get on it Belichick! This is hilarious. Ever hear of the salary cap?

good one kenny...thats exactly what i said.

hwc · Mar 17, 2015

The fundamental premise of the question is flawed in the salary cap era. You don't "get better" or "get worse" based on the previous year's team in the off-season. You start over with new team, every year. What happened last year is irrelevant. Sure some of the players carry over. Some of those get worse (age). Some of them get better (experience). Some will be healthy. Some will be injured.

It's just the reality of a hard salary cap. It's not like building a dynasty ol' school style like the Steelers or 49ers that kept the same team together for year after year. It's just not like that and imagining/dreaming that it is like that is a recipe for disappointment.

BTW, this is the flawed logic that will disappoint fans of teams that think they have "won free agency".

They haven't won &^%. We haven't lost &^%. It's March.

Oswlek · Mar 17, 2015

ensoul said:
pats big moves are signing JAGS like Chimdi Chekwa, Jonathan Freeny and Jabaal Sheard.

Sheard is a JAG?

ensoul said:
What really gets me is that the NFL is a pass first league and the pats answer for Jets and Bills receivers are Chimdi Chekwa (he has never had an INT) and Newman who will 37 when the season starts.

Why should I assume either of them is starting come September, let alone both of them?

The fact that these are the points to be made in support of the OP does not reflect positively on its contents.

billdog3484 · Mar 17, 2015

Bruins29 said:
They are not longtime fans. They are pink hats. They are impetulant children. They are fans who have only recently become fans since the Pats started winning. They are whiners.

They are anything but longtime fans.

you caught me...nice one. thats one way to make yourself think you know what you are talking about

Bruins29 · Mar 17, 2015

billdog3484 said:
good one kenny...thats exactly what i said.

I think he was mocking you.

billdog3484 · Mar 17, 2015

Oswlek said:
You do? What elite QB was on the 2004 team? What plays did the elite CBs make down the stretch in 2001 and 2003? Or last year for that matter?

For a guy who claims to be smart, you keep demonstrating the opposite. Rather than post more misinformation, perhaps its time to ask questions and learn.

2004 may be exception i can agree to that.

Elite CB's dont need to make plays per se. if you can put him on 1 player and the player doesnt do anything thats akin to making plays. if the other QB is hesitant to go in that players direction you can adjust your defense. and you can essentially double everyone else. im not interested in stats for a corner.

Bruins29 · Mar 17, 2015

billdog3484 said:
you caught me...nice one. thats one way to make yourself think you know what you are talking about

As opposed to you who runs around the forum telling everyone you know what you are talking about.

Are you going to name that elite CB on the 2004 squad? You should have quit while you were behind. You were just being accused as a whiner. Now you have proven yourself to be a moron.

50-yard-line · Mar 17, 2015

ensoul said:
The OP makes some valid point. It is very frustrating that the Jets, Bills and Dolphins have improved the roster while the pats big moves are signing JAGS like Chimdi Chekwa, Jonathan Freeny and Jabaal Sheard. Not to mention the pats lost Bush to a team that is a complete an utter mess and Johnson to what looks to be an average chargers team.

What really gets me is that the NFL is a pass first league and the pats answer for Jets and Bills receivers are Chimdi Chekwa (he has never had an INT) and Newman who will 37 when the season starts.

I don't think the Dolphins have improved. Suh is a big get, but Tannehill lost Wallace, Hartline, Gibson and Clay. Cameron is meh. They've jettisoned Odrick and Starks, both good players. And brent Grimes is a year older back there.

The Bills? Best improvement they made was likely their coach, but with a new coaching staff, it's hard to hit the ground running. McCoy's got a lot of tread wear on those tires and is too expensive. Alonso was a big loss for them, too. We'll see if Harvin is worth the trouble. Clay is good, but so was Chandler...and honestly, Matt Cassel isn't very good and won't be as good as Orton was last year.

The Jets have mortgaged their future to get really good on defense, I agree. They will eat those contracts in a year or two and they don't have a QB.

billdog3484 · Mar 17, 2015

Bruins29 said:
I think he was mocking you.

he was trying to mock me. but to mock what someone said you might want to draw a close parallel. i never came close to saying that

billdog3484 · Mar 17, 2015

Bruins29 said:
As opposed to you who runs around the forum telling everyone you know what you are talking about.

Are you going to name that elite CB on the 2004 squad? You should have quit while you were behind. You were just being accused as a whiner. Now you have proven yourself to be a moron.

i have previously stated we did not have an elite CB on the 04 team.

i cannot argue with people who praise Belichick in a similar fashion to the way his apostles followed jesus. you guys attack people who DARE to question the godly one.

i vented in the original post about my frustrations. how we have gotten worse.
and i get personally attacked. its hillarious. you guys are pathetic. at least im getting a good laugh

patsfaninpa · Mar 17, 2015

billdog3484 said:
RANT BEGIN

I am not writing this thread in an effort to make it seem like I believe the sky is falling. At worse, we are probably a 10-6 team. Is that acceptable to all of you guys?

Can anyone please explain to me how we have improved this offseason?

We all know that Brady has very few precious years left. What have we done to help him win another championship?

In terms of key losses, defensively we have lost Revis, Browner and Wilfork in order of most important to least important. We lost a few other guys like Casilla but whatever. Wilfork is replaceable and Im not mad about losing him. But what the heck can possibly be done to improve our secondary at this point.

From 2005-2013 we had the worst 3rd down defense i have ever seen. The most frustrating football I have had to watch. We won but it was painful at times. We couldnt get off the field. We had the best QB in the league and we were on defense way too long. It shrunk the length of the game and limited the amount of opportunities Brady had to score. That takes a competetitive advantage of ours away. Over a larger sample size the likelihood Brady will score more Points Per Drive than the other teams QB is brought closer to the mean. In other words, more likely we score more points than the other team. Now that we have a crappy ass secondary again, our offense will have less drives and Brady will have to be more magical again each game to maximize the amount of games we win. At 38/39 years old, not like it used to be.

Offensively, I believe we are fine. Vereen is a good player but replaceable. I think the addition of Chandler is a big move. I would say maybe we are better on offense. Could we use a WR, yes, but i dont consider it a major necessity. I think Chandler and Gronk will make a devastating tandem.

We have a nice offense, but i believe a good to great defense is the most important thing. People will say we won with worse defenses, but that was when Brady was still under 35 years old. Hes almost 40 now. He is not going to be able to do now what he did when he was younger. It's possible but not likely he can keep it up. We need the defense.

Obviously, we have a bunch of quality draft picks, 32nd, 64th, 96th, 98th (i think), and somewhere about 102 I would guess. Thats good. But how many rookies come in and do well their first season? And esepcially drafting at the complete end of the 1st round there is unlikely to be many guys who can step in day 1 and be very effective, at least at CB which is our #1 need.

Are we going to trade a premium pick for a CB (whom probably doesnt exist)? Im confused.

RANT COMPLETE

You're a complete toolbox for making a post like this. From 2005-13 we had the worst 3rd down defense you've ever seen. Yet, we had the best record in the league over that period and lost two Super Bowls by an eyelash.

billdog3484 · Mar 17, 2015

Bruins29 said:
As opposed to you who runs around the forum telling everyone you know what you are talking about.

Are you going to name that elite CB on the 2004 squad? You should have quit while you were behind. You were just being accused as a whiner. Now you have proven yourself to be a moron.

i told people FACTS. its not just what i know. just what everyone knows. yet im a Moron? hahaha

Fixit · Mar 17, 2015

billdog3484 said:
good one kenny...thats exactly what i said.

True, you said "come close" to replacing Revis. So tell me: who's nearly as good as Revis AND available? You must know, because you're mad that BB hasn't signed them.

VrabelJr · Mar 17, 2015

mayoclinic said:
If the SB were played next week, we'd definitely be in trouble.

It depends on who our opponent would be. Green Bay? Yeah, we're pretty ****ed. Seattle again? Could go either way still.

billdog3484 · Mar 17, 2015

patsfaninpa said:
You're a complete toolbox for making a post like this. From 2005-13 we had the worst 3rd down defense you've ever seen. Yet, we had the best record in the league over that period and lost two Super Bowls by an eyelash.

you're awesome because you call people toolboxes. you are the man.

ensoul · Mar 17, 2015

Oswlek said:
Sheard is a JAG?

Why should I assume either of them is starting come September, let alone both of them?

The fact that these are the points to be made in support of the OP does not reflect positively on its contents.

Sherad's stats have gone down every single year since his rookie season. He is decent but not a game changer.

Yes I know that Revis cannot be replaced but is depressing that BBs ideas to try include Chekwa and a 37 year old Newman. The fact is BB has had next to no success drafting corners, there are no good CBs left and I don't see BB trading for one. It's a pretty good guess BB is going with Arrington, Dennard, Checkwa, Butler, Ryan and Newman and will put the pressure on a 38 year old Brady to outscore their opponents.

IcyPatriot · Mar 17, 2015

Another supposed Patriots fan posting from NY ...
So how have the Jet's improved billdog?

hwc · Mar 17, 2015

billdog3484 said:
When we play soft shell (like 05-12), inside the 20s we are not giving the other team yardage but we are backing off. this in turn creates more 3rd down conversions by the offense. inside the 20s we buckle down. and BB and our Defensive Coaches are the best in the business at this. That is all fine and dandy. BUT, the biggest thing is that it keeps our QB off the field and limits the amount of possessions per game. this puts more pressure on the offense to score more efficiently than maybe we need to be because we are limiting sample size, and further away from the mean.

If you are uncomfortable with a defense that plays softer and prevents the quick strike between the 20s, then you really need to pick a different team to root for. At least until Belichick is gone. It's the foundation of his defensive philosophy. Always has been. Always will be.

You might bet better off switching to the Jets. I understand their new coach likes to blitz all the time. That would probably be a better fit for the kind of team you are looking for.

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