Best front 7s in BB era & 2015 prediction

When you look at the front 7s BB has had with the Patriots over the years it is an understatement to say there has been a wide variety.

We have had years when it was hair pulling and it seemed they could not get pressure to save their lives. Other years it has arguably been the best unit in the NFL. Where do you think this front 7 will rank?

Personally I think (going by years) This will be overall the 3rd best group of the BB era.

#1 2003 - Washington/Warren/Seymour/Vrabel/Bruschi/Johnson/McGinest - There were other players that made good depth pieces but this group could do it all. Washington was a beast this year and shut down the run and is probably the most underappreciated part of this unit.

#2 2004 - Wilfork/Warren/Seymour/Vrabel/Bruschi/Johnson/McGinest - Taylor/Wilfork traded for the starting role on and off this year. When Wilfork was in it was really good though.

#3 (projected) 2015 - I think it will be a mix of a lot of players on the DL with less true full time starters but I think this group will rank very highly. The only thing it lacks is the vet savy the other groups had and a outside pass rusher as good as McGinest.

Where do you think it will rnak?

I think 2001 will rank higher as well. So I don't think this year's front 7 will crack the top 3.

They should be really good and deep though.

Looks like they have a combination of experience,talent and youth to become very good. How long it takes is the question. The other big issue will be health with the off season surgeries some went through. Will they be healthy enough early on to make a difference in the season or will there be setbacks? I'll be happy with a top 5...anything better is a bonus this season.

To me, as others have mentioned in other threads, the ranking of this front 7 will depend on how much rest they get. If the offensive line comes together and Brady & Crew have numerous long sustained drives throughout the game then I think this front 7 will wreak havoc this year. I also think that that will lighten the load for the younger CB's. But...if Brady gets too much pressure or can't sustain drives we might be watching some really close games.

Personally I am excited about the upcoming season for numerous reasons. If that offensive line holds up we could see a decent running game, a threatening 2 TE set, JE11 running wild, and man if Dobson becomes a decent deep threat ......wow.

If the rest of the AFC E lives up to their defensive "potential" and give the offensive line a run for their money, who is going to stop them in the playoffs?

Overly optimistic?

Interesting that Brady has one of the worst QBRs when under pressure but one of the best QBRs when throwing within 2 seconds. He is the best quick decision making QB in the league.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2012/11/22/sig-stats-snapshot-passing-under-pressure/

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/06/16/qbs-in-focus-time-to-throw/

Need to add Jarvis Green and Roman Phifer to these lists for 03 and 04 Rosey Colvin to 04 and Bobby Hamilton to 03.

Those players added tremendous depth and great play to those units and some of which who were around today, might even start.

robertweathers said:

Need to add Jarvis Green and Roman Phifer to these lists for 03 and 04 Rosey Colvin to 04 and Bobby Hamilton to 03.

Those players added tremendous depth and great play to those units and some of which who were around today, might even start.

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Jarvis was like the defensive version of Indy's LaGarrette Blount. The Colts just couldn't stop him, whether it was in a specific rush role in 2003 or as a starter a year later. If those two could have played their entire careers against the Colts, Canton couldn't have opened their doors fast enough.

I think this team will be defined as a front '6' with a heavy dose of 2 strong safeties.

Of course I have been predicting this for a few years ... might as well predict it again as it looks closer than ever.

FourierSeries said:

I think 2001 will rank higher as well. So I don't think this year's front 7 will crack the top 3.

They should be really good and deep though.

Click to expand...

2001 was not strong on the DL.
Brandon Mitchell was an every down player. Bobby Hamilton and Anthony Pleasant played a lot.
You had a rookie Seymour and Willie and not a lot more.
The LBs were Vrabel in his first Pats season, Bruschi in the middle for the first time and Phifer.
I like the current LBs better than that group.

IcyPatriot said:

I think this team will be defined as a front '6' with a heavy dose of 2 strong safeties.

Of course I have been predicting this for a few years ... might as well predict it again as it looks closer than ever.

Click to expand...

You were correct about the front 6 part last year, as we played 5 DBs something like 75% of the time.
The 2 SS part won't be happening any time soon with 3 wides being the base O of most teams.

As it is now, the interior has a chance to be elite. Ninko and Jones, our edges, have their limitations. Ninko creates many turnovers but that doesnt negate the fact that he struggles to come close to double digit sacks despite his high snap total. Jones favorite move is to allow himself to be choked out. Good news is BB has to see something similar and that is why we loaded up at the position.

By the end of the year I expect this d to create far more turnovers than last year and may even surpass it if our corners are atleast average. Overall 03, 04, 07, 15.

Our front seven may be good, but if the secondary can't hold up then the front seven might look pretty bad... Who's going to cover Andre Johnson, TY Hilton, and those two tight ends?
Leave one TE in to block, send one out to receive. Can the pressure get there? Do you double Andre Johnson? How quick can the front seven generate pressure?
We still don't have any elite pass rusher. Wilfork is gone, the middle won't be stuffed the way it used to be.
I think this defense is being overrated. This secondary might be as bad as it was in 2011. Sure, we made the Super Bowl that year... But the AFC was as weak as it had ever been.
Mayo, Hightower both coming off of injuries. Mayo hasn't played football in two seasons now basically.
Easley hasn't shown anything to rely on. Brown is a rookie.

I love chandler jones but he's not elite.
Ninko is a playmaker. Collins has a lot of potential.
Is Chung starting at safety?
But besides that, what makes this D so good?

Do you see this defense challenging the packers offense?
A repeat will be no easy task. Wouldn't be surprised if we have a wide receiver playing cornerback again.
Yikes.

Interception said:

Our front seven may be good, but if the secondary can't hold up then the front seven might look pretty bad... Who's going to cover Andre Johnson, TY Hilton, and those two tight ends?
Leave one TE in to block, send one out to receive. Can the pressure get there? Do you double Andre Johnson? How quick can the front seven generate pressure?
We still don't have any elite pass rusher. Wilfork is gone, the middle won't be stuffed the way it used to be.
I think this defense is being overrated. This secondary might be as bad as it was in 2011. Sure, we made the Super Bowl that year... But the AFC was as weak as it had ever been.
Mayo, Hightower both coming off of injuries. Mayo hasn't played football in two seasons now basically.
Easley hasn't shown anything to rely on. Brown is a rookie.

I love chandler jones but he's not elite.
Ninko is a playmaker. Collins has a lot of potential.
Is Chung starting at safety?
But besides that, what makes this D so good?

Do you see this defense challenging the packers offense?
A repeat will be no easy task. Wouldn't be surprised if we have a wide receiver playing cornerback again.
Yikes.

Click to expand...

You can get away with a WR playing CB if you have a great front 7.

Interception said:

Our front seven may be good, but if the secondary can't hold up then the front seven might look pretty bad... Who's going to cover Andre Johnson, TY Hilton, and those two tight ends?
Leave one TE in to block, send one out to receive. Can the pressure get there? Do you double Andre Johnson? How quick can the front seven generate pressure?
We still don't have any elite pass rusher. Wilfork is gone, the middle won't be stuffed the way it used to be.
I think this defense is being overrated. This secondary might be as bad as it was in 2011. Sure, we made the Super Bowl that year... But the AFC was as weak as it had ever been.
Mayo, Hightower both coming off of injuries. Mayo hasn't played football in two seasons now basically.
Easley hasn't shown anything to rely on. Brown is a rookie.

I love chandler jones but he's not elite.
Ninko is a playmaker. Collins has a lot of potential.
Is Chung starting at safety?
But besides that, what makes this D so good?

Do you see this defense challenging the packers offense?
A repeat will be no easy task. Wouldn't be surprised if we have a wide receiver playing cornerback again.
Yikes.

Click to expand...

Wilfork wasn't that good last year. Hell, I even thought that Siliga was better a bunch of times last season because he was faster at shedding blocks and getting to the ball carrier. I'm more worried about Mayos injury than I am of him not having played much in two years, because he was really good last year before his injury.

Compared to 2011 I would say that our secondary is much improved because DMac is safety now. I don't say that it's very good or good. But I would put it far ahead of 2011(you can go very far before you hit good) just because we have a really good center field safety that can cover up other players misstakes, instead of making a bunch of misstakes himself.

I think it's potentially better than 01 and 07. 01 had a solid S and CB. 07 had an amazing offense that forced the opponent into throwing too much.

It depends heavily on the two young ones : Easley and Brown. And on the return of Mayo. HT and Collins have both exceeded my expectations. I love those two. Ninko is better than he "should be". He has far exceeded my expectations. To bash Ninko is ridiculous. His smarts and effort and durability make him 50% better than his natural athletic abilities should allow.

Interception said:

Our front seven may be good, but if the secondary can't hold up then the front seven might look pretty bad... Who's going to cover Andre Johnson, TY Hilton, and those two tight ends?
Leave one TE in to block, send one out to receive. Can the pressure get there? Do you double Andre Johnson? How quick can the front seven generate pressure?
We still don't have any elite pass rusher. Wilfork is gone, the middle won't be stuffed the way it used to be.
I think this defense is being overrated. This secondary might be as bad as it was in 2011. Sure, we made the Super Bowl that year... But the AFC was as weak as it had ever been.
Mayo, Hightower both coming off of injuries. Mayo hasn't played football in two seasons now basically.
Easley hasn't shown anything to rely on. Brown is a rookie.

I love chandler jones but he's not elite.
Ninko is a playmaker. Collins has a lot of potential.
Is Chung starting at safety?
But besides that, what makes this D so good?

Do you see this defense challenging the packers offense?
A repeat will be no easy task. Wouldn't be surprised if we have a wide receiver playing cornerback again.
Yikes.

Click to expand...

Way too too pessimistic, IMHO. Unlike 2011, we now have experienced and pretty good Safeties, with good size, and ample depth. The CBs may not be AllStars but are hardly just chicken feathers, unlike 2011.

Plus both the LBs, and the Defensive line (40+sacks), even without Easeley and Brown, are magnitudes better than 2011. Which after all WAS a Super Bowl club.