The BEST New England defense yet?

BradyManny2344 said:

Gee, I don't know, let's ask Tom Brady what he thinks of Tuck and Osi right now. Youth and speed won the Super Bowl last season. PatsfaninPA, man you are a true glass half empty kind of guy, every post you make aims to suggest the 2008 Patriots have no chance at success.

VJC - I am with you 100%, I do believe this defense will be improved from last season - tremendously - and has a chance to be the best D the Pats have seen under BB, which says a lot.

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Thank you for your support. At least there's one other poster here who doesn't belive thinking forward a little is some kind of cardinal sin.

As to the pessimist who is ripping me, take a look at my track record before you jump in with all your flames. In 2003-2004 I predicted early on that the Pats might have their best defense ever. They did. At the start of the 2007 season I said that I believed that this team could go 16-0 and have the Pats best offense ever, and they did.

I'm just looking at the jigsaw puzzles here, and I like what I see. The big picture is that this unit now has the athleticism and speed to not just get stops, but to dominate games. If you refuse to see their potential just because you think it's 'too early' in the game to speculate, go ahead and hold that opinion. See me after the season for your humble pie though if the Pats defense does turn out as great as I thought they would.

There are questionmarks about who can/will step up as with any other team, but with the influx of talent from the draft and free agency, I believe this defense will at least be better than last years and has a good chance of becoming the most dominant defense of the NFL. Book it. And yes if our D turns out horrible, you can dredge this topic back up, but I doubt it. As far as I'm concerned, prognosticating for the upcoming season isn't thinking too far ahead. It's not like I'm making projections to 2010.

if this new and improved D helps pats get to 19-0, it's all i care.

PATRIOTSFANINPA said:

IMO Its really stupid to talk about

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Totally unnecessary, first off. Sorry to use you as an ex. PFPA, but this goes on WAY too much. Disagree, fine. Even if it IS stupid, which the OP isn't, unless the person is just being a contrarian ass, when it OK to call someone stupid for a valid opinion, even if it's "beneath" you?

Anyway...

As far at the DL? Maybe. Wilfork and Warren should be in the prime. Seymour is a question, but at the minimum a top third DE. If he's actually at top health again, which indications say yes, then he's at his peak. A+. Green's in his prime and starter calibre. Throw in Wright, et al., and you have tremendous depth and talent. I'd agree with best DL yet, for sure.

The back seven has questions, but is at least top third in the NFL, regardless. NE fans are hypercritical, but Mayo and Merriweather are top-flight young talent potential. The sort of players NE fans see on other teams and always wish we had. Now that we have them, we're evidently looking for chinks in their armor, forgetting that they are young and inexperienced. Also forgetting they are FAST and STRONG for their position. Since they are the newest, I started with them. If they were each 2/3 years in already, folks would be more comfortable with knowing they have All-Pro capability. They'll see flashes soon enough that resemble the highlights they see of similar young studs on TV that make them drool.

LB depth is better than we've seen in some time. Bruschi takes a lot of undeserved heat. He ran down quite a few RBs last year. He ain't 30, but he ain't a "shadow" quite yet. AD on the outside = AD from Baltimore, particularly after his initiation. Vrabel is Vrabel. If you watched MGOBLUE, you know Crabel will be worked in and will provide as many "SH!T yeah!" plays as Willie did. Admittedly, they won't be accompanied, at first, with the steady workman-like consistency or timeliness. (Rookie). Supposedly, Woods is earning is stripes, much like Bruschi did before people realized who he was. I loved Colvin as much as the next guy, but I can honestly say he didn't really fulfill what I expected coming out of Chicago. Good luck, Rosie, loved ya, babe. Combine the infusion of speed and energy with the stalwart "veteran experience and leadership", and I'd venture no less than 20-25 NFL teams envy NE's positional line-up.

DB: This is getting long, so I'll make this short: This is arguably Belipioli's strength thru the draft. DL is the other, but they're all firsties. So, take your pick: It's a less imp't position systematically, they find diamonds in the rough, etc. Rodney + BM = S taken care of. Add a Tank (good player/Jarvis Green-esque. Would start for most), etc.

CB? There's plenty to choose from, and I'm in the camp that Samuel is hella cooler on Madden than real life. 3 of his INTs last year were tipped balls. Great CB, of course, but sure as sh!t not like losing Big Vince. Hobbs takes undeserved heat a la Bruschi and expect a Samuel-like improvement. The rook will open some eyes. Add him to Mayo/BM. Bryant is arguably a starter, etc. Don't forget DOM CAPERS has been brought in.

If I could take bits of last year, bits of next year, and mix them with my optimism for this year, I'd say yes. But I can't quite yet. They'll be good, though. Top 5 in the league. Even better next year.

Promising? Absolutely!

Best? Even assuming Mayo steps in at ILB and is a stud from the start and AD is a beast as a full-time OLB, there are major questionmarks at CB that we'll have to see how it all plays out before annointing this as the best Pats D. No other position can give up a TD faster than a CB.

Regards,
Chris

zarakotas5 said:

Totally unnecessary, first off. Sorry to use you as an ex. PFPA, but this goes on WAY too much. Disagree, fine. Even if it IS stupid, which the OP isn't, unless the person is just being a contrarian ass, when it OK to call someone stupid for a valid opinion, even if it's "beneath" you?

Anyway...

As far at the DL? Maybe. Wilfork and Warren should be in the prime. Seymour is a question, but at the minimum a top third DE. If he's actually at top health again, which indications say yes, then he's at his peak. A+. Green's in his prime and starter calibre. Throw in Wright, et al., and you have tremendous depth and talent. I'd agree with best DL yet, for sure.

The back seven has questions, but is at least top third in the NFL, regardless. NE fans are hypercritical, but Mayo and Merriweather are top-flight young talent potential. The sort of players NE fans see on other teams and always wish we had. Now that we have them, we're evidently looking for chinks in their armor, forgetting that they are young and inexperienced. Also forgetting they are FAST and STRONG for their position. Since they are the newest, I started with them. If they were each 2/3 years in already, folks would be more comfortable with knowing they have All-Pro capability. They'll see flashes soon enough that resemble the highlights they see of similar young studs on TV that make them drool.

LB depth is better than we've seen in some time. Bruschi takes a lot of undeserved heat. He ran down quite a few RBs last year. He ain't 30, but he ain't a "shadow" quite yet. AD on the outside = AD from Baltimore, particularly after his initiation. Vrabel is Vrabel. If you watched MGOBLUE, you know Crabel will be worked in and will provide as many "SH!T yeah!" plays as Willie did. Admittedly, they won't be accompanied, at first, with the steady workman-like consistency or timeliness. (Rookie). Supposedly, Woods is earning is stripes, much like Bruschi did before people realized who he was. I loved Colvin as much as the next guy, but I can honestly say he didn't really fulfill what I expected coming out of Chicago. Good luck, Rosie, loved ya, babe. Combine the infusion of speed and energy with the stalwart "veteran experience and leadership", and I'd venture no less than 20-25 NFL teams envy NE's positional line-up.

DB: This is getting long, so I'll make this short: This is arguably Belipioli's strength thru the draft. DL is the other, but they're all firsties. So, take your pick: It's a less imp't position systematically, they find diamonds in the rough, etc. Rodney + BM = S taken care of. Add a Tank (good player/Jarvis Green-esque. Would start for most), etc.

CB? There's plenty to choose from, and I'm in the camp that Samuel is hella cooler on Madden than real life. 3 of his INTs last year were tipped balls. Great CB, of course, but sure as sh!t not like losing Big Vince. Hobbs takes undeserved heat a la Bruschi and expect a Samuel-like improvement. The rook will open some eyes. Add him to Mayo/BM. Bryant is arguably a starter, etc. Don't forget DOM CAPERS has been brought in.

If I could take bits of last year, bits of next year, and mix them with my optimism for this year, I'd say yes. But I can't quite yet. They'll be good, though. Top 5 in the league. Even better next year.

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My sentiments exactly. Keeping the core of experienced vets and injecting some youth bringing speed and excitement can rejuvenate the defence, much like what happened with the offense last season.

Many pundits are on the Pats offense will never have another season like that again. I don't subscribe to that theory, especially after the SB debacle. Another year together learning each other inside out excites me.

I am hoping, and I believe, the defense will be much the same.

VJCPatriot said:

I've been thinking it over, and this could be the YEAR that this Pats defense becomes the most dominating unit in the NFL.

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I expect a drop-off, but nothing drastic. Last year they were 4th in the league in PPG with 17.1 (and if they wouldn't have sucked against the Giants in week 17 they would have been #1). In the playoffs the defense played great, allowing only 16.3 (best of the playoff teams), if their secondary didn't have hands of stone the stats would be even better.

Comparing the two rosters the Patriots lost a starting OLB (Colvin), a probowl corner (Samuel) and a decent although declining Safety (Wilson). The 2007 defense also stayed very healthy throughout the year, only losing Colvin and Mike Wright.

Hopefully the team is better on 3rd downs, Mayo should help. I think that D-Line's dominance has allowed the Pats to take a lighter, faster ILB. May should get good protection in the middle and hopefully can be effective in coverage and maybe even blitz once in a while. After Thomas moved outside I can't recall a single blitz from Seau or Bruschi that created a pressure.

The good news is that they are younger (and cheaper) on defense, I hope this allows them to lockup some core players like Wilfork and Mankins.

May 8 prediction for defense - 19.0 PPG (this would have tied them for 10th this year)

When we smack people around like we did in 2001-2002-2003 :rocker: I'll go with this idea ... until then I'm very that our defense is a top-5 in the league.