Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

I was listening to PFW in progress on wednesday and the guys on the show mentioned about how BB seems to be happier and up beat. It got me thinking, of the remaining games, if you dont count the this week's game agaisnt the steelers, the patriots face, the seahawks(30th ranked pass defense, 22th ranked rush defense), the raiders(29th ranked rush defense, 10th ranked pass defense), the cardinals(17th ranked pass defense, 8th ranked rush defense, the bills(20th ranked rush defense, 16th ranked pass defense).

Now if the patriots win out and Cassel continues to turn out +300 yard passing games until the end of the season, including the game agasint the steelers with the #1 ranked defense. The patriots could very well go into the playoffs with a top 7 rushing and passing offense in the league.
The patriots a team who started early in this season without their #1 QB Tom Brady,and 1st round pick RB Maroney, goes into the playoffs with the top 7 rushing and passing offense, has to be a really well coached team. In Bill we trust.
If the patriots do go into the playoffs with the top 7 ranked pass and rush offense, supported by a bend but dont break BB defense with a front seven that can stop the run very well, combine with Matt Cassel the best kept secret in the NFL that other teams have very little game film on, the patriots will be a pretty scary team to face.

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

I think the run defense is good, its the pass denfense thats not very good IMO.

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

the pass defense is not great, but its not ranked super horrible. Keep in mind that the patriots went into this season knowing that the secondary will take a few lumps a long the way. Its the offense that keeps the patriots a going and BB defensive coaching talent that prevents the patriots from sinking.

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

Lot of if's in your original comment. I would prefer to play each game, one at a time, instead of comparing ourselves to future opponents now. Injuries happen, on both sides, that effect who and how you play each game.

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

The guys on PFW in progress has mentioned before that BB can be grumpy often. One time Paul on PFW in progress was in the elevator with a pizza and BB came into the elevator, paul said hi to BB, then BB replied, "dont you guys ever work?" So now that I hear that BB is happy and upbeat, I think its because BB is holding Aces. Or maybe BB is just happy that he has kept Cassel on his roster for so long and now it justifies it.

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

LOL that funny

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

while the overal pass defense isn't great, the 3rd down and redzone defense is awful.. if they can't improve these numbers then the playoffs aren't guaranteed.

Third-down defense
59 of 134 (44 percent)
NFL rank: 27th

Red-zone defense (based on TD percentage)
22 of 33 (66.7 percent)
NFL rank: 31st

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

Well hopefully because the patriots have a great front 7, rushing TDs from the redzone will be a lot harder, so maybe teams will opt for throwing it in, which might lead to INTs.

The patriots are probally bad at 3rd down defense because of their bad pass defense.
I would be really worried if their pass and run defense were ranked lower than 15th, and their 3rd down defense and redzone defense were ranked 27th and 31st.

Its kinda werid, the patriots are ranked 13th in rush defense and 18th in pass defense, yet their 3rd down defense is a horrible 27th.

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

I think there's a chance that BB is playing this year like a rebuild year and the success they've had so far actually surprises him. Nothing else could explain not picking up a Law or Colvin in FA, other than that the idea is to get rookies valuable experience this year in prep for next.

Re: Patriots in playoffs, with top 7th ranked rushing and passing offense?
 

Maybe BB just got laid :p