Pats Defensive and Offensive Rankings Questions
 

I took a look at the stats today and I am wondering if the Pats defensive struggles are schematic, personnel, or a product of the teams they have faced.

3 of the team the Pats have played are in the top 10 of the league in total yards, Chargers, Raiders and Bills. Miami is 16th. All of the teams in question have elite offensive players, Rivers and Jackson (SD), Marshall (Miami), Johnson (Buf) and McFadden (Oak).

My question to the board is this are we, as fans too worried that the Pats D is giving up so many yards considering who the Pats have played?

If the answer is no what are the culprits?

I personally believe its a combination of factors, lack of secondary depth, new personnel adapting to a new scheme and to some extent injuries on the DL and now at LB. However the more I look at the Pats opponents and the stats I do wonder if we, as fans, are over reacting when we consider the quality of the offenses the Pats have played.

On the flip side of this the Pats have faced only 1 top 10 defense, SD. Is the Pats offensive prowess overstated?

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

Three of the teams the Pats have played are in the top 10 of the league in total yards because they played the Patriots.

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

I am troubled by the defensive stats that have been given, but am encouraged by the 3-1 record... that is all that counts.

When we get some of these guys healthy and we play with a full compliment in a system they are used to then it will be easier to assess.

These stats mean little except for mediot talking points, lets see what things look like in the second week of November..

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

LOL. The truth hurts. What struck me during the game, though, is how many young guys we have out there, particularly in the secondary. And we've been bit bad by the injury bug. They really only gave up 13 points when it mattered (although the last TD drive by the Raiders was maddening!) and they were pretty much able to contain McFadden, which Big Vince said was the goal of the game. I still have hopes that the D is young and in flux because of injuries and will get better as the season goes on, while our O continues to play lights out. I would give up on the Haynesworth experiment, though. He is a waste of a roster spot.

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

I don't care about yardage stats. They are overrated. In 2001, the Pats defense was 24th in points allowed giving up 334.5 YPG. The Pats won the Super Bowl that year.

The Pats are 20th in points allowed. That is the stat I care about. Twentieth isn't good enough, but it is far better than the yardage stats.

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

BB still thinks it's 1986 .. just sayn..

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

The stat rankings have some meaning, but the logic of each game is such in the NFL that stats can easily be skewed. Besides this, our bend but don't break defense means we will never top the defense charts... and yet be favored in every game we play.

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

Except Lawrence Taylor is not walking through that door...

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

yards is a more or less useless metric in evaluating a defense in the modern NFL

it truly comes down to points allowed & opponents red zone efficiency

the pats points allowed is high.....i expect that to drop as the defense gets healthier and they get used to the new scheme

they are already solid in opponents red zone efficiency


people whine about the defense....but this team is 4-0 if brady doesn't chuck 4 picks against buffalo (and i'm not going to ***** about brady, by any means)


there's maybe two decent tough defenses in the AFC right now....baltimore and houston.....both teams are good (watch out for houston), but are they better teams than the patriots overall? we'll see....


even supposed "great" defenses are getting points hung on them this year....no OTA's, no contact in practice hurts....add in a new scheme, and the injuries the Pats have, and you see a 3-1 work in progress

the only two real concerns i have with this defense are health and safety play....pats only have on nfl caliber safety, and he's better vs. the run than in coverage

Re: Pats Defensive and Defensive Rankings Questions
 

Its a combination of all 3.They dont get no push on the defensive line.No pass rushing moves at all.I would killed to have DEs who can get to the QB.I wish the vikings would deal Jared Allen.They are going nowhere.I would give them a first rounder and a second.Whateva it takes.