Bronco's defense

[1960Pats]

Certainly makes sense, although you've got to wonder about anyone ranking MIN as the 9th best team at 2-2.

At first I thought that maybe I misread the Vikings ranking and so went back and did a discount double check, and sure enough, That was where they had Minny. That one is from Fox sports.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The 2007 and 2011 teams (both NE and NYG) were completely different. The match ups are in our favor now.

Injuries made the games a lousey matchup.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Ummm have you seen who the Giants have played? And barely beaten? I wouldn't be too worried.

i don't buy the "look whom they've played" argument. if you can't see that the giants are playing well right now, then you should see the tape. offensively they are very very good.

 

[SalemPats]

I wonder…. From a roster standpoint, that defense is largely unchanged from last year, yet looks completely different. You can say what you want about Wade Philips, but he managed to take an overpriced and underachieving unit, and turn them into the #1 overall ranked defense. These guys are flying all over the field, wrecking havoc and generating turnovers left and right. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the donkeys sitting at 0-5 if not for that defense.


Is it really all because of what one coach managed to do with them? I’m not even talking about schemes, formation, and overages. Just pure aggressiveness and speed these guys are all of a sudden playing like maniacs… The look like Seattle’s defense from 2 years ago.


Any thoughts?

Scheme is just as important as talent. Wade Phillips is an elite defensive mind.

 

[JMC00]

Strength of Schedule is such a stupid statistic. Obviously the best teams always have the weakest perceived SOS, they are giving the teams they play losses.

I only look at the ones that don't take into the account head to head.

Pats opponents combined record 9-7 (12-9 if they beat the dolts)
Broncos 6-13 (8-16 if they beat the browns)
Bengals 8-12 (11-14 if they beat the jills)
Packers 8-12 (10-15 if they beat the chargers)
Panthers 6-11 (8-14 if they beat the seahawks)

 

[Oswlek]

I only look at the ones that don't take into the account head to head.

Pats opponents combined record 9-7 (12-9 if they beat the dolts)
Broncos 6-13 (8-16 if they beat the browns)
Bengals 8-12 (11-14 if they beat the jills)
Packers 8-12 (10-15 if they beat the chargers)
Panthers 6-11 (8-14 if they beat the seahawks)

DVOA's sched numbers are also useful

Pats: 0.7%
GB: -15.4%
Cin: -2.3%
Den: -10.4%
Car: -23.9%

Only Cincy is even close. The best team any of them have faced is Seattle (11.7%, 9th), and after that it drops down to Balt (o.3%, 16th). By contrast, the Patriots have faced two teams better than both of those, Pitt (18.5%, 5th) and Buffalo, (15.4%, 7th).

 

[FourierSeries]

DVOA's sched numbers are also useful

Pats: 0.7%
GB: -15.4%
Cin: -2.3%
Den: -10.4%
Car: -23.9%

Only Cincy is even close. The best team any of them have faced is Seattle (11.7%, 9th), and after that it drops down to Balt (o.3%, 16th). By contrast, the Patriots have faced two teams better than both of those, Pitt (18.5%, 5th) and Buffalo, (15.4%, 7th).

Yeah, we've definitely had the toughest schedule of all the undefeated teams. Unfortunately for Denver, they have one of the toughest schedules from this week until week 17.

 

[ViperGTS]

i don't buy the "look whom they've played" argument. if you can't see that the giants are playing well right now, then you should see the tape. offensively they are very very good.

As in the floating end of game interception against the 49ers that was unbelievably botched?

That offense?

 

[SHOWTIME15]

As in the floating end of game interception against the 49ers that was unbelievably botched?

That offense?

it's a top 7 offense as far as PPG. and as soon as cruz comes back it will take off even more. they will test our D. I'm not saying they are perfect but i know when eli gets hot he is tough to stop.

 

[Deflatemyballs]

it's a top 7 offense as far as PPG. and as soon as cruz comes back it will take off even more. they will test our D. I'm not saying they are perfect but i know when eli gets hot he is tough to stop.

I really don't understand the concern about Cruz, the guy hasn't been on the field in forever who knows if he will ever get back what he had two years ago. Also the toughest matchup the Giants caused for us in both Super Bowls was the fact they could throw 3 effective pass rushers who were capable of 10-12 sack seasons. Now their star pass rusher is still nursing his infected hand. People need to get over this fear of the Giants. I wouldn't be surprised if we blow them out.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I really don't understand the concern about Cruz, the guy hasn't been on the field in forever who knows if he will ever get back what he had two years ago. Also the toughest matchup the Giants caused for us in both Super Bowls was the fact they could throw 3 effective pass rushers who were capable of 10-12 sack seasons. Now their star pass rusher is still nursing his infected hand. People need to get over this fear of the Giants. I wouldn't be surprised if we blow them out.

my concern with the giants is more on the other side of the ball. do we have enough guys in the secondary to cover randle, beckham, donnell, etc.? i can see us putting up a lot of points on the giants but i also see the potential for the ball at will on us. we weren't exactly stellar on defense against pittsburgh or buffalo.

 

[Kontradiction]

I really don't understand the concern about Cruz, the guy hasn't been on the field in forever who knows if he will ever get back what he had two years ago. Also the toughest matchup the Giants caused for us in both Super Bowls was the fact they could throw 3 effective pass rushers who were capable of 10-12 sack seasons. Now their star pass rusher is still nursing his infected hand. People need to get over this fear of the Giants. I wouldn't be surprised if we blow them out.

Bingo. That will be a game where the Pats don't even attempt to run the ball. The Giants pass rush and pass defense as a whole is not what it was in the last 8 years.

 

[JMC00]

we weren't exactly stellar on defense against pittsburgh or buffalo.

meh

buffalo benefitted from 3 drives that started at midfield because of the offense trying to embarass the bills.

steelers had only 260 yards passing and 14 points in 58 minutes. 90 yards and 1 TD came on an end of the game garbage time TD.

 

[TommyD4207]

my concern with the giants is more on the other side of the ball. do we have enough guys in the secondary to cover randle, beckham, donnell, etc.? i can see us putting up a lot of points on the giants but i also see the potential for the ball at will on us. we weren't exactly stellar on defense against pittsburgh or buffalo.

It's amazing to me the weight people put into garbage time.

 

[Oswlek]

It's amazing to me the weight people put into garbage time.

Even odder is basing expectations for how the team will play in December on how they played the first couple weeks of the year.

 

[JMC00]

Even odder is basing expectations on how the team will play in December on how they played the first couple weeks of the year.

Especially this, given what happened last year.

 

[condon84]

I think the Broncos D is gonna give us problems, relative to the other defenses we've faced.

You got those two bookend rushers that are extremely difficult matchups.

They'll cover Gronk with Talib. Harris will be on Julien.

They also have fast ILBs who will occupy the short/intermediate routes in the middle that Brady typically love to throw to.

I think our running game will be key. We've got to be able to run right at them to set up some play-actions.

If we do go spread-no huddle, Lewis will have to be dominant as well as big contributions from Amendola/Martin. If Jojo is back at 100% by this game, that would be huge.

That being said, I suspect we score 24-28 points and keep their offense under 16.

 

[JMC00]

They'll cover Gronk with Talib. Harris will be on Julien.

Those two matchups are a win for the Patriots.

If Jojo is back at 100% by this game, that would be huge.

Report was he looked good in warm-ups last week and at that point he'll have played 4-5 games.

 

[FourierSeries]

my concern with the giants is more on the other side of the ball. do we have enough guys in the secondary to cover randle, beckham, donnell, etc.? i can see us putting up a lot of points on the giants but i also see the potential for the ball at will on us. we weren't exactly stellar on defense against pittsburgh or buffalo.

You would actually be concerned if the game comes to a shootout between Brady and Eli? Really?