Can D be turned around?

[Bostonian1962]

The way teams are going up and down the field on the Pats, has been a bit hard to view. It makes me nervous about the team's chances as time goes on. It wasn't exactly Moss, Jerry Rice, and Tony Gonzalez carving up the Pats secondary the last couple of weeks.

Can it be fixed, and how? Does anybody have to be replaced? Could somebody currently out come back and be the answer? Will younger talent like Guyton, Merriweather, and Mayo improve the D, as they get some time under their belt?

I'm asking because, I don't know how things can improve in the short term. I could see a big boost come playoff time, if Thomas comes back, but short of that, I'm looking for some hope here.

Is their a reason for hope of improvment, or is the team going to have to put up mega-points every game?

 

[emoney_33]

As long as they all eat a nice Thanksgiving meal, the D should be playing their best afterwards.

 

[NJ#1PATSFAN]

If I see one more third and long converted I will just puke.....the pass D needs to be fixed and in a hurry. The pass D lost the game to the jests.

 

[BelichickFan]

The number of young players (who could improve) and the possible return of Thomas are the only reasons for hope I have.

 

[mgteich]

Are you suggesting that they get turned around from the top 1/3 of defenses (where they are) to the bottom 1/3 of defenses? Is the kind of turn around that you require?

The way teams are going up and down the field on the Pats, has been a bit hard to view. It makes me nervous about the team's chances as time goes on. It wasn't exactly Moss, Jerry Rice, and Tony Gonzalez carving up the Pats secondary the last couple of weeks.

Can it be fixed, and how? Does anybody have to be replaced? Could somebody currently out come back and be the answer? Will younger talent like Guyton, Merriweather, and Mayo improve the D, as they get some time under their belt?

I'm asking because, I don't know how things can improve in the short term. I could see a big boost come playoff time, if Thomas comes back, but short of that, I'm looking for some hope here.

Is their a reason for hope of improvment, or is the team going to have to put up mega-points every game?

 

[Lifer]

I dont see it. If they are turned around, the offensive line will cream them in the back, and the secondary people will have a harder time picking up the receivers. I dont even want to think how it would effect the linebackers!

 

[BradyManny]

A healthy Adalius makes a huge difference.

Or maybe Pierre Woods can progress as fast as Cassel is. It's not really that Woods is the problem though, he's played well. He's just not AD, and he doesn't have AD's uber-versatility.

 

[BradyToMoss]

It's pretty simple, it's called a pass rush.

We can't generate pressure from the 4 guys we are sending, yes that's you Mike Vrable, you've lost a step. So what's the next alternative if you can't generate a pass rush with the core-4, simple, it's called getting creative and designing some disguised blitzes off the edge with a CB on either side or zone blitzes with the safties and LB's.

For the strangest reason, BB, Pees and co keep getting bashed over the head with these 3rd and longs. SEND THE HOUSE, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE !!!!!!!!!!!!! QB's are sitting back there finding wide open WR's on 3rd and longs because they're having cake and ice cream back there. C'mon Pees, let's start getting creative and get back to the old Patriot defenses who used to have those creative blitzes.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

If I see one more third and long converted I will just puke.....the pass D needs to be fixed and in a hurry. The pass D lost the game to the jests.

actually, special teams and a coin flip lost the pats game to the jets

the simple answer is no.........not this year........the pats are left without veteran bodies at OLB and in the secondary.......bad combo for trying to stop the pass........I think the best chance to succeed for this season is to start taking a few more chances on blitzes and man coverage by the corners

 

[mgteich]

I think it is reasonable to expect Mayo, Guyton, Wilhite, Richardson and Woods to improve as a group over the rest of the year.

It is also reasonable to expect some production from those returning or potentially returning from injury: Webster, Lew Sanders and Thomas.

The number of young players (who could improve) and the possible return of Thomas are the only reasons for hope I have.

 

[j00fek]

maybe next yr

 

[PATS68]

I think it is a lack of talent with DB's and coaching and front office.

I'll start with the front office. Team has failed to replace key players like Ted Johnson, Willie Mac, Ty Law, Milloy. All those guys were 1st day picks in the draft. They tried to replace them with all second day picks and bad FA singings. Pats had three undrafted LB's on the field the other day. Guyton, Woods and Redd. There might be some upside, but you see the impact of a day 1 pick in Mayo.

I also believe that Pats wasted way too many draft picks when they tried to run a 2 TE O. Two #1s and a 3rd with some where in the area of 8 draft picks spent on the TE postion. Way too much!

How about K. Dansby instead of Watson. Dansby went one pick after.

Running a 3-4, Pats should have used 8 draft picks on LBS and DBS. I looked to the Steelers and the turn over they have had with their system. Look at the OLB postion, it started with Llyod, Chad Brown, Gildon, Porter and now Harrison. I am leaving out all the turn over at ILB and the other OLB postion.

I go with some bad coaching during the game. On the Ricky Williams TD, the team was confused. Players were running on and off the field. They were no even set. Why not call a timeout and get the right people on the field.

3rd and long and they play coverage for a team that can not play coverage. Why not go after him, force him to get rid of it. IE 3rd and long Jets game.

I just don't think they have the talent at the DB postion. Hobbs does not attack the ball, he plays the WR. Samuel and Law both could attack the ball, I don't see this as part of Hobbs game. Hobbs plays anyone with speed and height, its all over for him. He got his but handed to him in the Rams game.

I will say that Merriweather has been making some nice hits out there the last few weeks. I know that 3-15 hurt bad. Decked Wayne a couple of times in the Colts game. Had some nice hits in the game the other day. I think once he gets it, he will be really good.

BB please use this draft for the D. Also try to find a WR late in the draft IE David Givens and please try to find a RB that is not made out of glass.

 

[NEPatriot]

we have a lot of work to do with our secondary. This problem has been here for 4 years and i don't know why BB hasn't made any effort to improve. Perhaps, he thought that no QB would throw the ball for 40 yards?

I'm tired of seeing our secondary get picked every game. I don't think that we have made any substantial progress on our D while our O has been improving years after years.

It's time to bring our D to the same level as O if we want to be a perfect team..

 

[mgteich]

Yeah, I wish Front Office had done as well as the all the other teams that have won more regular season games, more playoff games and more SB's than our team has since 2000 when Belichick and Brady arrived. Please list all those teams and organizations so we can learn from them.

I think it is a lack of talent with DB's and coaching and front office.

I'll start with the front office. Team has failed to replace key players like Ted Johnson, Willie Mac, Ty Law, Milloy. All those guys were 1st day picks in the draft. They tried to replace them with all second day picks and bad FA singings. Pats had three undrafted LB's on the field the other day. Guyton, Woods and Redd. There might be some upside, but you see the impact of a day 1 pick in Mayo.

I also believe that Pats wasted way too many draft picks when they tried to run a 2 TE O. Two #1s and a 3rd with some where in the area of 8 draft picks spent on the TE postion. Way too much!

How about K. Dansby instead of Watson. Dansby went one pick after.

Running a 3-4, Pats should have used 8 draft picks on LBS and DBS. I looked to the Steelers and the turn over they have had with their system. Look at the OLB postion, it started with Llyod, Chad Brown, Gildon, Porter and now Harrison. I am leaving out all the turn over at ILB and the other OLB postion.

I go with some bad coaching during the game. On the Ricky Williams TD, the team was confused. Players were running on and off the field. They were no even set. Why not call a timeout and get the right people on the field.

3rd and long and they play coverage for a team that can not play coverage. Why not go after him, force him to get rid of it. IE 3rd and long Jets game.

I just don't think they have the talent at the DB postion. Hobbs does not attack the ball, he plays the WR. Samuel and Law both could attack the ball, I don't see this as part of Hobbs game. Hobbs plays anyone with speed and height, its all over for him. He got his but handed to him in the Rams game.

I will say that Merriweather has been making some nice hits out there the last few weeks. I know that 3-15 hurt bad. Decked Wayne a couple of times in the Colts game. Had some nice hits in the game the other day. I think once he gets it, he will be really good.

BB please use this draft for the D. Also try to find a WR late in the draft IE David Givens and please try to find a RB that is not made out of glass.

 

[PatsFan2]

The way teams are going up and down the field on the Pats, has been a bit hard to view. It makes me nervous about the team's chances as time goes on. It wasn't exactly Moss, Jerry Rice, and Tony Gonzalez carving up the Pats secondary the last couple of weeks.

Can it be fixed, and how? Does anybody have to be replaced? Could somebody currently out come back and be the answer? Will younger talent like Guyton, Merriweather, and Mayo improve the D, as they get some time under their belt?

I'm asking because, I don't know how things can improve in the short term. I could see a big boost come playoff time, if Thomas comes back, but short of that, I'm looking for some hope here.

Is their a reason for hope of improvment, or is the team going to have to put up mega-points every game?

Can we shake hands with trees? Can we watch Elephants fly? I am not too optimistic until AD comes back...we need a pass rush which we currently don't have at the moment.

 

[dtbrks]

well, from CHFF, the passer rating against our D puts us at 25th, not go good. Teams passer rating against the pats is 92.9. I hope it gets better.

Cold, Hard Football Facts.com: Defensive Passer Rating through Week 11

 

[dtbrks]

our third down defense is allowing teams to get first downs 44% (which is about what the pats average) of the time. I am not sure where that ranks, I can't find it. 3rd down D seems to be their Achilles heel

New England Patriots Stats

"THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS 59/134"

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

It's pretty simple, it's called a pass rush.

We can't generate pressure from the 4 guys we are sending, yes that's you Mike Vrable, you've lost a step. So what's the next alternative if you can't generate a pass rush with the core-4, simple, it's called getting creative and designing some disguised blitzes off the edge with a CB on either side or zone blitzes with the safties and LB's.

For the strangest reason, BB, Pees and co keep getting bashed over the head with these 3rd and longs. SEND THE HOUSE, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE !!!!!!!!!!!!! QB's are sitting back there finding wide open WR's on 3rd and longs because they're having cake and ice cream back there. C'mon Pees, let's start getting creative and get back to the old Patriot defenses who used to have those creative blitzes.

I doubt they'll do that because their corners, Hobbs and O'Neal are not good.

The only bright spot in their Pass D is Meriweather. I doubted him during his 1st 2 seasons as he showed me nothing, but this year, he finally "gets it". Brandon unfairly took some heat in the Jets loss for allowing a TE to get a key 1st down, but overall, his coverage has been terrific this year. He's been sticking to receivers like glue on deep routes and QBs who throw into his area do so at their own peril.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

It's pretty simple, it's called a pass rush.

We can't generate pressure from the 4 guys we are sending, yes that's you Mike Vrable, you've lost a step. So what's the next alternative if you can't generate a pass rush with the core-4, simple, it's called getting creative and designing some disguised blitzes off the edge with a CB on either side or zone blitzes with the safties and LB's.

For the strangest reason, BB, Pees and co keep getting bashed over the head with these 3rd and longs. SEND THE HOUSE, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE !!!!!!!!!!!!! QB's are sitting back there finding wide open WR's on 3rd and longs because they're having cake and ice cream back there. C'mon Pees, let's start getting creative and get back to the old Patriot defenses who used to have those creative blitzes.

I agree, our pass rush is weak and our secondary has no playmakers. Teams have realized that if their QB gets time, he can throw over the top of Hobbs and have a huge gain.
Vince is being handled too easily in the middle and Warren/Green is not contributing much if at all.
The OLB that comes is not getting to the opposing QB, let alone providing any pressure.
Seymour is doing better than expected, but still from the 3-4, he can't do it alone.

We need a pass rush or our soft zone defense is going to continue to be shredded.

 

[BradyManny]

I agree, our pass rush is weak and our secondary has no playmakers. Teams have realized that if their QB gets time, he can throw over the top of Hobbs and have a huge gain.
Vince is being handled too easily in the middle and Warren/Green is not contributing much if at all.
The OLB that comes is not getting to the opposing QB, let alone providing any pressure.
Seymour is doing better than expected, but still from the 3-4, he can't do it alone.

We need a pass rush or our soft zone defense is going to continue to be shredded.

Vince was looking dominant at the start of the year, he's been banged up in the middle of the season and he a bit looked back to form yesterday. Warren, IMO, has been great all year against the run - and isn't used enough as a pass rusher to judge in that category.