Crayton - "Defensively, they are not the real deal."

[National Sports Advisors]

Dallas has beaten Miami, St Louis, Chicago, Buffalo, and the Giants. They really should be 4-2, but I guess you are what you are so they are 5-1. I still think the jury is out on them. The two teams they faced with good offenses put 35 and 48 up on them in their own stadium. What's going to happen when they face a good offense on the road? I dunno, but I still think they aren't even a lock to win their own division. The Giants, Redskins, and Eagles could still all win that division.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

In fairness to Dallas, a large contributor to Dallas' season lows was the fact that NE's offense was so good. Turn two of NE's TD drives into punts and Dallas has more opportunities to generate yards and points.

Even if Crayton is a jackass, I don't necessarily disagree that NE's defense looked a little vulnerable. But I just think that Dallas presented some matchup issues with their size that most other offenses, including Indy's, don't present.

There is a world of difference between looking a little vulnerable in a particular situation and not being the real deal. Not to mention the point really is how stupid these mouthy loser clowns have to be to keep making the same mistakes off the field in approaching this team over and over and over...

 

[shmessy]

Mr. Crayton? Meet Mr. Freddie Mitchell.


.......that is if YOUR TEAM makes it as far as to being the NFC Sacrificial Lamb at SB 42..

 

[Oswlek]

There is a world of difference between looking a little vulnerable in a particular situation and not being the real deal. Not to mention the point really is how stupid these mouthy loser clowns have to be to keep making the same mistakes off the field in approaching this team over and over and over...

I will grant you that, I just wanted to point out that NE's offense was just as responsible, if not more so, for Dallas' stats to be down.

 

[Rob0729]

By the way, Crayton is using the penalties as an excuse. Just because they got penalites doesn't mean they would have scored without them. There was one drive where they started on the New England 23 (their last scoring drive) and they had to settle for 3 points when they already started in field goal range.

The following drive didn't make a difference eventhough it started with a penalty:

3-S.Gostkowski kicks 70 yards from NE 30 to end zone, Touchback. Ball landed unabated into and out of the end zone.
1-10-DAL 20 (4:56) 9-T.Romo pass incomplete to 82-J.Witten. PENALTY on DAL-76-F.Adams, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at DAL 20 - No Play.
1-20-DAL 10 (4:51) 24-M.Barber right end pushed ob at DAL 12 for 2 yards (26-E.Wilson). Barber escaped a couple of tackles left end and ran out of the end zone right end.
2-18-DAL 12 (4:13) 9-T.Romo pass incomplete short middle to 82-J.Witten. Hobbs closest defender; pass incomplete at the Dallas 18.
3-18-DAL 12 (4:08) (Shotgun) 9-T.Romo pass incomplete short left to 82-J.Witten. Pass lofted incomplete at the Dallas 24; Thomas closest.
4-18-DAL 12 (3:56) (Punt formation) 1-M.McBriar punts 49 yards to NE 39, Center-91-L.Ladouceur. 83-W.Welker to DAL 43 for 18 yards (25-P.Watkins).

Whether you start the drive at 1st and 10 or 1st and 20, two yards aren't going to get you another first down to continue the drive. Considering the Pats were probably more concerned about not giving up the big play than allowing the Cowboys to get short yardage, that doesn't speak too well about them on that drive. Especially when that two yard run could and should have been a safety.

Yes, there were three drives where the Pats had problems stopping the Cowboys and their penalties did make it tougher for them. But it is crybaby cop out excuses to diss the Pats by using the penalty excuse. If their offense is so good and our defense is so bad, they should not have had a problem digging themselves out of the penalty holes they got into.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Add me to the list that thinks our defense is a bit overrated. Teams have really put it on us at times, and our secondary has looked soft over the middle or on the edges depending on how we've played. Tackling has been suspect, and when our defense comes back after a bad offensive possession, it looks a bit tired.

We're a top 10 defense, for sure. But our greatest "defense" this year has been our offense's time of possession. I'm sure if you did an analysis of our opponents' scoring per minute, we would drop a bit in defense.

I'm not a gloom and doom naysayer, but I do think as the weather turns, 37 minutes of offensive possession a game is going to be a bit tougher, particularly if we don't get back to 2 dimensional. Beautiful timing routes across the middle hitting Stallworth in stride don't happen in the freezing rain.

 

[swheeler23]

When Brady was asked about this comment on weei he said they would concentrate on Miami and Dallas could worry about Arizonia.

 

[JJDChE]

IMHO, Bruschi does not stop Barber.

I agree, but he could've held him up long enough for Rodney to come in and finish him. As it was Rodney got there a split second after he got through the line.

 

[rabthepat]

Scoreboard...yet we could have played some what better on "D".

 

[Slagathor]

A few funny things about this.

I'm sure some small part of his yapping is reaction to the Pats eating popcorn as they walked off the field.

Secondly, if you read the article, in a round about way he's throwing his defense under the bus, while covering failures of the offense.

Holding occurs when the offensive player is getting beat by the defender.....right.

Also, who the hell is Patrick Crayton. If Glenn wasn't hurt, this guy is Dallas's version Jabar Gaffney.

Lastly, we primarily got beat by the two guys I knew would give us trouble,

Barber and Witten. Other than Rodney, our secondary's physical stature is very small. Big powerful TE's and RB's get into our secondary and it seems to take us an extra 10 yards to put the brakes on them.

That being said, those issue are an inconvenience other than a problem.

 

[Rob0729]

Add me to the list that thinks our defense is a bit overrated. Teams have really put it on us at times, and our secondary has looked soft over the middle or on the edges depending on how we've played. Tackling has been suspect, and when our defense comes back after a bad offensive possession, it looks a bit tired.

We're a top 10 defense, for sure. But our greatest "defense" this year has been our offense's time of possession. I'm sure if you did an analysis of our opponents' scoring per minute, we would drop a bit in defense.

I'm not a gloom and doom naysayer, but I do think as the weather turns, 37 minutes of offensive possession a game is going to be a bit tougher, particularly if we don't get back to 2 dimensional. Beautiful timing routes across the middle hitting Stallworth in stride don't happen in the freezing rain.

I think it is hard to judge how our defense truly is. It usually stout early in the game. But since we have fairly consistently gotten up to big leads, I think our defensive strategy and the other team's offensive strategy has change so much over the course of the game that I wonder if what we are seeing is what they really are for most of the game.

I have a feeling that our defensive strategy changes over the game from shutting down the opposing offense to not let them score too quickly. Even after facing three powerful offenses in a row (Cincy is the fourth ranked offense and the 7th ranked scoring team, Cleveland ranked seventh on offense and is the fourth highest scoring team, and Dallas is the second ranked offense and is the second highest scoring team), we are the second ranked defense in the league, sixth in points allowed (which includes the TD we gave up on the Brady strip sack), fourth in passing yards allowed per game (which is big considering we force the opposing offenses to air it out a lot), and fifth in rushing yards allowed per game.

We have faced three of the best offenses in the league and are still ranked at the top or near the top in most important defensive categories. I think our defense is for real. We had a few breakdowns here and there, but we are still stopping people on defense.

 

[upstater1]

Sure the offense keeping the ball always helps a defense, but the Cowboys only put together two drives really. And we just needed to make adjustments in the middle of the field to fix it. The defense isn't in playoff form yet, nor should they be, but they are still performing very well and very much the "real deal".

They had about 3 good runs and aside from that not much. One of the runs came to Wright's side where he just couldn't/didn't get off his block and close his gap soon enough. Seymour will surely not let that happen.

Going just on memory, it seems that TE's and the middle of the field is where MOST passing yardage comes from against us. However it seems to come in spurts during a game after the other team makes adjustments and before we do. It's also a small factor of protecting against the big play and forcing the defense to have sustained time-killing drives to get points, nothing quick.

I agree with this. What more can a defense do against a good offense?

They are going to get gashed at some point in the game. The defense enabled the O to get out to a good lead and then dictate. The offense also gave up 7 pints on the fumble recovery. Going into the game, if I told you the Patriots D would give up 20 points, you would have taken that instantly, right?

 

[everlong]

Mr. Crayton? Meet Mr. Freddie Mitchell.


.......that is if YOUR TEAM makes it as far as to being the NFC Sacrificial Lamb at SB 42..

I was going to post the same thing with "You're being covered by a safety how does that feel" added.

 

[Slagathor]

Every defense gets gashed now and then. Pittsburgh had a horrible game against Arizona.

Arizona also put up almost 400 yards against Baltimore.

Hell, the Cowboys were the NFL's 8th ranked defense prior to their game with us.

The nice thing about the Pats is as the season progresses, they are the best at finding their own weaknesses and correcting them.

That being said, the Miami game against a 0-6 team might be a good week to give Meriweather some playing time.

 

[Bostonian1962]

Sounds like Crayton and TJ Douchmanzadah are cut from the same cloth.

I was going to say the same thing. I PRAY we see them again in the Super Bowl. And, I pray Crayton wears a throwback jersey, with perhaps a target on it.

 

[Metaphors]

Even if Crayton is a jackass, I don't necessarily disagree that NE's defense looked a little vulnerable. But I just think that Dallas presented some matchup issues with their size that most other offenses, including Indy's, don't present.

"They're not [that good] at all. The only time they stopped us is when we had penalties. If that's stopping us, it is what it is."

Well Cryton...that should be easy enough to validate:

1) Stopped on incomplete pass to you
2) Stopped on a sack
3) Stopped on incomplete pass to you
4) Stopped on incomplete pass to you (FG)
5) TD
6) TD
7) Holding on 1st down, stopped on incomplete pass
8) Holding on 4th down
9) Stopped on incomplete pass and lack of intestinal fortitude (FG)
10) Stopped on interception

So let's tally up the results:
- 20% Not stopped
- 20% Stopped by penalty (I'll spot you the holding on 1st down)
- 20% Stopped by defense/lack of offensive execution
- 30% Stopped by defense/lack of offensive execution directly involving you
- 10% Stopped by defense/your coach waiting for his other testicle to drop

Seems like a fairly even spread to me. You might want to focus on all the areas and not just the penalties...though your coach may have to work through his issues on his own.

 

[jefmblrd]

When will these guys learn to keep their mouths shut?

 

[TheBaronPatriot]

And whenever the Pats lose, You can bet BB is up there saying how we were beaten by a better team. How many other coaches do that?

The best part is...
Crayton is speaking as if the Cowboys are headed to the SB. as if it's a lock!
he says: IF THE PATS MAKE IT, WE"LL PLAY THEM THEN
on an espn interview
what a joke

 

[shmessy]

When will these guys learn to keep their mouths shut?

Never. And that's the delicious thing about it!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ring 6]

In fairness to Dallas, a large contributor to Dallas' season lows was the fact that NE's offense was so good. Turn two of NE's TD drives into punts and Dallas has more opportunities to generate yards and points.

Even if Crayton is a jackass, I don't necessarily disagree that NE's defense looked a little vulnerable. But I just think that Dallas presented some matchup issues with their size that most other offenses, including Indy's, don't present.

Turn some of the 7 out of 10 possessions the Cowboys had 5 plays or less into drives, and the Patriot offense isnt on the field controlling the clock.