lamafist
Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2008
- Messages
- 1,197
- Reaction score
- 124
It's natural to focus on the defensive backfield when the pass defense is as bad as it's been, and to be sure, it deserves a share of the blame. Still, with all the position-shuffling due to injury back there, the struggling is somewhat predictable.
Considering the relative health of the defensive line, I think the lack of a consistent pass rush is a more worrying issue. More specifically, the Pats get zero pressure from the interior when they aren't in a dime package with Cunningham lined up at tackle. After the first quarter, the Bills knew that Fitzpatrick would have a clean pocket, wide open throwing lanes to the middle of the field, and time for either a RB to come out of the backfield, a TE to find a middle-deep soft spot in our zone, or a wideout to cut in and run halfway across the field.
Wilfork is great, and can penetrate well for a player his size, but is still better used as a one-man road block vs. the run. The problem is that we seem to be getting little to no contribution from Love or Deaderick lining up in the 3-technique. Between the two of them, they have 1 sack, one additional QB hit, and zero balls tipped/batted down at the line. It says a lot about their lack of pass-rushing ability that Belichick sub them out for a 250lb. LB/DE whenever he can get away with it.
In training camp, it looked like BB was lining up Fanene as a 3-technique tackle more than at DE, but the knee injury he failed to disclose made that moot. There was hope to finally get some contribution from Ron Brace after a strong showing in camp, but between subsequent back and elbow injuries, he hasn't been able to get on the field much. Now, with Myron Pryor's rehab from a torn pec not progressing as fast as hoped, it doesn't look like there's going to be any help for our interior rush.
A side effect of the black hole at DT is that, with Cunningham spending most of his time there, he isn't available to spell Nincovich and Jones, leaving a problematic lack of depth at DE. If their elevated snap count is leaving them gassed in the 4th quarter, this could help explain why our pass D goes from bad to worse as the game goes on.
The only good news, I suppose, is that the acquisition of a good press corner like Aqib Talib might free BB+Patricia up to send an extra rusher more often.
Considering the relative health of the defensive line, I think the lack of a consistent pass rush is a more worrying issue. More specifically, the Pats get zero pressure from the interior when they aren't in a dime package with Cunningham lined up at tackle. After the first quarter, the Bills knew that Fitzpatrick would have a clean pocket, wide open throwing lanes to the middle of the field, and time for either a RB to come out of the backfield, a TE to find a middle-deep soft spot in our zone, or a wideout to cut in and run halfway across the field.
Wilfork is great, and can penetrate well for a player his size, but is still better used as a one-man road block vs. the run. The problem is that we seem to be getting little to no contribution from Love or Deaderick lining up in the 3-technique. Between the two of them, they have 1 sack, one additional QB hit, and zero balls tipped/batted down at the line. It says a lot about their lack of pass-rushing ability that Belichick sub them out for a 250lb. LB/DE whenever he can get away with it.
In training camp, it looked like BB was lining up Fanene as a 3-technique tackle more than at DE, but the knee injury he failed to disclose made that moot. There was hope to finally get some contribution from Ron Brace after a strong showing in camp, but between subsequent back and elbow injuries, he hasn't been able to get on the field much. Now, with Myron Pryor's rehab from a torn pec not progressing as fast as hoped, it doesn't look like there's going to be any help for our interior rush.
A side effect of the black hole at DT is that, with Cunningham spending most of his time there, he isn't available to spell Nincovich and Jones, leaving a problematic lack of depth at DE. If their elevated snap count is leaving them gassed in the 4th quarter, this could help explain why our pass D goes from bad to worse as the game goes on.
The only good news, I suppose, is that the acquisition of a good press corner like Aqib Talib might free BB+Patricia up to send an extra rusher more often.