Defense/Belichick struggling with new/young QB's

[sarge]

What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

It seems historically the Pats have had trouble with backup QBs. I don't get it?

Colt McCoy tore them up.

What ever that dudes name in Detriot did well.

Even through the years when the Pats had a great defense, backups always seemed to give them fits.

I remember a Monday night game against Denver 2003 or 2004 (the intentional safety game), but they had there backup in and the Pats needed the final minute before they came out on top.

I know there have been more, they just don't come to mind off the top of my head.

It's getting like I'm more scared of the backups then the main QB's.

Anyway, we need our DL back, BAD!!!!!!!!!

Mike Wright, we need you back something fearce. Myron Prior, Ron Brace, lets go guys!

 

[MrTibbs]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Something tells me next draft people will be expecting a OLB. Seems like DL are the safest picks. They do need help along the DL.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

It seems historically the Pats have had trouble with backup QBs. I don't get it?

For some reason, BB's philosophy appears to play very vanilla D; heck, look at all the three-man rushes on third down. . . .

To be honest, though, I wonder if he does it so that he can watch what happens, and see what the QB's strengths/weaknesses are.

 

[BradyMossWelker]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Lack of game tape?
Maybe, just MAYBE that's the reason.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Something tells me next draft people will be expecting a OLB. Seems like DL are the safest picks. They do need help along the DL.

Not necessarily. Most of the problems right now are injury related (they have two DLs on IR, plus they were down three more tonight).

 

[mosi]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

I think plain and simple, the pats thought this was going to be a cake walk and came out flat. Simple as that. If Rogers played, I am confident the Pats would have come out with more fire.

 

[Fixit]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

This happens all the time, and not just to the Pats. It's hard to stop a guy you know nothing about.

 

[Willie55]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Lack of knowledge on said backup QB. Once the Pats gain intelligence on QB they do OK against him.

 

[coolguy]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

simple ANSWER : NO TAPE!!!
no pun intended.

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Flynn was finding the holes in the zone all night. Big question: where were the ILB's on the pass plays? Every time Flynn threw, it looked like it was over the middle in the area that the ILB's had vacated.

 

[tobias funke]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Keep in mind that Belichick is not going to use a sophisticated scheme vs. a backup QB at home after clinching a playoff spot.

He seems to go as vanilla as possible anytime he thinks he can get away with it. But in big games that the team must win to guarantee tiebreakers, etc. (division leaders, manning, etc.), he seems to get more creative. This was not one of those games, I guess.

 

[AzPatsFan]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

There was nothing surprising about this game. We had no DLs for this game other than Wilfork who weren't walking wounded. The GB coach figured they could run well enough to keep us honest and then Flynn could rinky-dink well enough to keep them in the game. He even activated three Fullbacks. They just kept running and gaining 4, 5 , and 6 yards.

He was correct.

One of the great advantages that the Pats have is the Coaching and Game planning that Belichcik brings. But when the Pack lost Rodgers, we effectively lost Belichick, since there was little film on Matt Flynn.

Flynn is a poised guy, much like Hoyer or Cassel. Like Brady and Hoyer he came is as a low draft pick and emerged as the second string QB as a rookie. That tells you a lot about the guy. Eventually our Offense scored its customary 31 points and the Pack just could not keep up.

Predictable, very predictable.

 

[MassPats38]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

No DLs, no Spikes. The rotation was lacking, so I expect the linemen the Pats had were pretty gassed.

I'm not going to read more into this game than that.

 

[Marko]

weak links on defense

TBC and Meriweather. I know Meriweather makes some big plays but sometimes I think his head was damaged by the "big bang clock"; way too many times out of position etc. TBC has the lamest spin move in the world, he is not Freeney and he tries it constantly. he made the play at the end of the game but that's because Flynn ran right into his lame spin move.

 

[Fahrenhype]

Are the Pats in trouble against a mistake free offense?

So far the margin for victory in two close games, against the Colts and tonight, was the defense forcing a turnover (or several). How do you like their chances if an offense plays mistake free against them in the playoffs? They don't seem to do the best job in the world of getting off the field when they are not forcing turnovers. It doesn't help that it seems like a lot of times Graham isn't punting as deep as Gostowski would (I was absolutely amazed the Jets didn't get at least one TD with some of the field position they got in that game).

I have very few concerns about the offense. Even with a mediocre game by Brady standards they put 24 points up on the #1 scoring defense and they probably would have had a few more opportunities if not for the strange non-call on the fair catch and Banta-Cain making a very stupid penalty. I'm just curious how you fine ladies and gentlemen think they'll do if somebody like Manning or Roethlisberger plays a turnover free game in January.

 

[mgteich]

Re: What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Thank you for the laugh. This is the worst analysis in some time.

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: Are the Pats in trouble against a mistake free offense?

So far the margin for victory in two close games, against the Colts and tonight, was the defense forcing a turnover (or several). How do you like their chances if an offense plays mistake free against them in the playoffs? They don't seem to do the best job in the world of getting off the field when they are not forcing turnovers. It doesn't help that it seems like a lot of times Graham isn't punting as deep as Gostowski would (I was absolutely amazed the Jets didn't get at least one TD with some of the field position they got in that game).

I have very few concerns about the offense. Even with a mediocre game by Brady standards they put 24 points up on the #1 scoring defense and they probably would have had a few more opportunities if not for the strange non-call on the fair catch and Banta-Cain making a very stupid penalty. I'm just curious how you fine ladies and gentlemen think they'll do if somebody like Manning or Roethlisberger plays a turnover free game in January.

You do realize that Zoltan Mesko is the punter and not Shayne Graham and Stephen Gostkowski, right?

 

[condon84]

Re: Are the Pats in trouble against a mistake free offense?

One thing was obvious:

We flustered this kid in the first couple of drives by blitzing him, but somehow got away from that, dropped back in zone, and let him get into a rhythm and then he picked our defense apart.

In other words, typical Patriot defensive game.

 

[Kontradiction]

Re: Are the Pats in trouble against a mistake free offense?

One thing was obvious:

We flustered this kid in the first couple of drives by blitzing him, but somehow got away from that, dropped back in zone, and let him get into a rhythm and then he picked our defense apart.

In other words, typical Patriot defensive game.

We were getting eaten alive on screens every time we kept blitzing aggressively.

 

[R_T26]

What is up with the Pats defense and backup QB's

Pats are typically good...play down to competition.