DEFENSE THOUGHTS - Mostly positive

[mgteich]

PASSING GAME
Ok, the corners were largely untested. Losman and the Buffalo receivers weren't a huge threat. But the corners did hold their own. I think that our pass-rush will be MUCH better with Vrabel back outside instead of Banta-Cain.

RUNNING GAME
See who made the tackles: Seau,Vrabel,Harrison, and Wilson. Buffalo ran right at us, and we held the middle. Buffalo has a fine running game. We all but stopped them. Seau was a huge pickup. He and Bruschi will have FUN stopping teams up the middle. This also means that Colvin and Banta-Cain were reasonable at forcing runners to the inside.

OVERALL
I think a lot will improve with Bruschi back, and Vrabel moved outside. The open issue is how this team will react to this year's injuries. Also, we need to see the corners in action against a balanced or passing offense.

 

[patsfaninpa]

I would like to see our defense force more turnovers. None today.
I think a lot of it's because of our style. Bend, but don't break. Agree
about the starters. Look very solid. Randall Gay looks a little stronger.
He made a nice hit that I don't recall him making in the past. Pennington
looked decent today. Will be a better test for the secondary.

 

[Gon_Trevil]

I disagree that benching Tully is a way to increase pass-rush.

 

[njpatsfan]

I disagree that benching Tully is a way to increase pass-rush.

TBC got the pressure that led to the safety. He is a fast and strong rusher.

R

 

[DarrylS]

This AM's press indicates that Ellis Hobbs was called on to 1-1 Lee Evans, did a good job, overall the D did a very good job, seem much more agressive than they were at this juncture last year. Bruschi coming back will help them keep their focus, Harrison's timing looked a little off, but still a force.

 

[captain stone]

I would like to see our defense force more turnovers. None today.
I think a lot of it's because of our style. Bend, but don't break. Agree
about the starters. Look very solid. Randall Gay looks a little stronger.
He made a nice hit that I don't recall him making in the past. Pennington
looked decent today. Will be a better test for the secondary.

The defense does need to create more turnovers; they didn't have too many last year, either (IIRC). The opportunity should be there vs. the jest, who have no running game whatsoever. The key could be to get NoodleArm rattled asap, and force him to rush his throws early enough to prevent him from stepping into the pocket. Up the middle pressure, I say. Make him run laterally, and those footballs will start to look like beachballs.

 

[mdhprime]

PASSING GAME
Ok, the corners were largely untested. Losman and the Buffalo receivers weren't a huge threat. But the corners did hold their own. I think that our pass-rush will be MUCH better with Vrabel back outside instead of Banta-Cain.

RUNNING GAME
See who made the tackles: Seau,Vrabel,Harrison, and Wilson. Buffalo ran right at us, and we held the middle. Buffalo has a fine running game. We all but stopped them. Seau was a huge pickup. He and Bruschi will have FUN stopping teams up the middle. This also means that Colvin and Banta-Cain were reasonable at forcing runners to the inside.

OVERALL
I think a lot will improve with Bruschi back, and Vrabel moved outside. The open issue is how this team will react to this year's injuries. Also, we need to see the corners in action against a balanced or passing offense.

I agree with you. The defense looked pretty solid during the second half. There a few big missed tackles in the first half, but I was glad to see them avoid that in the second.

 

[ironwasp]

I thought they simply started slowly. In the first quarter and a half the front three were simply too slow out of the blocks and the linebackers struggled to make first up tackles on the run.

In the passing game the lack of that early pressure gave Losman time to find his targets underneath.

But as Seymour and Colvin, in particular, began appyling the pressure, the pressure on everything behind them was released and after that first drive of the second half, they gave the Bills nothing.

There are sterner tests to come. But this was an encouraging start.

 

[ctpatsfan1]

I disagree that benching Tully is a way to increase pass-rush.

Just my two cents as I posted on another thread, but when Bruschi comes back there are two options bench Seau and keep Vrabel @ ILB or bench TBC and move Vrabel to OLB. IMHO the biggest bang for the buck or where Vrabel (who is head and shoulders a better ILB/OLB than either Seau or TBC) will create the most havoc and that is at OLB. Maybe in certain situations you have him playing ILB and other OLB, bottomline is keeping him on the field and that will come at the expense of Seau and TBC.

 

[marty]

I would like to see our defense force more turnovers. None today.
I think a lot of it's because of our style. Bend, but don't break. Agree
about the starters. Look very solid. Randall Gay looks a little stronger.
He made a nice hit that I don't recall him making in the past. Pennington
looked decent today. Will be a better test for the secondary.

I'd also like to see more turnovers from the 06 team than we got from the 05 team. However, I believe we got one with the safety yesterday! Great way to start and we'll build up from there!!!