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1) I do think that scheme is important. Scheme dictates what types of players a team goes after. As do many of us, I prefer the 3-4 2-gap and the bend, don't break kind of defense.
2) If we had the quality of defensive coaching and talent that was evident in the play by the jets this year, then we would have done much better.
3) We were a top 10 defense without top 10 talent. So, perhaps the coaching is not terrible, and just needs a couple of experienced coaches with leadership skills and the willingness to lead.
4) Sanders was a leader of the defense in 2008 and in 2009. He calls the plays in the secondary. Meriweather was interviewed on this last month. Without Sanders a key communication link was missing.
5) I have no question that if Brady were healthy for the entire season and we had a #3 and #4 WR who actually played the position, most of us would be celebrating the success of the 2009 defense. It did reasonably well in a year of serious transition. It was good enough if the offense was able to play like more than a mediocre offense in the second half.
6) We need to re-sign or extend Wilfork and Bodden, our top two defenders.
7) We then need to re-sign or upgrade Burgess, Woods and Banta-Cain. I want to bring them back and hope that they get beat out by better players for reps. and end up as backups. Besides, Woods and Banta-Cain are top special teamers, perfect backups.
8) Finally, and most obviously, we need to find replacements for Green and Thomas.
9) That's alot of positions to expect to have addressed on one side of the ball.
2) If we had the quality of defensive coaching and talent that was evident in the play by the jets this year, then we would have done much better.
3) We were a top 10 defense without top 10 talent. So, perhaps the coaching is not terrible, and just needs a couple of experienced coaches with leadership skills and the willingness to lead.
4) Sanders was a leader of the defense in 2008 and in 2009. He calls the plays in the secondary. Meriweather was interviewed on this last month. Without Sanders a key communication link was missing.
5) I have no question that if Brady were healthy for the entire season and we had a #3 and #4 WR who actually played the position, most of us would be celebrating the success of the 2009 defense. It did reasonably well in a year of serious transition. It was good enough if the offense was able to play like more than a mediocre offense in the second half.
6) We need to re-sign or extend Wilfork and Bodden, our top two defenders.
7) We then need to re-sign or upgrade Burgess, Woods and Banta-Cain. I want to bring them back and hope that they get beat out by better players for reps. and end up as backups. Besides, Woods and Banta-Cain are top special teamers, perfect backups.
8) Finally, and most obviously, we need to find replacements for Green and Thomas.
9) That's alot of positions to expect to have addressed on one side of the ball.
With a far worse group of talent this season, the Patriots still managed to be in the top 10 in scoring defense this season. It was a triumph of coaching and scheme over lack of talent, which is why the defense couldn't get it done against the better offenses, when the coaching just wasn't sufficient to cover for the absence of quality players. Cripes, how do people explain why the re-insertion of Sanders into the starting role made the defense look so much better despite all the claims that he's not a good player? "Bend but don't break" is just fine.