DL Injuries Issued Are Overstated

[mgteich]

The patriots are 14-2 with an improving defense. We are whining about losing our #3 and #4 DL to IR. We also lost our #4 CB. That's it. That's all our defense lost during the season. Yes, I understand that we lost Warren and Bodden before the season began, but the defense that went 14-2 didn't depend on them.

We think that we have the worst injury luck in the league. We are devastated by the loss of two players that many wanted cut or who are at best relatively minor contributers to the defense.

If you want to consider being hurt at a position, consider those team that lost probowl quality starters during the season. Or consider a team that put TEN defensive backs on IR, and still made the playoffs, only to lose when yet another defensive back was injured!

 

[Ring 6]

The patriots are 12-4 with an improving defense. We are whining about losing our #3 and #4 DL to IR. We also lost our #4 CB. That's it. That's all our defense lost during the season. Yes, I understand that we lost Warren and Bodden before the season began, but the defense that went 14-2 didn't depend on then.

We think that we have the worst injury luck in the league. We are devastated by the loss of two players that many wanted cut or who are at best relatively minor contributers to the defense.

If you want to consider being hurt at a position, consider those team that lost probowl quality starters during the season. Or consider a team that put TEN defensive backs on IR, and still made the playoffs, only to lose when yet another defensive back was injured!

Not sure what the point of all the crap at the end of the post is, but the first part is dead on.
We havent had Wright for 2 months and have not lost without him.
Brace has missed half of the last 6 games and parts of some of the ones he played, and Pryor is now back, after being out since Indy on 11/21.

Sure, its easy to say the DL is made up of Wilfork and jags and no-names, but that is no different that what got us to 14-2, 8 in a row, and the #1 scoring defense in the NFL the last 5 weeks.

 

[DaBruinz]

MG - It's pretty well known that the Pats haven't had the most injuries in the league. Mentioning that the Colts have put 10 DBs on the IR get's you nothing. So what? How many of those DBs went on the IR prior to the season and how many went on after the season started?

The one thing about this year that I have found interesting is that teams have LOADED the IR.

 

[Ring 6]

The patriots are 12-4 with an improving defense. We are whining about losing our #3 and #4 DL to IR. We also lost our #4 CB. That's it. That's all our defense lost during the season. Yes, I understand that we lost Warren and Bodden before the season began, but the defense that went 14-2 didn't depend on then.

Huh?
.........

 

[Brady2Welker]

Although we have two more DLs on IR, we have Kyle Love who's playing better and better every game. The most important person on this DL will, for this season at least, always be Big Vince, if he keeps playing well, the trickle down effect occurs.

 

[crowell33]

Huh?
.........

I second the "huh?"

 

[Deus Irae]

The patriots are 12-4 with an improving defense. We are whining about losing our #3 and #4 DL to IR. We also lost our #4 CB. That's it. That's all our defense lost during the season. Yes, I understand that we lost Warren and Bodden before the season began, but the defense that went 14-2 didn't depend on then.

We think that we have the worst injury luck in the league. We are devastated by the loss of two players that many wanted cut or who are at best relatively minor contributers to the defense.

If you want to consider being hurt at a position, consider those team that lost probowl quality starters during the season. Or consider a team that put TEN defensive backs on IR, and still made the playoffs, only to lose when yet another defensive back was injured!

Given what we saw against Green Bay, it's pretty clear that the DL injury issues aren't overstated. The hope is that BB's coaching brilliance will continue to find a way to work around those issues.

 

[patchick]

We think that we have the worst injury luck in the league.

I really think you're aiming at some straw men here. Who thinks the Patriots had "the worst injury luck in the league" this year? IMO fans are very reasonably focusing on the DL because it is the one area with a significant concentration of injuries, making it the shallowest part of a generally stacked roster.

The plain fact is that the Patriots are only fielding 2 d-linemen who were on the roster last year, and one of those is just returning from a long time out with a back injury. Beyond that you have 1 journeyman vet who has proved versatile and valuable; 1 7th-round rookie who got himself suspended for poor practice habits; 1 UDFA who has played sparingly (and whom you yourself don't project to next year's roster); 1 last-minute street FA. No, it's not disastrous, but it does preclude the kind of rotation you'd like to see to keep the big bodies fresh for the 4th quarter.

If we don't worry about that, what the heck do we worry about?

 

[Calciumee]

Huh?
.........

How was that now the first reply???

It's first thing I noticed

 

[sevengables_2207]

Given what we saw against Green Bay, it's pretty clear that the DL injury issues aren't overstated. The hope is that BB's coaching brilliance will continue to find a way to work around those issues.

True. But it should be noted that the Packers had to switch up the game plan on the fly once Rodgers was ruled out on that Saturday. I could be wrong, but it seemed that the Patriots were caught a bit off guard by the Packers offensive game plan. I do not think such a scenario will play out this time with the Jets coming to town, although we all know anything could happen.

 

[patsox23]

I took the extra step to assume the guy transposed the 4 and the 2 and meant 14-2. I'm going to continue to relax now.

 

[Ring 6]

How was that now the first reply???

It's first thing I noticed

Temporary dyslexia?

 

[Ring 6]

True. But it should be noted that the Packers had to switch up the game plan on the fly once Rodgers was ruled out on that Saturday. I could be wrong, but it seemed that the Patriots were caught a bit off guard by the Packers offensive game plan. I do not think such a scenario will play out this time with the Jets coming to town, although we all know anything could happen.

No, I think we just didnt play good run defense. I think not having Spikes contributed to that as well.
Overall it was 38-143 which is 3.7 a carry.
It was more the combination of decent running and short passing keeping them on the field than just an inability to stop the run.

 

[DarrylS]

Methinks when I read stuff like this thread, that boredom is a real issue for some folks.. so when all else fails try to create some controversy from a non-controversial issue..

 

[BTTA]

The only issue of relevance is that the Pats early injuries, which were some of the worst in the league, are never acknowledged during the coach of the year conversations. It is a huge testament to BB that they have been made to fade into the woodwork, but we shouldn't allow it to be forgotten in the context of that (coach of the year) conversation.

 

[crowell33]

I really think you're aiming at some straw men here. Who thinks the Patriots had "the worst injury luck in the league" this year? IMO fans are very reasonably focusing on the DL because it is the one area with a significant concentration of injuries, making it the shallowest part of a generally stacked roster.

The plain fact is that the Patriots are only fielding 2 d-linemen who were on the roster last year, and one of those is just returning from a long time out with a back injury. Beyond that you have 1 journeyman vet who has proved versatile and valuable; 1 7th-round rookie who got himself suspended for poor practice habits; 1 UDFA who has played sparingly (and whom you yourself don't project to next year's roster); 1 last-minute street FA. No, it's not disastrous, but it does preclude the kind of rotation you'd like to see to keep the big bodies fresh for the 4th quarter.

If we don't worry about that, what the heck do we worry about?

This sounds right to me. Would love to have Ty Warren and Ron Brace added to this defensive line with Mike Wright coming in during passing downs. Would be a huge upgrade. Having said that, the Pats are 9 point favorites against the Jets at home and should do fine with what they have.

 

[MassPats38]

Was this thread drafted earlier in the season with a different outcome in mind?

I haven't really heard any claim that the Pats are more affected by injuries than any other team (not in the media - the discussion focuses more on the age of the defense, not its health). Given the amorphous nature of the D and the fact Wilfork, Mayo and McCourty are apparently healthy, life seems pretty good in terms of injury status.

 

[Ring 6]

Was this thread drafted earlier in the season with a different outcome in mind?

I haven't really heard any claim that the Pats are more affected by injuries than any other team (not in the media - the discussion focuses more on the age of the defense, not its health). Given the amorphous nature of the D and the fact Wilfork, Mayo and McCourty are apparently healthy, life seems pretty good in terms of injury status.

I think it was borne from SeanPaPatriot being off his antidepressant meds and posting in the other thread that we should fear the Jets because 45-3 is phony because our DL was healthy then.

 

[mgteich]

my bad .........

Huh?
.........

 

[mgteich]

You're right. if we can't complain about the defesnive line, what can we complain about?

======
I agree that the DL should be a focus, as has been the case all year. It was an issue going into the last draft, during the draft, in the preseason and throughout the season.

My point is that the injuries to Wright and Brace are not critical or especially significant.

The are indeed many posters who have whined about our injuries dureing the season. To me, our injuries during the season have been relatively minor.

Going into the season we had weaknesses at LG, OLB and on the DL. Mankins came back. Connolly played well. The linebackers including newe acquisition Moore have played well.
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BOTTOM LINE ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE
I agree that this is still a concern. However, it is no more so than when the season started. We are getting more out of Warren and Deaderick than we might have expected to start the season. That's a plus. Wright, Brace and Pryor have been in and out. Now Pryor is in.

I really think you're aiming at some straw men here. Who thinks the Patriots had "the worst injury luck in the league" this year? IMO fans are very reasonably focusing on the DL because it is the one area with a significant concentration of injuries, making it the shallowest part of a generally stacked roster.

The plain fact is that the Patriots are only fielding 2 d-linemen who were on the roster last year, and one of those is just returning from a long time out with a back injury. Beyond that you have 1 journeyman vet who has proved versatile and valuable; 1 7th-round rookie who got himself suspended for poor practice habits; 1 UDFA who has played sparingly (and whom you yourself don't project to next year's roster); 1 last-minute street FA. No, it's not disastrous, but it does preclude the kind of rotation you'd like to see to keep the big bodies fresh for the 4th quarter.

If we don't worry about that, what the heck do we worry about?