How about a position by position breakdown of why the defense is struggling?

[Ring 6]

Peyton Manning .702 win percentage (11.2 - 4.8)
Tom Brady .773 win percentage (12.3 - 3.7)

Manning dragged Caldwell and Fox to the super bowl and 1 seeds.

Brady > Manning

A lot of teams would go 11-5/12-4 every season with the GOAT at QB. Why can't fans realize this and hold the defense accountable?

Are you saying the greatest run in NFL history is an underachievement?

 

[Deus Irae]

He doesn't need to be near perfect.
If you hand away points playing aggressively he might.

I think it is a certainty that when you have the goat running your offense the wisest defensively philosophy is a conservative one.

4 League titles using a more pressure style of defense, 2 gap or otherwise.
5 SB appearances using a more pressure style of defense, 2 gap or otherwise.
0 League titles using the passive version of the "bend but don't break" system.
1 SB appearance using the passive version of the "bend but don't break" system.

Your notion of a certainty seems to be at odds with both my notion of a certainty and history.

 

[Ring 6]

4 League titles using a more pressure style of defense, 2 gap or otherwise.
5 SB appearances using a more pressure style of defense, 2 gap or otherwise.
0 League titles using the passive version of the "bend but don't break" system.
1 SB appearance using the passive version of the "bend but don't break" system.

Your notion of a certainty seems to be at odds with both my notion of a certainty and history.

Belichick had had the same philosophy since arriving here.

 

[long distance]

My biggest concern is their inability to cover backs coming out of the backfield and think they may have to start using Chung to spy running backs as a hybrid safety/linebacker.

I think this is lesson #3 after the bye - and NYJ are just the customers to see how they adjust.
I have a feeling that BB & MP are on it as we speak.

(lesson #1 was compose CBs; lesson #2 apply some pass rush, add V Noy - both well executed vs 49ers)

 

[Ivan]

Thanks, Ivan. Yeah 30% of my labrum was torn and I had a partially torn rotator cuff. I've lived with it for a while but it worsened after I was rear ended in I-95 at a dead stop with the other driver in excess of 50 MPH. How long did it take you to regain feeling in your hand after the surgery?

Thats really ironic because I had put mine off for a long time for family reasons and also had it get worse after getting rear ended on an off ramp of I-95, except I was stopping but not fully stopped. As far as numbness in my hand I never actually thought about it because I wasn't using it and my biggest concern was sleeping. As I said it's a long rehab and I'm still far from done but if you do the physical therapy precisely and religiously you'll can get pretty much everything back, my right arm now has better range of motion than my left but strength is way off and will probably take another year to get where I want to be. Good luck with it Kontra I'm sure you will do well.

 

[Ivan]

I agree with you 100%.. But i am just saying that we have good rotational guys now and we had zero before ( Andre Carter was producitve but that's it) .. If we lack one playmaker we don't need two guys to play 95-98% of the snaps anymore...

Rowe had 3 penalties if i am not mistaken... But one was a BS call...

I would rather go to next year draft with Ryan and Harmon and draft: #1 DT + #2 LB + #3.a DE #3.b LB #4 RB
We have only one need on O IMO ( If we retain our players): RG Shaq isn't terrible but he allowed 5.5 sacks if we had two Thuney's this number would drop to ONE...

Mason is still a project as far as pass blocking goes but he's a really good run blocker and their run game is much better this year than last, which is going to help them deal with teams that want to just pin their ears back and rush the passer as Denver did to them in the AFCCG. I don't think it's a coincidence that Belichick has gone big on offense, two huge TE's with the addition of Bennett, as well as a FB (Develin) and the biggest load RB in Blount, its to be able to blunt pass rushers, particularly Denver. This has the potential to be the best backfield in Belichicks tenure now that Lewis is back, and White is playing lights out, and they can play any style of game they want with it. They can pound with Develin and Blount, especially out of two TE sets, and they can spread them out and play fast with Lewis and White, both of whom are nightmare matchups for LB's. So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't want Mason replaced as he is a road grader at RG.

 

[Deus Irae]

Belichick had had the same philosophy since arriving here.

You're being disingenuous, and I'm not going down those roads with you again. You have to know that.

 

[Ivan]

I think this is lesson #3 after the bye - and NYJ are just the customers to see how they adjust.
I have a feeling that BB & MP are on it as we speak.

(lesson #1 was compose CBs; lesson #2 apply some pass rush, add V Noy - both well executed vs 49ers)

It is certainly the game to show it because Forte is a really good receiving back. Imo they will be looking to shut him down and make Fitzpatrick beat them in the secondary.

 

[Kontradiction]

Thats really ironic because I had put mine off for a long time for family reasons and also had it get worse after getting rear ended on an off ramp of I-95, except I was stopping but not fully stopped. As far as numbness in my hand I never actually thought about it because I wasn't using it and my biggest concern was sleeping. As I said it's a long rehab and I'm still far from done but if you do the physical therapy precisely and religiously you'll can get pretty much everything back, my right arm now has better range of motion than my left but strength is way off and will probably take another year to get where I want to be. Good luck with it Kontra I'm sure you will do well.

Yeah everyone is telling me to adhere to the PT regimen to a T. I plan on it. I'd like to be able to work out regularly without limiting myself and be able to play ball again. Thanks for the advice, brotha. Even on Percocet, I'm extremely sore right now.

 

[skinnydog]

Belichick had had the same philosophy since arriving here.

Not really true. the pats 2 gap 3-4 or 4-3 style of their first three defenses is quite a bit different than the 4-3 2 gap style of the 2014 team.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Would you keep Wilfork (8.4m cap)?

I've gained 100 lbs. since I got married twenty years ago. Maybe they can put me in there and I can take up some space. I'll work cheap, too.

Really, I never thought I'd outweigh Garin Veris ever in my lifetime...you know, he was born a month after me and we have the same middle name...

 

[fightingirish595]

Bend don't break has become a catch-all around here, and it's nowhere near as applicable as its users seem to think it to be.

In the early days, this team was a 2 gapping 3-4 team that was all kinds of aggressive. The idea that it was a passive "bend, don't break" system similar to what we've mostly seen in the post-2004 era is absurd.

The way some people post, they make it seem like The players are coached not to get to the quarterback. I highly doubt belichick is coaching his front four not to get to the quarterback. Effective D ends can get to the quarterback while staying in their lanes and not running by the quarterback. The staple of a belichick D is a player who can set the edge and get after the passer, (taylor, willie). In addition a belichick D will ideally be stought against the run with no more than 7. Bill belichick might not even be in this position if not for LT. Bill admits a players game. Bills great, only a fool would deny, But would the greatness of him and parcells even be recognized without LT? The man wrecked games. Bills gameplan in superbowl 25 is legendary

 

[fightingirish595]

He doesn't need to be near perfect.
If you hand away points playing aggressively he might.

I think it is a certainty that when you have the goat running your offense the wisest defensively philosophy is a conservative one.

A 4 man rush doesnt require you to be all that agressive. it just requires talent. We had this last year. and Now that depth is gone

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

2. Malcolm Butler, New England Patriots, 86.4
Outside of Talib, there really hasn’t been a corner that has been consistently “shutdown,” but Malcolm Butler has had a fine season, outside of a couple of lapses. Against Miami back in Week 2, he surrendered 157 receiving yards, and he coughed up another 94 against Pittsburgh; beyond those games, he has given up 35 yards or fewer on six of his eight outings, and over the entire season, has allowed just 52.9 percent of passes into his coverage to be caught, despite occasionally being asked to track elite receivers.

From PFF. Not the gospel but another pov.

I really like Butler. What a find.

He competes on every play and is always in his mans hip pocket. Man/Zone, it doesn't matter, the guy just plays. And at times seems like the only one fired up out there.

 

[PP2]

4 League titles using a more pressure style of defense, 2 gap or otherwise.
5 SB appearances using a more pressure style of defense, 2 gap or otherwise.
0 League titles using the passive version of the "bend but don't break" system.
1 SB appearance using the passive version of the "bend but don't break" system.

Your notion of a certainty seems to be at odds with both my notion of a certainty and history.

Not really true. the pats 2 gap 3-4 or 4-3 style of their first three defenses is quite a bit different than the 4-3 2 gap style of the 2014 team.

For example:

2001-2002 Playoffs

Divisional Round- WIN
Yards allowed 230
Points allowed 13

Championship Round- WIN
Yards allowed 306
Points allowed 17

Super Bowl- WIN
Yards allowed 427
Points allowed 17


So yes, this has very clearly been a "bend but don't break" defense from day one.

 

[Brewskies]

It's clear that the defense is in trouble. Anyone denying that just needs to look at what BB's actions have been. So, with that in mind, I thought a thread breaking down the issues by position might be in order.

DT/DE
OLB/ILB
CB
S
Specialty spots (nickel, pass rush specialist, etc...)

So let's have at it...

Great thought but is it the defense that is in trouble or the inconsistent offence or both. For me that is the question. I lean towards the inconsistent offense (example Seattle game or SF game) Watch what happens against the weaklings NY Jets.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Would you keep Wilfork (8.4m cap)?

We'd like to be perfect, but nobody is. We can't change the past, so we need to figure out what to do with what we've got now...I like Vince but we moved on

 

[Ring 6]

Not really true. the pats 2 gap 3-4 or 4-3 style of their first three defenses is quite a bit different than the 4-3 2 gap style of the 2014 team.

Philosophically it's not.

 

[Ring 6]

You're being disingenuous, and I'm not going down those roads with you again. You have to know that.

We can agree to disagree

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

We can agree to disagree

Sorry, couldn't resist

Along with seemingly everybody else, Dave also played on George Harrison's All Things Must Pass in '71