1. Stronger running game. Beat up the opposing defense. The more tired they are from trying to stop the run, the easier it will be for Brady to pass. With Vereen, Ridley, BJGE, and Woodhead, there will be plenty of running this year. BB didn't draft 2 RB's for no reason. They'll also be used to Kill the clock.
2. Tougher Defense / More Veteran defense / Attacking Defense. Shaun Ellis, Haynesworth, Mark Anderson, Carter. Those 4 alone bring a ton more veteran leadership to a team that was depleted on the front lines last year. Pats have gotten 'bullied' in the past 2 playoff loses. These additions give us more toughness. It's clear that BB also wants to attack opposing QB's more with these signings.
I agree there will be more emphasis on the run. Lee Smith and the new RBs point to that. If Lee can truly be a younger Crumpler in the blocking game it will be great.
I think this D will be harder to run against while at the same time generating more pressure on passing downs. Obviously thats better in every aspect. I don't know about the leadership point. Wilfork and Mayo really stepped up, they might not do the whole Ray Lewis routine but from everything we hear those 2 are more than enough of the leaders we need. Having some age and experience back in the D, a long with our returning players with a year of extra experience and some key players like Bodden returning will certainly help. If we can avoid the unprecedented amount of injured starters this season we'll be in incredible shape.
I honestly see upgrades at:
Backup QB - always important, hopefully never needed, Hoyer is great and Mallet looks like the real thing, at least from what we saw in 1 game
RBbC - When you take this approach you need good, young RB's, Ridley really showed up o Thursday
OL - Just by resigning our own, making them happy, and have apparently very good depth returning + Solder looked great
WR - Price looks to have come to his own, Ocho can only help in my opinion
DL - Added some true pass rushing ends, Haynesworth in the middle with VW, not a lot more to say
DB - Chung should hopefully be a year better, BM is in a contract year (correct?), Bodden returned, McCourty with a years worth of experience
The only thing I don't think we improved at was OLB, Mayo is great, we all know this, but BB apparently wants him in the middle, and the other 2 great looking LB's are figured to play the same role, Spikes and Fletcher. Have we improved at all at OLB? OLB and maybe depth at Safety are my only true concerns with this team this year.
I think we are much better off than last year. That said, I don't know if our record will improve, I think our offense will be just as good, maybe better, defense will certainly be better, the thing that has me ...confused I guess, would be the turnover differential.
How can re replicate that? More pressure MIGHT mean picks, but honestly, last years turnover differential was the best since the 80's redskins, TB also had 2 or 3 luckily dropped interceptions, and we can't rely on never fumbling again. I can see the interceptions for our defense remaining high, we have a secondary with a thing for picking it off, but I don't think our offense can maintain control as well as they did last year, it was a truly incredible thing with how well we handled the ball last year.
