I think Bill blew it with these cornerback signings

[Deus Irae]

We wouldn't have been able to field an all star defensive line like Seattle's anyhow. There's no one available that would give us that, and if there was, we can't afford them.

Bill likes his prevent D. Stud CB's fit that.

It's obvious he's sticking to his plan, not trying to turn our D into the 49ers or Seattle.

Remember the days when Bruschi and Harrison were blitzing with relative abandon? Well, get ready to see that from guys like Mayo and whoever is playing safety with McCourty. It won't be Blitzburg, but the blitzes are a'comin'.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

Sometimes you have to separate the wheat from the chaff when you come here, you my OP friend are the king of chaff, hopefully when you wake up tomorrow you can think straight.

 

[AzPatsFan]

2013 Reg Season NE Pats D


Sacks - 48, #2 in AFC

INT - 17, T5 in AFC
Passes defensed - 91, 9th in AFC

Which do we need more, more pressure or corners? I'd pick through the rest of the damn stats but I think the point's made. We always want more pressure, but it's turned into a calcified talking point. The next guys stepped up, Vince was expensive, our D line takes the hit. Talib wants near-Revis money, at a position that all told was a weakness not a strength. It's always a balancing act in the cap era - I sure as hell don't mind being a team you can't toast at will.

In Bill I trust. LaFells may not be the answer on the offensive side, that's understating it. The job description of "receiver" is "one who receives the ball" not "one who gets open and is tall then drops everything." But hell I'm willing to hope. I see a ton of trust in the younguns here but they could all as easily take a step backward as one forward...

Always interesting

Don't forget to add the 4th lowest opponents passer completion rate at 57%. And a Top Ten rating in Points Allowed.

This Defense was on the verge of dominance before the injury bug struck. They are all back with the possible exception of Vince.

 

[JMC00]

We wouldn't have been able to field an all star defensive line like Seattle's anyhow. There's no one available that would give us that, and if there was, we can't afford them.

Bill likes his prevent D. Stud CB's fit that.

It's obvious he's sticking to his plan, not trying to turn our D into the 49ers or Seattle.

Ya. Because going out and signing Revis and Browner is him signaling he wants to play prevent defense.

Do you even understand defense?

 

[PatriotSeven]

Ya. Because going out and signing Revis and Browner is him signaling he wants to play prevent defense.

Do you even understand defense?

Wanna bet? We're not changing.

 

[Ivan]

I think he blew it it as well



All over Elways face.

 

[mgcolby]

I think he panicked and reacted to the Broncos free agent signings all wrong. Paying top dollar for a defensive backfield without being able to create consistent pressure on QBs is like throwing good money after bad. I'm serious, find me one elite defensive backfield that doesn't have a great defensive line in front of it!

Powerful defensive lines are the foundation you build on. With them everyone behind them look better, without them everyone looks worse. Conversely the opposite is also true but not if not to the same extent. Lines are your first wave of attack and if they are good those 3-4 defensive line players can make 7-8 defensive backfield players jobs easier. Or you can bust a nut on two corners who will make 3-4 defensive line players job slightly easier on coverage sacks.

We had a chance to nab some great defensive ends in this years wild free agency to create a dominant pass rush that we've been lacking. But of course our lousy defensive backfield all these years has nothing to do with opposing QBs having all day to play toss with their receivers.... You'd think BB would learn how he won his superbowls when coaching in NY and why he lost them these last two times against NY.

There is no way to sugar coat this...you are an idiot! Chandler is going to have 15 sacks because of our secondary. I would have liked to have had Allen and we could upgrade Nink (love the dude) but we still have the draft and 50 something days of FA left before we are on the "clock". But you're right 5 days into FA BB is a moron for signing one of the top 10 CB's to ever step on an NFL field and a pot smoking huge 6-4 220+ CB on the cheap. What a numbnuts Bill has turned into in his old age.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I think he panicked and reacted to the Broncos free agent signings all wrong. Paying top dollar for a defensive backfield without being able to create consistent pressure on QBs is like throwing good money after bad. I'm serious, find me one elite defensive backfield that doesn't have a great defensive line in front of it!

Powerful defensive lines are the foundation you build on. With them everyone behind them look better, without them everyone looks worse. Conversely the opposite is also true but not if not to the same extent. Lines are your first wave of attack and if they are good those 3-4 defensive line players can make 7-8 defensive backfield players jobs easier. Or you can bust a nut on two corners who will make 3-4 defensive line players job slightly easier on coverage sacks.

We had a chance to nab some great defensive ends in this years wild free agency to create a dominant pass rush that we've been lacking. But of course our lousy defensive backfield all these years has nothing to do with opposing QBs having all day to play toss with their receivers.... You'd think BB would learn how he won his superbowls when coaching in NY and why he lost them these last two times against NY.

Tell me about it. We have no defensive ends for this Sundays game.

 

[DarrylS]

Perhaps the term, "coverage sack" will enter our venacular... cannot ever remember using that term on this team.

Contended pretty much all along here that the opposing teams game plan was to try to keep #12 off the field, with this much better defense it may help return #12 to the field more often. Increase the TE production and this team may be scary good.

 

[Ivan]

Tell me about it. We have no defensive ends for this Sundays game.

F#@/&ng Belichick.

 

[BritPat]

Logic fail. Dump the thread.

 

[fnordcircle]

Ron Borges alt account found.

 

[mrscruff]

For me, Talib was a very good CB overall, elite against the taller WRs and pass-catching tight ends and made a huge difference to our secondary. But he was neutralized against the quicker WRs and his injury history was I think the biggest factor in the Patriots not locking him up. Revis' versatility should not be overlooked in that he can handle all-comers.

We could start to see all kinds of disguises in the secondary with the ilk of ball players we have in the secondary such as McCourty, Ryan and Arrington (and Revis himself) benefitting. throw in Dennard and Browner to rough up the opposition WRs the Patriots have potentially a shutdown secondary which can make teams really pay for errant throws. McCourty, Denard, Arrington and Harmon have played with each other enough to be able to communicate effectively and throwing on the new acquisitions bodes well, health permitting.

Browner himself worries me a little but I will reserve judgement until the contract details surface. One thing to like about him is that he has a chip on his shoulder from his days in the CFL.

The pass rush will definitely benefit from the extra seconds the secondary allows and as others have pointed out, should allow for extra blitzing. The Patriots don't always ask for their DEs to run a wide arc often (not effetively since Mark Anderson) and prefer to set their men up with bull rushes to maintain lane integrity so the extra second(s) could really pay off.

 

[AzorianPats]

I think he panicked and reacted to the Broncos free agent signings all wrong. Paying top dollar for a defensive backfield without being able to create consistent pressure on QBs is like throwing good money after bad. I'm serious, find me one elite defensive backfield that doesn't have a great defensive line in front of it!

Powerful defensive lines are the foundation you build on. With them everyone behind them look better, without them everyone looks worse. Conversely the opposite is also true but not if not to the same extent. Lines are your first wave of attack and if they are good those 3-4 defensive line players can make 7-8 defensive backfield players jobs easier. Or you can bust a nut on two corners who will make 3-4 defensive line players job slightly easier on coverage sacks.

We had a chance to nab some great defensive ends in this years wild free agency to create a dominant pass rush that we've been lacking. But of course our lousy defensive backfield all these years has nothing to do with opposing QBs having all day to play toss with their receivers.... You'd think BB would learn how he won his superbowls when coaching in NY and why he lost them these last two times against NY.

Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

 

[Coach42]

Looks like someone picked a bad day to quit sniffing glue.

 

[OhExaulted1]

No One Wins These In March

 

[scout]

I stated at this year's Christmas party that BB was the greatest NFL coach of all time (I live in the Midwest). These signings have the potential of making that statement indisputable.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I think he panicked and reacted to the Broncos free agent signings all wrong. Paying top dollar for a defensive backfield without being able to create consistent pressure on QBs is like throwing good money after bad. I'm serious, find me one elite defensive backfield that doesn't have a great defensive line in front of it!

Powerful defensive lines are the foundation you build on. With them everyone behind them look better, without them everyone looks worse. Conversely the opposite is also true but not if not to the same extent. Lines are your first wave of attack and if they are good those 3-4 defensive line players can make 7-8 defensive backfield players jobs easier. Or you can bust a nut on two corners who will make 3-4 defensive line players job slightly easier on coverage sacks.

We had a chance to nab some great defensive ends in this years wild free agency to create a dominant pass rush that we've been lacking. But of course our lousy defensive backfield all these years has nothing to do with opposing QBs having all day to play toss with their receivers.... You'd think BB would learn how he won his superbowls when coaching in NY and why he lost them these last two times against NY.

While I agree that pressure up front allows one to get away with mediocre secondaries, bear in mind that applies mainly to the regular season

When it comes to the playoffs, expect that you will have a more difficult time putting pressure on a QB (a la Peyton Manning all last season was hardly sacked at all)

At that point - and going up against playoff teams with great QBs - THAT is when you are going to want one shut down CB and quality players elsewhere in the secondary

So, rather than give a 6 year $57 million contract to Talib, or something similar to someone like Cromartie (who turned down $24 million guaranteed and a 6 year $54 million contract from Denver) we have BETTER talent in Revis for ONLY $12 MILLION

That's an incredible deal that allows money to be spent elsewhere

Seems to me that you and I could play CB for the Patriots (or DE for that matter) and they'd still win the AFC East - but Belichick is building this team with the Super Bowl in mind - not the AFC East Championship

 

[Ring 6]

There is some truth to the OP. If Peyton has 5 seconds to throw the ball, it doesn't matter if we've got Revis and Browner back there. He'll exploit one of the other CBs.

We may shut down QBs who are not on the same level as Peyton, but this is all about getting past the Broncos. We still have to address our pass rush. Seattle's LOB worked because they got pressure just with their front 4. If we can't do the same, elite QBs will have time to exploit other matchups.

If Manning has 5 seconds to throw the ball, he throws a duck into coverage.
We didn't get a pass rush in the AFCCG because receivers were open quickly.
Look at the SB. A lot of the pressure Seattle got was because the first read was covered, if it hadn't been, they would have had the same day we did; ball out quickly neutralizing the passrush.

 

[Rob0729]

From Ben Volin's column today:

A rival assistant general manager said the Patriots came out on top in the Revis-Talib swap, and said the prospect of Revis being coached by Bill Belichick is “scary.”

“He’s going to give them the same benefits he gave Rex [Ryan],” the assistant GM said. “When you want to create pressure on the quarterback, you have a lockdown corner.”

NFL teams spend early part of free agency spending - Sports - The Boston Globe

I said the same thing earlier in this thread. Ryan's Jets blitzed 52.4% of the time on passing plays in 2009 and 44.7% of the time in 2010. Revis was a big part of the reason why. In 2009, the Jets were first in total defense, third down defense, and points allowed. In 2010, they were 3rd in total defense, 10th in third down defense, and 6th in points allowed.

And can you even name a good pass rusher on either of those teams? Calvin Pace led the team in 2009 in sacks with 8 and Bryan Thomas led the team in sacks in 2010 with 6. They had mediocre to average pass rushers on that team and Revis allowed them to create pressure by sending five or six rushers about one out of every two passing plays.